ERADICATION OF CULTISM AND EXAMINATION MALPRACTICES
IN OUR SOCIETY AND INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING
BY PASTOR (Dr.) PAUL OBADARE
The Bible says Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a Reproach. (Pro 14:34, 18:3, 19:26)
Sin is like a disease; it eats up a nation. It destroys it. In order to eradicate Cultism and examination malpractices in our society and learning institutions, we must know what they are and what fascinates people to engage in them.
What then is a Cult and what is malpractice?
Cultism
A prototype of this institution is found in the book of Daniel. (Daniel 1, 2, 3 & 6)
Josh McDowell & Don Stewart in the book Handbook of Today’s Religion define cult as a perversion, a distortion of Biblical Christianity and/or a rejection of the historic teachings of the Christian church.
Walter Martin in his book, The Kingdom of The Cults defines the group as a cult of people who gather together about a specific person; “a group of people are polarized around someone’s interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, particularly the fact that God became man in Jesus Christ.” Cultism therefore is a form of denial from the Bible.
For example, Jehovah’s Witnesses are, for the most part, followers of the interpretations of Charles T. Russell and J.F. Rutherford. The Christian Scientist of today is a disciple of Mary Baker Eddy and her interpretations of the scripture. For the Mormons, the writing of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young is the final authority.
Cultism.
In Biblical Term, God forbids involvement in Occult (Deut 18:9-13)
A cult is an institution of a religious system that is contrary to what God establish in the bible.
Cults do not teach that faith in Jesus Christ as a Savior, and forgiveness of sins through Him alone is the only way to heaven (Rom 10:9)
It is a spiritual rebellion against God. ( Lev 20:2-5, Deut 18:12, 1 Sam 28:1-25, 6-7, Gal 5:19-21)
How Can I tell if an organization is a cult?
You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit (Matt 7:15-17).
Cults depend on a person or image for support. (Dan 6:7) Although Daniel was not facing a cult, he was facing a group that was trying to divert his worship away from God.
Cultism is a Malpractice of a disordered spiritual mind. The Bible calls it, foolishness and madness. (Ecc 1:7, 9:3 7:25, Pro 19:3, 24:9, 22:15, Ps 38:5, 1 Cor 3:19)
Christians are swift to criticize this wrongful lifestyle but without giving any solution. Students need stability, and hope. They then turn to cult as the save heaven for their ignorance in the power of God.
The Knowledge of Jesus and the power of His atoning death on the cross for mankind is the only remedy out of this demonic confusion.
The Characteristics of a Cult.
- New Truth. Many cults promote the false idea that God has revealed something special to them and that has never before been revealed and supersedes and contradicts all provisions.
- Non-biblical source of authority. Some cults have sacred writings or a source of authority that supersedes the Bible. The Mormon Church says, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God in so far as it is translated correctly…”
- Another Jesus. One of the characteristics found in all cults is false teaching about the person of Jesus Christ in the light of historical Biblical Christianity.
- Rejection of Orthodox Christianity. A characteristic of many Cultic groups is a frontal attack on orthodox Christianity. They argue that the church has departed from the true faith.
- Contradictions. The familiar future of most cultic groups is that they say one thing publically but internally belief is totally different.
- Non-biblical Teaching on the Nature of God. (Trinity) These cults have either an inadequate view or outright denial of the Holy Trinity. The biblical doctrine of the Trinity, one God in three person, is usually attacked as being pagan or satanic in origin.
- Changing Theology. Cult doctrines are continually in a state of flux and have no sure foundation on which to anchor their hope.
- Strong Leadership. Cults are usually characterized by central leader figures and consider themselves messengers of God with unique access to the almighty. The strong leadership leads the cult follower into total dependence upon the cult for belief, behavior and lifestyle.
- Salvation By Works. One teaching that is totally absent from all the cults is the gospel of the grace of God. It is not simple faith in Christ, but something attached to salvation.
- False Prophecy. Cults often promulgate false prophecy. Cult leaders, who believe God divinely calls them, have made bold predictions of future events supposedly revealed by the inspiration of God. Most of these predications have been false.
These are the major ideas of cults in the society, universities, college of educations and other higher institutions. It is an epidemic that has been causing both intellectual and spiritual suicide among the students and highly classified communities.
Reasons Why People (especially Students) Join Cults:
1. Search For Identity and Purpose.
The major reason the cults are flourishing in the higher educational institutions is that cults provide authoritative answers to man’s basic questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? (Details in the convention)
2. Search For Answers to the Unknown.
3. Unmet Basic Needs. Naturally, everyone craves for refuge to be loved, to feel
needed.
