How To Tell Rapidly If Someone Might Be In A False Group

June 2005 version

The Purpose of this is to know subtle ways to tell is another person has been influenced by false teaching, and secondarily, how to tell if you have been influenced by false teaching. In particular, false teaching it discovers are Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Liberal Christianity, Mormons, Oneness Pentecostalism, and Unificationists (Moonies).

Questions to See if a person believes things taught by the following groups:

Christian Science Influence Questions

1. If your eyesight is not good, or if you are sick, is it OK to wear glasses or go to the doctor?

2. What do you think of Mary Baker Eddy?

Church Universal and Triumphant Influence Questions

1. What do you think of Elizabeth Claire Prophet?

2. Do you think we need an additional book from God besides the Bible?


Extreme Church of Christ Influence

1. If someone today said they believed in Christ had the opportunity to be baptized, but died before being immersed in water baptism, would they go to Hell?

2. Can a church congregation that believes very differently than you on baptism be a congregation following God?

Jehovah's Witness Influence

1. Do you believe blood transfusions are OK?

2. Do you believe Jesus Christ physically and bodily rose from the dead?

3. Do you believe in the Trinity?

4. Is Jesus mighty God and is Jesus an archangel?

5. Do you think it is OK to pray to Jesus?

6. Is Jesus a created being?

7. Is the Holy Spirit God's active force?

8. Do you believe non-believers will be in everlasting torment after death?


Liberal Influence Questions

1. Do you believe Jesus Christ physically and bodily rose from the dead?

2. Do you believe all of the Bible is from God and authoritative for us or not?

3. Do you believe Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins or not?

4. Do you believe Jesus was born of a virgin or not?

5. Do you believe Jesus Christ did miracles that are beyond natural laws?

Metropolitan Influence Questions

1. Do you think some homosexual relationships are OK?

2. Does Romans 1 refer to all homosexual relationships are sinful, including those who might be born homosexual?

3. Did Sodom and Gomorrah sin by wanting to practicing homosexuality, or was it only other things?


Mormon Influence Questions

Mormons have a statement of faith that is similar to Christianity, but it does not reflect what Mormonism really teaches. Mormonism teaches what they call "eternal progression": "as man is, God once was, as God is, man may become." They believe in salvation by grace plus works. As one Mormon missionary put it, "Jesus paid for our sins on the cross, and by our lives we pay Him back."

1. Do you drink coffee, tea, or caffeinated soft drinks and do you think it is fine to do so? (While some genuine Christians do not also, if a person answers yes to both parts, then they are almost certainly not a Mormon.)

2. What are the laws and ordinances of the gospel?

3. What is the Trinity? (They will generally say it is three united in love, spirit, and purpose.)

4. Do you believe in salvation by grace, that is, you are saved by grace after all you can do?

5. What do you think of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young?

6. Do you believe that as God is, man may become?

7. Do you believe Christ appeared in the Americas?

8. Do you believe we pre-existed before we were born on earth?


Oneness Pentecostalism Influence Questions

While genuine Christians can be charismatic and speak in tongues, Oneness Pentecostals go farther, and say that all who do not speak in tongues are not saved and go to Hell. They believe the Trinity is a false doctrine, and instead believe in what they call "oneness". The Father, Christ, and the Spirit are identical, but merely different roles, faces, or sides of one God. Some believe Jesus and Christ are identical (as do genuine Christians). Others believe there is a difference between Jesus (who was the human part of Jesus Christ), and Christ. So they would say Jesus is not the same as the Father, but Christ is the same as the Father. They say that baptizing in the name of Jesus is the same as baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

1. What difference is there between "Christ" and "Jesus"?

2. Do you think Christians today can be saved if they do not speak in tongues?

Seventh Day Adventist

1. What do you think of the Trinity?

2. Is not observing the Sabbath on Saturday OK, or is it the mark of the beast?

3. What do you think of Ellen G. White?


Unificationist (Rev. Moon) Influence Questions

These guys are tricky, because they believe in heavenly deception, that it is OK to lie for a good cause. For example, an ex-Moonie told me that once he heard a newspaper reporter ask the head of a Unificationist House if they believed Rev. Moon was Christ returned. The leader said, "no". When the leader was asked why he said that, when they do believe Rev. Moon is Christ returned, the leader said, "that was the best answer for him at that time."

1. Do you believe Jesus physically and bodily rose from the dead?

2. Do you believe Christ [not Jesus] could be born again on earth for His second coming?

3. Do you think we need an additional book from God besides the Bible?

Christian Debater™ P.O. Box 144441 Austin, TX 78714