Cults, Language and the Bible: Part 2 – How Cults Misuse the Bible

(To read part one of this series go to: http://www.marketfaith.org/2017/01/cults-language-and-the-bible-part-1-how-cults-distort-language)

The two clean-cut young men politely sat in the living room of Robert, a third-year college student.

“I’m Elder Watkins and this is Elder Murray. We are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Are you familiar with our church?”

“A little bit, that’s the Mormons, right?” replied Robert. “I remember reading about the Mormons in American History class. They went out and settled in Utah. They study the Book of Mormon.”

“That’s correct,” stated Elder Murray. “But that was a long time ago. Our church is now a worldwide faith. Have you ever read the Book of Mormon?”

“No, never seen one.”

“Here’s a free copy,” Elder Watkins said as he handed him a small volume from his backpack. “Will you read it?”

“Sure, why not,” said Robert.

The two men left and said they would return in week to see what Robert thought about the book. Robert began reading parts of the book. He was impressed by how much it reminded him of reading the Bible he was given when he was confirmed in his family church at age twelve.

The story above is true. It happened to me when I was in college years ago (only the names were changed). Indeed, I was impressed by how similar the Book of Mormon was to the Bible’s style and wording. Thankfully, I was well enough versed in the Christian faith not to take it at face value. Unfortunately, however, many people, even some Christians, are not so discerning and have been convinced that the Book of Mormon is actually a new Scripture equal to the Bible.

In this second installment of a two part series, we will examine ways cults misuse, distort, and twist the Bible to make converts, and to indoctrinate their people. In part one, we looked at how cults utilize and manipulate language for the same purposes. So let’s look at ways they violate the basic principles of Biblical translation and interpretation to buttress their false teachings. First let’s consider the way some cults mistranslate the Bible.

1. Cults Often Use Biased and Inaccurate Bible Translations
If you ask a Jehovah’s Witness if she believes the Bible, she will respond quite strongly that she does, and that she regards it as the fully inspired Word of God. However, the problem with her answer is that she only recognizes one English translation as accurate, and has been taught that all others are corrupted. That translation is the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT), the official Bible version published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society – that is, the Jehovah’s Witnesses. (See: http://www.marketfaith.org/the-jehovahs-witnesses-bible-is-it-reliable/ and http://www.marketfaith.org/2015/08/the-2013-revised-jehovahs-witnesses-bible/ )

Nearly all qualified Bible scholars agree, however, that the NWT is the most biased and unscholarly translation ever produced, especially in how it addresses the person of Jesus Christ. Though they believe Jesus was a preexistent being (the angel Michael), Jehovah’s Witnesses absolutely deny the full deity of Christ. Their Bible reflects that doctrine.

For example, look at their translation of John 1:1. The NWT renders this verse: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god (kai Theos en ho logos).

Nearly every other English translation agrees with the rendering found in the New American Standard Bible (NASB): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The NWT invalidly adds an indefinite article (“a”) in order to demote Jesus (“the Word”) from being seen as equal to God.

Another example is the NWT translation of John 8:58. The NWT renders this verse: Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, before Abraham came into existence, I have been.”

The NASB, and nearly every other standard translation renders it: Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am.”

In that verse, when Jesus used the term “I am” (Greek: ego eimi), he was making a definite allusion to the Old Testament name of God (YHWH), which is a derivative of the Hebrew word for “I Am.” In other words, Jesus was equating Himself with the God of the Hebrews.

One of the most obvious NWT distortions in the New Testament is Colossians 1:15-20. The NWT, 2013 edition, translates that passage, a description of the nature of Jesus Christ, this way:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all other things, and by means of him all other things were made to exist, 18 and he is the head of the body, the congregation.

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become the one who is first in all things; 19 because God was pleased to have all fullness to dwell in him 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all other things by making peace through the blood he shed on the torture stake, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.

