by Tony Costa
"Many of the major cults today such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons and Christian Science to name a few, find their origins in the United States. The world of the cults however, has no geographical boundaries or restrictions as far as their influence goes. One cult in particular, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC hereafter), traces its origins to the Philippines. It began in the Philippines through Felix Manalo. The majority of the membership of the INC are Filipinos, but the Church is open to all peoples. Its world headquarters is in Quezon City, Philippines.
The name “Iglesia Ni Cristo” means “Church of Christ”. There have been many cults and sects who have used this name for themselves. The Mormons for instance, when they began in 1830, first used the name “Church of Christ”.[1] The main magazine of the INC is Pasugo or God’s Message. In this paper, these two terms will be used interchangeably.
A cult, in Christian terminology, is a group gathered around an individual or an organization that claims to be a prophet, a messenger, an apostle, or one who has been specially chosen by God. Cults claim to be in harmony with the historic Christian faith but in fact, they deny all the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith such as the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, Salvation by Grace Alone to name a few. All cults have the following common traits:
1.They all claim to be the restoration of Christianity; they are the true Church, the remnant, movement, and only organization of God. All others are in error.
2.They all have extra biblical authority. The Bible is never enough; it cannot be understood apart from the cult. The Bible always has a secondary status, and it is the cult’s book or new revelation that is above the Bible, and interprets it.
3.All cults deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. They all deny that Jesus is the eternal God made flesh.
4.All cults deny salvation by grace alone. Cults emphasize that works are absolutely necessary for salvation.
.... Read MORE HERE
"Many of the major cults today such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons and Christian Science to name a few, find their origins in the United States. The world of the cults however, has no geographical boundaries or restrictions as far as their influence goes. One cult in particular, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC hereafter), traces its origins to the Philippines. It began in the Philippines through Felix Manalo. The majority of the membership of the INC are Filipinos, but the Church is open to all peoples. Its world headquarters is in Quezon City, Philippines.
The name “Iglesia Ni Cristo” means “Church of Christ”. There have been many cults and sects who have used this name for themselves. The Mormons for instance, when they began in 1830, first used the name “Church of Christ”.[1] The main magazine of the INC is Pasugo or God’s Message. In this paper, these two terms will be used interchangeably.
A cult, in Christian terminology, is a group gathered around an individual or an organization that claims to be a prophet, a messenger, an apostle, or one who has been specially chosen by God. Cults claim to be in harmony with the historic Christian faith but in fact, they deny all the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith such as the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, Salvation by Grace Alone to name a few. All cults have the following common traits:
1.They all claim to be the restoration of Christianity; they are the true Church, the remnant, movement, and only organization of God. All others are in error.
2.They all have extra biblical authority. The Bible is never enough; it cannot be understood apart from the cult. The Bible always has a secondary status, and it is the cult’s book or new revelation that is above the Bible, and interprets it.
3.All cults deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. They all deny that Jesus is the eternal God made flesh.
4.All cults deny salvation by grace alone. Cults emphasize that works are absolutely necessary for salvation.
.... Read MORE HERE
ROMANO KATOLIKO ang tunay na relihiyon sa mundo ... mga bagong sibol.... ang iba
ReplyDeleteYou've hit the nail right on its head Andrew... God bless.
ReplyDeleteYOuvhit the nail right into the head of the pope and killed him. haha
ReplyDeleteYou've just displayed your anti-Catholic sentiments and your violence towards those who don't agree with your cult. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI understand your indignation. You have nothing to refute such an intelligent and scholarly works such as this analysis so the only way you can do is to say a violent word so you feel relieved...
why are you saying all this about the iglesia ni cristo or any other churches?? why are you trying to critisize them? because you know that that is against god`s will for sure.
ReplyDeleteanother thing.. Trinity, where in the bible does it say that jesus christ, God and the holy spirit are one? nowhere, it does say though that jesus christ is the son of god and that god is above him. And that jesus christ sends the holy spirit. You can`t send yourself right ?? Furthermore there are a lot of differences between God and Jesus christ. Jesus christ was hungry,thirsty,tired,had flesh and bones etc.
I also want to say that there are such things as cults, but the church of christ is defenitely not one. The bible is enough for us because in the bible nothing but the truth is stated (like the forbidding of worshipping idols). We ae just following exactly what is stated there. And about the messenger ,Brother Felix y. Manalo, He is the one. there are several verses that teach that. like say for example : in the far east i will bring your offspring, and in the far west i`ll gather you.
The phillipines is almost exactly the middlepoint of the far east.
As a 13 year old I must say that there is a certain unity in the church , as if the holy spirit is always there and that feeling is so special that i wouldn`t trade it wor the world. And that feeling is there in every single worship service.
well that is what i think of this postage on the internet.
J.C
The word Trinity is not in the Bible. WE never teach that. Rather the persons of the Trinity is there in the Bible, you only need to re-read your Bible.
ReplyDeleteSince you are looking for word by word in the Bible, why is Felix Manalo is not even found in the Bible? Why use double faceted standards and exempt Felix from your own rules? Pathetic!
So you believe in the Bible alone. So you should believe in the Church which compiled and finalized the Canon of the Bible.-- Its the Catholic Church. Without the Catholic Church THERE IS NO BIBLE! Remember that.
Unity of the Church? That is more obvious in the Catholic Church than in the Iglesia.
Dont brag with unity, even hell unites lol.