The Dangers of Cults

In this particular letter I would like to share with you something very important for every Christian to remember. We must always be on guard against false teachings, dangerous religious groups, and cults. The Orthodox Church teaches that we must hold firmly to the faith that was given once for all by the Apostles, without adding to it or taking away from it.

Jesus warned us about false teachers. Our Lord Himself said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). Not everyone who speaks in His Name is truly following Him. Some groups may use Christian words, but twist them away from the truth of the Gospel.

The Apostles also warned the Church. Paul told the elders of Ephesus, “From among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). He also wrote, “Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). This shows us that any new teaching that contradicts what the Apostles handed down must be rejected.

We are called to guard the faith. Paul instructed Timothy, his spiritual son: “Guard the good deposit entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” (2 Timothy 1:14). The “deposit” is the faith delivered by Christ through His Apostles. Jude also urges us to “contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). This means the faith does not change; we must remain faithful to it.

Why cults are dangerous. Cults often isolate people, demand blind obedience, or claim to have “new revelations” beyond the Bible and the Apostolic teaching. They can appear friendly at first, but their teachings pull people away from Christ. Jesus said, “See that no one leads you astray” (Matthew 24:4). The Orthodox Church protects us from this by holding fast to what has always been believed everywhere, from the time of the Apostles.

The safeguard is the Apostolic Church. The Church, described as “the pillar and bulwark of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15), is where we remain safe in the true teaching of Christ. When we stay rooted in the worship, the Scriptures, and the traditions handed down from the beginning, we can recognize and resist false teachings.

In short, it is very important to stay close to the faith of the Apostles. The Orthodox Church does not invent new doctrines or follow passing trends. Instead, she preserves the faith once given, so that we may live in the truth and not be led astray.

With love in Christ,
Fr. Charles

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