Take out your own translation of that passage and compare it to what you see above. See the differences? Let’s start with verse 15. The NWT translates that verse fairly straight forward. However, they claim that the term “firstborn” (prototokos) proves that Jesus was the first created being by Jehovah God. But is that really what it means? Actually, the term is not a statement of chronological creation, but a statement of His divine superiority, rule, and authority over creation.

The NASB translates that verse this way, which captures the intent of the author: The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

In order to make verse 15 confirm their interpretation, the NWT has made a rather audacious change to verses 16-20 (see above). Notice that five times in those verses the NWT has added the word “other” when the Greek word panta (all things) appears in the text (see vss. 16, 17, 20). That makes it read “all other things.” So, instead of Jesus being the creator of “all things,” as the Greek text requires, they make it say, he is the creator of “all other things.” There is absolutely no linguistic or grammatical justification for adding the word “other” to those verses. (In older editions of the NWT the word “other” was actually in parentheses in those verses, a tacit admission that it did not belong in the text. The 2013 edition removed the parenthesis.)

Another example of the NWT distortion is in Titus 2:13. The 1981 NWT rendered it this way: While we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of [the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus.

In the 2013 NWT it was changed to read thusly: while we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ,

The NASB, in agreement with nearly all other versions, says: Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

Can you detect the subtle but critical difference? The NWT renderings (both wrong), create a false dichotomy between “the great God” and “our Savior, Jesus Christ.” The NASB accurately identifies Jesus as “our great God and Savior.”

Perhaps the NWT’s most grievous and presumptuous error is that 237 times in the New Testament it inexplicably translates the common Greek words for Lord (kyrios) and God (Theos) as “Jehovah.” This is an unwarranted substitution of the Old Testament, and poorly transliterated, name of God. This substitution is made only when kyrios is used in the context of a reference to God in a generic sense, or when used in a passage that quotes from the Old Testament. Never does the NWT translate kyrios as “Jehovah” in the nearly 400 times in the New Testament when it is applied as a title to Jesus Christ.

There is no legitimate textual or linguistic basis for making that distinction. The word kyrios should always be accurately translated, according to context, as “Lord” or “Master,” and the word Theos as God, but neither should ever be translated as “Jehovah.”

Another example of this problem is when the LDS refers to Jesus as the “Only Begotten” physical son of Heavenly Father. They base this idea on John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; and 1 John 4:9 in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible (the only translation used by the LDS). Actually the term translated as “Only-Begotten” (Greek: monogenes) in the KJV, and some other translations, literally means “One and Only” and does not refer to, nor imply, physical procreation. (see NIV, HCSB, NRSV, et. al.)

2. Cults Often Use Inaccurate Biblical Quotes
Some cults will quote Bible verses in order to validate ideas that are totally foreign to the Bible’s worldview. For instance, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM), and some other Eastern Gurus, quoted Jesus from Luke 17:20-21 in the (KJV) to suggest He agreed with their Far Eastern worldview philosophy.

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: behold, the kingdom of God is within you.’”

The New International Version (NIV) and the NASB render the last phrase correctly: “…the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Jesus was referring to Himself and His presence among them, not some mystical internal experience.

TM also misquotes Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God:”

3. Cults Often Ignore Context in Quoting the Bible
Many cults will pull Bible passages and verses out of their immediate and general contexts to proof-text one of their doctrinal tenets. Consider the following examples.

The LDS teaches that marriage is intended to last forever. That is, if a Mormon couple has their marriage sealed in a LDS temple, they believe it will endure forever. In their perspective, however, it has to be solemnized in this present life by the proper church priesthood. Sometimes they will quote Jesus from Matthew 22:30 (KJV) to prove that it must be sealed while in this world and era.

“For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage.”

Of course, that LDS interpretation flips Jesus’ teaching on its head. Jesus was clearly saying that marriage, as practiced in this life, will be totally unnecessary in the resurrection to come “like angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:30b, NASB).

