False Religions: How to Recognize Them

"All false religions deny, redefine, or supplement some or all of the following truth:...."

No, actually, that just reasserts religio-centrism in the extreme - if it doesn't conform 100% to my beliefs, it's false.

"All false religions deny, redefine, or supplement some or all of the following truth:...." No, actually, that just reasserts religio-centrism in the extreme - if it doesn't conform 100% to my beliefs, it's false.

So why don't you tell us what's "true"?

Do you affirm the above truths?

I was addressing the naysayer to see what he had to offer. Of course all of those are Gospel truths and Bible truths. All genuine Christians believe them, and so do I.

So why don't you tell us what's "true"?

Well that's a relief. I was starting to think you actually believed the Arminian theology you so often teach here on CC which seeks to redefine sin and salvation by grace (numbers 9 & 10 in the OP)

False Religions: How to Recognize Them


If you’ve ever been confronted by a Mormon at your door, or spent time listening to a Buddhist talk about enlightenment, or sat in a church service of progressives, then you may have wondered to yourself if what was being discussed was true. Maybe your own faith has shaken a bit as you considered the claims of a competing worldview.

Today, I want to set your mind at ease. I’m going to give you ten brief characteristics of Christianity that will enable you to instantly recognize whether what you are hearing is true or false. That’s right, I said instantly. Once you understand these characteristics, spotting a spiritual fraud will be easy, and you’ll be able to begin holding your ground against a false religious claim. So, let’s get started.

All false religions deny, redefine, or supplement some or all of the following truth:

1.) Biblical inspiration, authority, and sufficiency

This means that the Bible is more than a book written by average people. Its source is divine. It is the written authoritative source for the practice of our faith and is sufficient for all of our needs in living the Christian life (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20; 3:15-16).

If you are told that there is another book, also inspired but apart from the Bible, then you can know that scripture’s authority and sufficiency is being attacked. If you are told that the Bible is not the Word of God, or that it only contains some of the Word of God, then its inspiration is being attacked. This is a common attack by Mormons against the Bible.

2.) Jesus’ incarnation

This means that the fullness of God dwelt in a human body, in Jesus, from conception (Luke 1:35; Colossians 1:19). Attacks against Jesus’ incarnation are popular with Muslims. Attacks against the virgin birth are also attacks against incarnation.

3.) Jesus’ humanity

This means that Jesus was fully human in addition to being fully divine (Luke 2:52; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 5:8).

4.) Jesus’ deity

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament reveal that Jesus was God in human form (Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1, 8:58; Colossians 1:19). Jehovah’s Witnesses regularly dismiss Jesus’ deity, referring to him instead as a glorified angel. Muslims also dismiss Jesus’ claims to deity.

5.) Jesus’ crucifixion

Jesus’ crucifixion is a historical fact, but some religions deny it took place. This is especially true of Muslims and the Quran, which state that Jesus was never crucified.

6.) Jesus’ substitutionary atonement

Substitutionary atonement is the doctrine that Jesus took our place, our punishment for sin (Isaiah 53:5; II Corinthians 5:21, I Peter 2:24). Forgiveness of sin is made possible because of what Jesus did on our behalf. Atonement is not a picture or type, it is a real event. Without atonement there can be no forgiveness.

7.) Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead

Some religions teach that Jesus rose from the dead spiritually. The Bible denies this and states clearly that Jesus rose bodily (physically) from the dead, never to die again (Luke 24:12; 24:39-43; I Corinthians 15:3-8).

8.) Jesus’ Lordship (authority)

Lordship is not something that many Christians fully understand. In essence, it means that Jesus Christ has sovereign authority over all things (Matthew 28:18). He has the right to do with us whatever it is that he deems to do, according to his good pleasure. He is Lord (Acts 2:36; Romans 6:23, 10:9; II Corinthians 4:5). Religions which deny Jesus’ deity usually deny his lordship as well.

9.) Sin

Every religion has a view of man as good, but misguided, or uneducated, or unenlightened, etc. Only the Bible portrays man as having a sin nature that is in rebellion against God (Romans 3:23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:3). Therefore, only God can provide a solution to our sin problem. He did that in sending Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Denying the doctrine of sin denies the need for forgiveness and salvation, which guts the Gospel. Also, watch out for redefinitions of sin, popular in Buddhism and other eastern religions.

10.) Salvation by grace

This means that it is only by God’s grace that man receives forgiveness of sin. There is nothing that we can do to earn salvation or forgiveness. Salvation is a gift (Ephesians 2:5). Every religion, apart from Christianity teaches a works-oriented salvation of some kind. Only the Bible teaches a grace model…

If you remember and hold on to a right understanding of these ten things, you will be able to recognize a false religion right away, whether it is old or new, or eastern or western. And from there you can embolden your witness for Christ by helping the other person learn the truth about the Bible, Jesus, and their own need for salvation by grace

To read full article click —> Link.

...Much of this article is just the opinion of the author and his/her interpretation of Scripture. So, if I don't agree with the author, does that mean that I am not a true Christian? Thanks..

Post13/Nov25, the author of your link picks out 10 doctrines/guidelines for which you need to adhere to to be a true Christian. In fact, the author states quite clearly that, if you don't agree with his/her teachings and translations, then you are NOT A CHRISTIAN. And the author dooms you to hell.