4. Empowerment. Cultism uses all kinds of means to empower against natural and supernatural . The issue of domination, suppression and oppression is the modern ideal operation of self-sustainability.
Cult prospers because Christians have sometimes failed to be a vital influence in the world.
Can God Forgive Any one involved in a Cult and Malpractice?
Yes. (1 John 1:9, Isa 44:22)
Examination Malpractice
According to Collins dictionary, malpractice is an immoral, illegal or unethical professional conduct.
Malpractice means ??? once a home makes a society and a society makes a nation.
Reasons for Malpractice.
(Deut 4:16, 25, Job 15:16, Ps 14:1, 53:1,3, Dan 8:24-25, Zep 3:7, Eph 2:3-4, 4:22, Col 2:11, Tit 1:15).
- Wrong headship --- Instead of God, families (and society alike) today are headed by unruly and shroud husbands, directors and presidents of either an institution or the nation.
- Absence of the law of God -- No righteousness or reverence for the law of God.
- Wrong Priorities ---People want to live above their means.
- Moral Laxity —Compromise and accommodation of all sorts of moral, social, physical, mental and spiritual misbehavior. Many parents bypass proper procedure for admission of their children to learning institutions and bribed their children into the schools.
- Selfishness and self-centeredness, which amount to greed, bribery and corruption.
f. Lazy mind. Inability to utilize one’s mental faculty. Unwillingness to process
correct and adequate intellectual information. (Pro 24:30-34, 26:14, Job 40:21,
Eph 4:28, 2 Thess 3:10)
g. Lack of the fear of God. People often depend on other sources of power.
The law of God in man’s conscience has been overruled by the deceit of the devil due to ignorance of the word of God. This is the reason for what the bible calls sealed conscience. Truth is cheaply purchased. Justification and punishment of offenses committed have been compromised. Family values are irrelevant and correction of immoral behaviors is becoming a taboo.
Education is no longer the value of the day. The Bible says, lack of Knowledge results in destruction and because people have knowingly rejected the ways of God, He purposefully allows them to continue in indulgence of any type of sin. The end result is destruction. Education or knowledge not based on the solid foundation of the word of God and our Lord Jesus Christ who gave His life as a ransom to the world will definitely result in destruction.
How Do We Then Eradicate These Sinful Acts of Cultism and Exam. Malpractices?
- Build the foundation of a home upon the solid Rock of Christ and His Word.
(Ps 11:3-7, Jn 14:6, Deut 32:4, 18, Ps 18:31, 89:26, Isa 26:4, 1 Cor 10:4)
- The issues of broken homes, single parenthood, lack of genuine love and attentions for the children at the nourishing stages needs urgent solution.
- Spiritually deal with the attractions which lead to sounding temptations of:
- Money 1 Tim 6:9-10,
- Power Dt 8:17-18, 2 Chro 26:16,
- Lust Prov 6:25, 7:21
- Pride Prov 11:2.
- Develop future leaders who could serve as moral and capable role models. Leaders like Daniel in a foreign land yet with a combination of qualities: Character, competence, convictions, courage, charisma, commitment and compassion. (1:10-15, 2:28, 3:1-30, 16-18, 4:1-37, 5:13,14, 6: 1-22, 8:15, 17,27) Hypocrisy should now begin to meet with tougher levels of discipline.
- Christians within the campus should wake up from their spiritual complacency and pious attitude of indifference. Many Christians are now afraid and ashamed of their names and calling. (1 Pet 3:15, Ps 119:46, Jer 26:12-16, Amos 7:14-17)
- Churches used to be a save heaven for the younger ones in old days. Strong Sunday school and co-operative societal disciplinary action was inflicted upon disobedient children. Today, this virtue has become weak in our society. Churches should begin to have a very strong youth department that would
give the youths the forum to vent out their issues; and spiritual corrective
measures should be taken well in time. (Go back to old path, Job 22:15, Deut
32:7-8, Jer 6:16, Isa 8:20-22) Children need to be taught in the ways of the Lord.
(Duet 4:9, 6:7, Pro 22:6, Gen 18:19, Ps 78:3-6, Eph 6:4, 2 Tim 3:15)
- Holiness and morality should be allowed to rule our judgment seats within and without the church (Isa 48:19, Ezek 38:43, Lk 1:75, Eph 4:24, Heb 12:14,
Job 9:31, Jer 6:20,)
Conclusion
Cultism and malpractices are a direct rejection of, and disobedience to God the creator and sustainer of life.