Another LDS strained interpretation is Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV): “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

The LDS uses this verse as a proof-text for its doctrine that all humans had a preexistent life before physical birth. Clearly, however, the verse is God’s assertion that He knew Jeremiah before he was conceived because of His timeless omniscience, not that Jeremiah, or anyone else, lived before they were born physically.

The LDS also quotes an obscure verse (1 Cor. 15:29) to validate its doctrine of baptism for the dead: Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead? (KJV)

The LDS use of the verse to support baptizing dead people is, at best, a real stretch. 1 Cor. 15 is a discussion by Paul of the reality of Jesus’ and our resurrection. In that context, Paul just mentions in passing that someone (“they”) was baptizing for the dead. Who they were and why they did it are never explained. In any case, it is mentioned nowhere else nor does Paul condone it.

Another verse in I Cor. 15 that the LDS utilizes to defend its doctrine of three levels of heavenly glory is 1 Cor. 15:40. In their extra-biblical scripture, Doctrine and Covenants (76:114-119), three levels of glory are identified as the “Celestial,” “Terrestrial,” and “Telestial” Kingdoms. Two of those terms obviously were taken by Joseph Smith from 1 Cor. 15:40 in the KJV: There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

However, most modern translations agree with the NASB: There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.

It is clear that Paul was contrasting our future heavenly immortal resurrection bodies to our present mortal earthly bodies. He had no notion of levels of heaven, as LDS founder Joseph Smith apparently thought. (Where Smith got the term “Telestial” is anyone’s guess.)

One of the favorite and most quoted verses of the Oneness Pentecostal cults is Acts 2:38.
(see: http://www.marketfaith.org/the-hidden-cult-of-oneness-pentecostalism)

“Then Peter said unto them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’” (KJV)

They argue that this passage (Luke’s quote from Peter’s sermon on Pentecost) teaches that water baptism is essential for salvation, and that it must be done only “in the name of Jesus” to be effectual (not in the Trinitarian formula: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

However, a closer look at the Greek text shows that Luke, quoting Peter, used two different verb tenses and numbers to distinguish the need for repentance for the remission of sins from baptism. The Greek text literally reads: But Peter to them: “All of you repent [plural], and each individual one of you be baptized [singular] in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of the sins of all of you [plural].”

This passage does not prove that baptism is essential for the remission of sins, only that repentance is essential for everyone’s salvation. If you read it the way the Oneness Pentecostals try to (and other groups who teach the necessity for water baptism), then it would have to mean that everyone present would have needed to be baptized for everyone else who was there, a grammatical absurdity.

Another blatant example of pulling something out context is the Jehovah’s Witnesses use of Matthew 24:45-47 to proof-text that their Governing Body is God’s only divinely led organizational leadership. The Governing Body is a committee of supposed spirit-led men who make all policies and dictate all Biblical interpretations for the movement. They claim they are “the faithful and discreet slave,” mentioned in a parable of Jesus, who is to rule over God’s people.

45 “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so! 47 Truly I say to you, he will appoint him over all his belongings.” NWT (2013 edition)

Once again, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ claim is, at best, terribly presumptuous. There is simply no valid way that the Governing Body can argue for their authority based on this or any other Biblical text.

4. Cults Often Use Figurative or Metaphysical Meanings for Bible Terms
One of the most egregious ways that some cults misuse the Bible is to assign figurative or metaphysical meanings to Biblical terms which obviously have literal meanings.

Consider, for instance, Christian Science (CS) founder Mary Baker Eddy’s book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (which CS people take as inspired scripture). In that volume she defines the word “Jerusalem” as “Mortal belief and knowledge obtained from the five corporeal senses” (S&H, p. 589). She defines “Holy Ghost” as “Divine Science; the development of eternal Life, Truth, and Love” (S&H, p. 588).