He/she says, "A false religion does not need to deny all ten of these doctrines to be revealed as a false religion. Some groups teach a few points, some teach others. However, by denying these things as true, such groups place themselves outside of orthodoxy and are therefore, without salvation, without a relationship with God. "

So, Post13, where does the author get the authority to judge and determine who goes to hell?

BTW, if you research 'Preach It/Teach It', you'll find out they aren't a church or a denomination. Instead they are a corporation. And, sure enough, when I pulled up the link you cited, they were asking for donations at the very top of their page. Strange that you'd be citing them.

So, Post13, why did you choose a corporation as your authority for truth?

In short, yes.

Even my Arminian brothers here know better than to deny a single one of the ten, they may twist 6, 9 & 10 a bit but never dare to deny outright.

How is Jesus’ substitutionary atonement twisted?

False Religions: How to Recognize Them


If you’ve ever been confronted by a Mormon at your door, or spent time listening to a Buddhist talk about enlightenment, or sat in a church service of progressives, then you may have wondered to yourself if what was being discussed was true. Maybe your own faith has shaken a bit as you considered the claims of a competing worldview.

Today, I want to set your mind at ease. I’m going to give you ten brief characteristics of Christianity that will enable you to instantly recognize whether what you are hearing is true or false. That’s right, I said instantly. Once you understand these characteristics, spotting a spiritual fraud will be easy, and you’ll be able to begin holding your ground against a false religious claim. So, let’s get started.

All false religions deny, redefine, or supplement some or all of the following truth:

1.) Biblical inspiration, authority, and sufficiency

This means that the Bible is more than a book written by average people. Its source is divine. It is the written authoritative source for the practice of our faith and is sufficient for all of our needs in living the Christian life (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20; 3:15-16).

If you are told that there is another book, also inspired but apart from the Bible, then you can know that scripture’s authority and sufficiency is being attacked. If you are told that the Bible is not the Word of God, or that it only contains some of the Word of God, then its inspiration is being attacked. This is a common attack by Mormons against the Bible.

2.) Jesus’ incarnation

This means that the fullness of God dwelt in a human body, in Jesus, from conception (Luke 1:35; Colossians 1:19). Attacks against Jesus’ incarnation are popular with Muslims. Attacks against the virgin birth are also attacks against incarnation.

3.) Jesus’ humanity

This means that Jesus was fully human in addition to being fully divine (Luke 2:52; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 5:8).

4.) Jesus’ deity

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament reveal that Jesus was God in human form (Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1, 8:58; Colossians 1:19). Jehovah’s Witnesses regularly dismiss Jesus’ deity, referring to him instead as a glorified angel. Muslims also dismiss Jesus’ claims to deity.

5.) Jesus’ crucifixion

Jesus’ crucifixion is a historical fact, but some religions deny it took place. This is especially true of Muslims and the Quran, which state that Jesus was never crucified.

6.) Jesus’ substitutionary atonement

Substitutionary atonement is the doctrine that Jesus took our place, our punishment for sin (Isaiah 53:5; II Corinthians 5:21, I Peter 2:24). Forgiveness of sin is made possible because of what Jesus did on our behalf. Atonement is not a picture or type, it is a real event. Without atonement there can be no forgiveness.

7.) Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead

Some religions teach that Jesus rose from the dead spiritually. The Bible denies this and states clearly that Jesus rose bodily (physically) from the dead, never to die again (Luke 24:12; 24:39-43; I Corinthians 15:3-8).

8.) Jesus’ Lordship (authority)

Lordship is not something that many Christians fully understand. In essence, it means that Jesus Christ has sovereign authority over all things (Matthew 28:18). He has the right to do with us whatever it is that he deems to do, according to his good pleasure. He is Lord (Acts 2:36; Romans 6:23, 10:9; II Corinthians 4:5). Religions which deny Jesus’ deity usually deny his lordship as well.

9.) Sin

Every religion has a view of man as good, but misguided, or uneducated, or unenlightened, etc. Only the Bible portrays man as having a sin nature that is in rebellion against God (Romans 3:23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:3). Therefore, only God can provide a solution to our sin problem. He did that in sending Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Denying the doctrine of sin denies the need for forgiveness and salvation, which guts the Gospel. Also, watch out for redefinitions of sin, popular in Buddhism and other eastern religions.

10.) Salvation by grace

This means that it is only by God’s grace that man receives forgiveness of sin. There is nothing that we can do to earn salvation or forgiveness. Salvation is a gift (Ephesians 2:5). Every religion, apart from Christianity teaches a works-oriented salvation of some kind. Only the Bible teaches a grace model…

If you remember and hold on to a right understanding of these ten things, you will be able to recognize a false religion right away, whether it is old or new, or eastern or western. And from there you can embolden your witness for Christ by helping the other person learn the truth about the Bible, Jesus, and their own need for salvation by grace

To read full article click —> Link.

Much of this article is just the opinion of the author and his/her interpretation of Scripture.

Neither Reformed nor Arminian theology is a correct presentation of the Gospel. And what you posted above is not exactly Reformed theology, so I can agree with it completely. Salvation is indeed by grace through faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption + NOTHING. At the same time the Gospel proclaims that repentance is necessary for the remission of sins. So Paul speaks of repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, I want to set your mind at ease. I’m going to give you ten brief characteristics of Christianity that will enable you to instantly recognize whether what you are hearing is true or false. That’s right, I said instantly. Once you understand these characteristics, spotting a spiritual fraud will be easy, and you’ll be able to begin holding your ground against a false religious claim. So, let’s get started.