Rise of the Cults

Synopsis

Since 1955, when this work first appeared, much theological water has gone under the bridge of history. The cults and the occult were even then surging toward their great growth and the tidal wave of propaganda that today, 22 years later, crests high on the ramparts of the Christian church. Fortunately, by the grace of God, I was privileged to foresee that this deluge was coming, and I sought to warn the church that we must be prepared to meet and resist the rise of the cults and the occult, while never forgetting the task of evangelizing those caught within their webs of deception. History and experience tell us that the twofold ministry of the church--evangelism and the defense of the gospel--can be effectively realized and implemented. Unfortunately, and to my sorrow, that warning went largely unheeded, and I was described as an "alarmist."

The public was told that the cults were not outpacing the church. However, this was not the case, as any student of the last decade well knows. Today a virulent cultic and occultic revival is sweeping our country, dating from approximately 1965; much of the world has now begun to feel its powerful impact. But there is a real ray of hope in this dark picture: The Lord has begun to arouse His people. Thinking Christians now realize that the danger to them, their children, and their grandchildren is real, not imagined. They have also become aware that cultists and occultists can be successfully answered and evangelized, thus turning enemies of the gospel into stalwart Christians. I have never regretted being right about anything quite so much in my entire ministry. I wish it had been otherwise; I wish that just preaching the gospel without defending the faith effectively and evangelizing the cults directly would have contained the rise of the cults. But the contrary facts are before us on every side. The cults simply will not go away, and neither can they any longer be ignored or drowned in a sea of evasive rhetoric, statistics, or arguments.

The rise of the cults is upon us with a vengeance at home and on every major world mission field. The response of the church must be immediate and positive if this rise is to be checked and perhaps contained, though this now will take an act of sovereign grace because of the enormous multiplication and proliferation of cultic structures. The time for talk is over; the time for action in the name of the gospel has arrived. In a word, the challenge is here, the time is now. This revised edition is sent forth with the earnest hope and prayer that those who read it and may belong to any of the cultic systems herein described may see, by contrast with Holy Scripture, their personal need of Jesus Christ-- the Christ of divine revelation, not cultic imagination--as Savior and Lord. We also pray that interested students of contemporary cultism may catch a glimpse of a great mission field to be evangelized for the Lord.

Copyright:

1977

Book Details

Book Quality:

Excellent

Book Size:

133 Pages

ISBN-13:

9780884490708

Publisher:

Vision House Publishers

Date of Addition:

08/16/24

Copyrighted By:

Walter Martin

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

Nonfiction, Religion and Spirituality

Submitted By:

Worth Trust

Proofread By:

Worth Trust

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.