In the first segment of this series we briefly studied the subject of religious cults relative to what they believe and why. Webster’s Dictionary defines a cult as “a group having UNORTHODOX beliefs.” The focus then became the definition of ORTHODOX. Orthodox simply means ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE–beliefs and actions that have been in existence over time and have assumed to be the truth about a subject–the correct way of thinking, speaking and acting relative to a particular subject. The factor that makes a doctrine ORTHODOX is that it has been handed down for many generations. An excellent example of the errors caused by this theology concerns parables. For generations it has been ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE that Jesus used parables to make His words easier to understand. The Truth, as spoken by Jesus Himself in Matthew 13:3-13 is that He used parables IN ORDER TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM UNDERSTANDING WHAT HE WAS SAYING.

The subject at hand is GOD’S WILL AS ESTABLISHED IN THE HOLY BIBLE AND MAN’S NEED TO BELIEVE AND OBEY HIS WILL. The question we will answer in this segment involves who determined the original, singular ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE man must obey and how that doctrine has become diluted and changed into a hodge-podge of conflicting, contradicting, competing “truths” that bear little, if any resemblance to God’s original doctrine. Jesus of Nazareth addressed this problem in Luke 6:46 where He asked His followers why they called Him their Lord, then refused to obey His Words, Words which were given Him by God through the Holy Spirit (Jn. 12:44-50–focus on 48,49). His, and the Father’s Words are Their ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE–their ORTHODOXY–Their way and will for mankind.

Jesus, the Father and Their doctrine are inseparable–they do not exist apart from one another, but are one and the same. Jesus made this Truth clear in John 14:6 when He declared that HE is THE ONLY WAY, THE ONLY TRUTH (God’s Word–Jn. 17:17) and THE ONLY LIFE. That life is embodied in the Holy Bible which the Godhead recorded and preserved for thousands of years and which exists today as Their way, truth and life which man must believe and obey in order to be saved upon Christ’s return.

Man, however, has rejected the Godhead’s way, truth and life (Their ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE/ ORTHODOXY) by taking unto himself the power to design an improved way, truth and life, making ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE/ ORTHODOXY whatever he wants it to be. The fact that there is more than one church proves that man is indeed in charge of determining his own truths and establishing his own plan of salvation, which consists of believing the ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE/ ORTHODOXY of the religious group to which he belongs. Those who follow his particular ED/O is saved. All other ED/Os are not saved, but could be if they embraced his ED/O. Read The Process of Salvation. Key word–Process.

In Matthew 15:8,9 Jesus focused in on the doctrine problem when He addressed a group of Pharisees and Sadducees who followed Him, heard Him speak, proclaimed that He was sent by God, etc., but refused to embrace His doctrine. Here we find Jesus identifying the problem which existed anciently and continues to exist today within professing Christendom. It involves the “traditions of the elders” which He came to destroy (vs 2). Jesus says to those who continue to cling to the traditions established by the man who created their particular cult (church, denomination, assembly, etc.): “This people draw near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. They worship me in vain because they TEACH THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN INSTEAD OF MY DOCTRINES.” The home page of this website contains a list of such commandments (pagan traditions) that are the exact opposite of Christ’s doctrines. Which brings us to the focus of this segment which was in effect in days of old as noted in Judges 17:6 and 21:25 as man “did what was right in his own eyes.” Revelation 3:14-18 reveals that those in the modern day (Laodicean) church continue to walk in the footsteps of their Law-rejecting ancestors. They do what is right in their own eyes. Read how Jesus describes modern Christendom in the above reference.

The Apostle Peter establishes the authenticity of God’s Holy Bible–the Godhead’s doctrinal statement regarding Their plan for mankind–with these words: “Holy men of old spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). They then wrote their words in the form of books and letters which the Lord has preserved for His true saints down through the centuries. As stated in First Corinthians 10:11, those ancient Words were preserved in order to be used for our instruction who comprise God’s church during the final days of this world, or as the Apostle Paul stated relative to God’s Word in His true church today: “Now all these things happened to them (the Israelites) as examples. They were written FOR OUR ADMONITION (TEACHING) UPON WHOM THE ENDS OF THE WORLD HAVE COME.” Paul believed that the Lord would return during his lifetime. Today we understand that a number of signs had to be manifested before Christ would return to set up His Father’s kingdom. Read about the signs that identify the final days of the world as we know it using the key word–Signs.

In First Corinthians 11:1 Paul admonishes the churches to “Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ.” Had salvation seekers followed the teachings of the original apostles there would exist only one church today–the Church of God–His one and only church (Acts 20:28). That church has existed since the days of Noah and continues to exist today (Eco. 19:5/ 1 Pet. 2:9). However, because its parishioners are “peculiar” in that they take the Lord at His Word and live accordingly, they are extremely few in number today–only a few thousand globally–exactly as Jesus warned would be the case in Matthew 7:13,14 and 22:14. Why are there so few true believers?

Because men have offered better, more user-friendly, less-demanding, more self-determining ways to “get to heaven” than God’s singular way. The problem man has with God’s way is that it is the opposite of man’s way. God’s way (to His earthly kingdom, not heaven) is through His strait (difficult) gate and along the narrow (restrictive) way. Man’s (Satan’s) way involves only one thing man needs in order to enter heaven immediately following death–faith. “Only believe” is man’s version of the Christian walk. Only believe has become the church’s ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE/ ORTHODOXY. Having done away with the Law, thereby eliminating sin (1 Jn. 3:4), man has told God to sit down and shut up because he (churchman) is now in charge. However, the Apostle James, writing under the direction of the Holy Spirit, paints a totally different picture. Read James 2:10,14,17,18, 20,24,26. “Works” means obeying God’s Law Genesis to Revelation which He condensed into the Ten Commandments. Man’s response was to nail them to Christ’s cross where they remain to this day. And Satan smiles.

Man, under the leadership of Satan, has established his own various ORTHODOXIES, his own DOCTRINAL TRUTHS according to which each cult’s (church’s, faith’s, denomination’s) parishioners conduct their lives. But the Almighty will have the final Word–the same Word He dictated to His prophets and apostles thousands of years ago. His ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE/ ORTHODOXY is the only one that counts. All others are abominations to Him. L.J.