Lesson 2: Understanding Religious Conflict

► Why does religious conflict exist? Is religious conflict necessary, or can it be avoided?

► After brief discussion about these questions, the class should look up the following scripture references: 1 Timothy 3:15, Jude 1:3; Matthew 16:6, 12; Titus 1:9; and 1 Peter 3:15. Discuss briefly what these verses imply about religious conflict.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that a problem with the Samaritans’ worship was that they did not know whom they worshipped (John 4:22). A man’s concept of God is his most important characteristic and certainly the foundation of his entire religion. There can be no more serious error than to be wrong about what God is like.

It is impossible to worship God without believing something about him. If a person has the wrong concept of God, he will honor characteristics that God does not have and fail to honor the characteristics that God does have. The worshipper’s own character will change to match the character that he thinks God has.

A person cannot put his faith in Jesus for salvation without believing something about him. If a person believes the wrong things about Jesus, he has a doctrine that does not support the gospel. He may believe a false gospel that cannot save him.

The church has the responsibility to establish truth. The Apostle Paul said that the church is the pillar and buttress of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). To establish truth, the church has the responsibility to explain and defend it. The Apostle Jude tells us that when people are teaching wrong doctrines, we are to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).

False doctrine is like a disease that spreads its results (2 Timothy 2:17). False doctrine is compared to yeast, which gradually affects a loaf of bread (Matthew 16:6).

God calls pastors to be leaders in the defense of truth. Paul said to Titus that a pastor is supposed to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it (Titus 1:9). He also said that because of deceivers, whole families were being taken away from the truth (Titus 1:10-11).

This course is not about the doctrines that divide different Christian churches into categories such as Methodist, Baptist, or Pentecostal. These churches generally agree on the essential biblical doctrines referenced in the Handbook of Doctrine in the back of this course. Instead, this course looks at religious groups that deny doctrines that are the foundation of the Christian faith.

In this lesson we will study eight important ways Christians should prepare for facing religious conflict. They must:

1. Personally experience salvation.

2. Become established in biblical doctrine.

3. Understand the danger of error.

4. Understand cult members.

5. Understand the origins of false religions.

6. Share the gospel.

7. Demonstrate the church.

8. Depend on the Holy Spirit.

► Why is it important for a person to be saved before he gets into religious arguments?

If a person has not personally experienced the grace of God,

1. He will lack spiritual understanding of truth.

2. He will not have the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit in his efforts.

3. He will have the wrong motives for religious conflict.

Understanding foundational Christian doctrine enables a believer to stand firm in the faith, even when faced with false teaching (Ephesians 4:14). Study of biblical doctrine also prepares a believer to actively influence others by refuting false teaching and explaining truth. This is why, as false teaching is explained throughout this course, it is shown in contrast to God’s truth. As you use the scriptures and doctrines taught in the Handbook of Doctrine to refute the deception of false teachers, your faith will be strengthened.

Every believer should read and study all of God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:15-17). It is the sword God has provided for spiritual victory (Ephesians 6:17).

Systematically studying doctrines of the Christian faith is also an important way to become established spiritually. Christian Beliefs is the first doctrines course offered by Shepherds Global Classroom, but other doctrinal courses are also available.

It is essential for new believers to become established in right doctrine, but serious disciples of Jesus continue to pursue growth in God’s truth throughout their lives (Philippians 1:9).

We must prepare to argue against religious errors. Religious errors have serious results because:

(1) Not every religion tells you to believe in God and go to heaven.

Some religions do not believe in a supreme God who is a person (Buddhism). Millions of religious people do not believe they can go to a heaven where they will continue to exist as a person (Buddhists and most Hindus).

(2) Some religions produce bad character and evil actions.

Religion has sometimes justified mankind’s worst actions, such as Hitler’s murder of millions of Jews. Religion motivates Islamic terrorists to murder thousands of people.

(3) Religious opinion is not a matter of personal taste.

A person should not choose his religious opinions like he chooses his favorite candy. Every religion claims to define reality. If people are real, and if the universe is real, and if God is real, then some religions are wrong in the way they explain reality. For example, if there is a supreme God who will judge the world, then people who worship spirits and let spirits control their lives (animism and Voodoo) will not be prepared for the judgment. A person should not just choose the religion he prefers, but the one that fits reality.

(4) It matters how a person describes God.

If a person is talking about something that is not real, it doesn’t matter how he describes it. But if God is real, some ideas about him are right, and some are wrong. Just as it would be wrong for some statements to be made about you, some statements are wrong about God, because he is real. Because Jesus is God and should be worshipped, it would be a terrible mistake to say that he is only a man, like many religions do.