You are probably saying to yourself, “Huh?” These are just two of many more such bizarre definitions of Eddy. (see: http://www.marketfaith.org/2014/01/christian-science-christian-or-science-which-is-it)

The Unity School of Christianity also applies this metaphysical approach. Its founders, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, redefined the historic doctrine of the Trinity as:
Father = Principle
Son = Principle revealed in a creative way
Holy Spirit = Executive agent.
(see: http://www.marketfaith.org/non-christian-worldviews/the-gospel-according-to-famous-amos-unity-school-of-christianity)

5. Cults Often Imitate Biblical Language in Their Alternative Scriptures
Another way cults may try to make their extra-biblical scriptures appear authoritative and inspired is to use familiar Bible language in them. The best examples of this are in the LDS’ Book of Mormon and its other scriptures, The Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) and The Pearl of Great Price. Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon into English in 1829 from an ancient language he called “Reformed Egyptian.” It was published in 1830 in New York.

At the time, I wonder if anyone asked the question, “Why was it translated into 1610 KJV English instead of 19th century modern English?” Also, why were the supposed revelations dictated to Smith directly from God, as recorded in the D&C, all given in KJV English? Does God only speak Elizabethan? It is obvious that Smith wanted his readers to think his writings were inspired by using language that people in his day identified with Scripture. (see: http://www.marketfaith.org/the-book-of-mormon-is-it-another-testament-of-jesus-christ)

6. Many Cults Distort and Misapply Predictive Biblical Prophecy
Another way some cults misuse the Bible is to distort and misapply predictive Biblical prophecy. That is to say, they take ancient Old Testament prophetic statements about the distant future and apply them to current events as they see them. The best example of this type of interpretative gymnastics is by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Since its inception, that movement has attempted time and again to predict the date for Armageddon and the end of the world (the last was 1975). (see: http://www.marketfaith.org/2016/05/jehovahs-witnesses-is-armageddon-still-just-around-the-corner)

Likewise, the late Herbert W. Armstrong, in his book The United States and Britain in Prophecy, asserted that we are in the end times. He maintained that he could prove from the Bible that the British monarchs are the actual successors of King David, and that the British Commonwealth peoples are the true descendants of the nation of Israel. Thus, all the prophecies in the Bible that apply to Israel now apply to the British. That theory, still taught by some of Armstrong’s followers on television and in books, is a long discredited doctrine called British-Israelism. (see: http://www.marketfaith.org/the-dubious-legacy-of-herbert-w-armstrong)

What Can Christians Do?
Given this evidence of how cults distort and misuse the Bible, the question remains, “What can and should we do?” There are several basic principles which Bible believing Christians can adopt to counter misleading interpretations of Scripture.

First, we must educate people about why proper definitions are important. If a term can be defined in any way someone may want, then the Bible, or any document for that matter (e.g.: The U.S. Constitution), can be easily corrupted from its authentic meaning. That’s why proper utilization of principles of translation and interpretation (hermeneutics) are vital for Bible study.

Second, when we engage cultists, we must make them define their terms as they understand them, and address the authority structure of their movement. As we have seen, cults often have completely different meanings for common Bible terms. Many times, the cult’s rank and file members do not even know that their definitions are different. Sometimes, however, cultists use common terms with the clear intent of deceiving unwitting people. We must hold their feet to the fire to be honest and clear.

Third, in order to accomplish the above, we must accurately define all Biblical and doctrinal terms according to their literal meanings, as understood by the Biblical writers. We must reject any mystical or metaphysical interpretations. The Bible writers did not think that way. Therefore, when we detect use of terms that we know are misused by a cultist, we should immediately correct him or her with accepted accurate definitions. One way to do that is to consult a credible Bible dictionary.

And finally, we must demand that the cultist, when quoting the Bible, use credible current translations and read all passages in their general and specific contexts.

In summary, Christians need to be vigilant to expose those cults which distort, mistranslate, and misinterpret the Word of God. God’s truth is in the balance, and people’s salvation may depend on it. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, NASB).

© 2017 Tal Davis