Colossians 2:18-23 Identifying a Cult
ATTENTION: The geology lab is an interesting
place to visit. Students of geology
learn to identify rocks based on a
series of tests. By observing the
properties of samples, they are
able to come up with an answer
with remarkable accuracy. There
are tests Christians can use, too, in
order to identify cults.
TEXTUAL IDEA: Paul warned the Colossians that
those involved in cults would miss
out on God’s reward in heaven.
SERMON IDEA: We must warn those in cults
today that they will miss out on
God’s reward in heaven.
TRANSITION: The Scripture today points to seven
signs of a cult.
1. They practice mental slavery (v.18).
2. They worship something other than God (v.18).
3. They accept Scripture outside the Bible (v.18).
4. They reject the supremacy of Christ (v.19).
5. They impose legalistic rules on their members
(vv.20-22).
6. They engage in psycho-worship (v.23).
7. They fail to combat sensuality (v.23).
CONCLUSION: It is important for Christians to
stop and look at the practices of those who
claim to follow Christ. It is obvious from
our study of Paul’s teaching that little has
changed over the last two thousand years.
The same things that lured people away
from orthodoxy back then are present today.