(5) A person’s eternal destiny depends on the truth.

When people are trusting something for salvation that cannot really save them, we must try to change their minds before they are lost forever.

► Review the list of five reasons that religious errors have serious results. See how many reasons you can remember without looking at the page.

The house of a wealthy man was on fire. Inside were many valuable things that he wanted to save. When men came to help, they were afraid to go inside the burning building. The homeowner quickly gave them all plastic raincoats. He told them that the coats were specially designed to protect them from the fire. Trusting him, they entered the building and tried to bring out the things he wanted. Some of them died because the coats could not protect them. Their faith did not save them because they believed something that was not true.

God is real, and heaven and hell are real. There will be a final judgment on all sin, and every person will go to either heaven or hell for eternity. If a person has a religion that causes him to trust the wrong thing, the results will be terrible and eternal. His religion will not save him if it is not true. That’s why there must be religious argument.

It is important to understand how cult members think and feel. If we ignore their needs, we may fail to offer the gospel in a way that gets their attention.

Think about how you first came into the church. It probably was not because someone beat you in an argument. Therefore, we should not think that we will convert one trapped in false beliefs only by beating him in an argument.

Reason is important as a means of proving truth, but reason alone does not change a person’s commitments.

This section provides some characteristics of people who have chosen to join a religious cult. These characteristics do not necessarily describe someone whose religion is part of his culture.

► What do you know about people who have joined a cult? What character­istics do they usually have?

(1) The cult member believes his leaders are the only source of truth.

He may think he is getting his beliefs from the teachings of the founder and from the cult’s scriptures, but he interprets those by what the leaders tell him. That’s how he can ignore contradictions in the cult’s writings and revelations.

Cult leaders teach unique doctrines that are not found elsewhere for the purpose of becoming the only source of truth for their members. They provide a final authority, either written or living, that supersedes the Bible in practice, even if they claim to believe the Bible.

(2) The cult member distrusts the Christian church in general.

Cult members are taught that Christian churches are apostate, do not have the truth, and do not have God’s blessing. Cult leaders may constantly ridicule Christian churches. In contrast, real Christian churches acknowledge that other churches also have the truth that is necessary for a person to know God and get to heaven.

Some cult leaders keep up a steady flow of new revelation, so their people think they are the primary source of truth.

(3) The cult member is ignorant of church history and tradition.

Cult members have little knowledge of how the church has faced issues of the past. They do not understand how the Bible was preserved. They do not know what doctrines are the foundation of the gospel and essential to Christianity. They think the church has been wrong on its most important doctrines for most of its history. They do not realize that by rejecting the foundational doctrines they have become part of a new religion.

(4) The cult member expects persecution and conflict.

If you argue with a cult member, he assumes that you are deceived, ignorant, following wrong motives, and maybe controlled by Satan.

Cult members expect to be persecuted by other religious people. If someone treats them rudely, that confirms to them that they are right.

(5) The cult member has beliefs that contradict each other.

It’s as though the cult member keeps his beliefs in several different compartments. He does not compare beliefs from one compartment to beliefs in another. He is surprised when people point out the contradictions, and he does not feel the need to resolve them.

(6) The cult member was convinced by experience more than by reason.

Cult members seem to use reasoning when they present their doctrines to outsiders. However, their reasoning is based on a blind trust of the cult. The reasons are contrived to support what they already believe.

He accepted the cult because he felt loved and accepted by the members, or because of the way he felt in their worship time, or because of a personal spiritual experience. After he entered a relationship with the cult, he began accepting their teachings without evaluating them. When outsiders argue with the doctrines, he feels that they just don’t understand what he experienced. He thinks if he could get them past the arguments and into the experience, they would be convinced.

(7) The cult member believes a different gospel.

To get people to be loyal, a cult can’t be unique only in minor doctrines; it must be unique in something essential. That’s why a cult’s distinctive doctrines include a different gospel. Cult members believe that salvation is only through the cult.

(8) The cult member is spiritually unsatisfied.

Because he is not saved, he does not have assurance of forgiveness; he does not have victory over the power of sin; he does not have the joy that comes from a relationship with God; and he does not have true Christian fellowship with his fellow cult members. He needs to hear the gospel.

► Where do false religions come from?

To think that a false religion comes only from a profit motive, from false experience, or from demons is to misunderstand the complexity of religion. In responding to false religions, we must understand several elements of their origins.

(1) Human reasoning

False religions are often developed and explained by intelligent people who reason about religious beliefs without God’s revelation and guidance of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6-9).

(2) Personal profit motive

Not all religious teachers are sincere. The Bible teaches that false doctrines are taught by people who have violated their consciences, have rejected truth, and are hypocritical (1 Timothy 1:5-6, 19, 1 Timothy 4:2). Some religious leaders have become wealthy with their false doctrines (2 Peter 2:1-3).

(3) Spiritual blindness

People who are not in relationship with God are spiritually blinded. Not only do they lack spiritual perception, but even their natural perceptions are not right (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

(4) Rejection of truth

The Holy Spirit is faithful to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11). The person who rejects truth is making a willful choice. Therefore, persuasion and explanation are not enough to change his mind. The Bible says that a person who persists in error on essential doctrines should be rejected from the church because he is committing sin (Titus 3:10-11).

(5) Spiritual experience

False religion is not just empty ritual. Demons are involved in false worship. The Bible tells us that people who worship idols are worshipping demons (1 Corinthians 10:20-21). That means that people in false religions may have spiritual experiences.

(6) False revelation

The doctrines of false religions are not all of human invention. The Bible tells us that there are doctrines that come from demons (1 Timothy 4:1).

► There are at least six factors that can contribute to the formation of a false religion. How many of these can you recall without looking back at the text?

General Characteristics of Cults[1]

• The group displays zealous and unquestioning commitment to its human leader, and regards his belief system and practices as absolute truth.

• Question, doubt, and dissent are discouraged, or even punished.

• The group uses mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, and ecstatic worship).

• Leaders dictate how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must sometimes get permission to date, marry or change jobs. Leaders prescribe what to wear, where to live, and whether or not members should have children).

• The group claims a special, exalted status for itself, its leader, and its members (for example, the leader is considered to be a special being or the Messiah).

• The leader is not accountable to any authorities.

• The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt to control members.

• Submission to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter their personal goals.

• The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.

• The group is preoccupied with making money.

• Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts to the group and group-related activities.

• Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

It’s good to learn the special characteristics of a cult and how to refute the errors. However, it is most important to share the gospel.

To gain a chance to share the gospel, don’t waste time arguing about minor points. Don’t offend the cult member by arguing about historical facts about his cult that you cannot prove. Focus on points that are essential to the gospel, and don’t let him avoid those points without answering.

When the conversation is over, it is most important that they have heard the message of how to be saved. Arguments about other things will not save them even if you argue better than they do.

When talking to a cult member, it is important for a Christian to show honesty and concern for the person. The Christian should be like a person who is concerned about a friend. A Christian should be angry only the way a friend is angry for a person who is being harmed. If the cult member sees you as an enemy, he will refuse to be convinced. If the discussion feels like a competition, he will refuse to be defeated.

A Christian must show love, acceptance, genuine concern, and openness to truth—showing that he sincerely wants to understand.

A healthy local church is the ultimate victory over cult influence in a community.

Evangelism of cult members cannot be done only by individuals persuading individuals. A person does not usually change his religion without thinking about the community of faith he will leave and the one he will enter. If a cult member begins to be attracted by the witness of an individual Christian, he wants to see the community of faith that the Christian represents. He wants to see how the faith is really lived out. He assumes that the message he is hearing has already created a community of faith that he will enter if he is converted.

That means that the nature of the local church is absolutely important. To be attractive to a person who is considering switching from a different community of faith, the local church must have certain characteristics.

► What are the characteristics of a church that could attract people away from a cult?

Characteristics of an Attractive Local Church

• The members show that their relationship with God is real and satisfying. (The cult member does not have a relationship with God.)

• The church presents doctrines both as a description of reality and as terms for the relationship with God. (The cult’s doctrines contradict each other and do not bring a person to God.)

• The church demonstrates that they enjoy worshipping God. (The cult’s worship is human, fleshly, and demonic.)

• Church members show purpose for life with the perspective of eternity. (Cults claim to work for eternal priorities. The church must show how to live today with eternity’s values.)

• The church shows the priority of ministry instead of worldly goals. (Cults call for commitment to ministry, but their leaders have worldly goals.)

• The message of the church satisfies deep spiritual needs. (The cult does not have the gospel that meets spiritual needs.)

• The church is a family of faith that loves and cares for its members. (The cult may claim to take care of its members but cannot have true Christian fellowship.)

► What are specific actions you would expect to see at a church that has the characteristics listed?

Always remember that only the Holy Spirit can cause sinners to know their guilt, understand truth, and desire God. An evangelist cannot be effective unless he is guided and anointed by the Holy Spirit.

► How would you describe the difference between a person who depends on the Holy Spirit and a person who does not?