No record of cult leaders ever repenting

[Pergamum]

"There is no recorded instance of a leader of a cult ever turning from his evil ways, being granted repentance, or coming to salvation in Christ either in Scripture or in secular history."

Is this a generally true statement? Is there a spiritual principle of reprobation seen in this life where some are irredeemable?

 

[Joshua]

I'd like to find how they've had access to, and time to read/listen to, all these exhaustive records of all time. That's impressive.

I know a few things, however, that are unassailably and infallibly true:

1. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things are for us, namely to do all the works of the Law, which -by deduction- implies believing said law, and it's Lawgiver.

2. Aforementioned Lawgiver promises the sure mercies of David to all/any of a broken and contrite heart who call upon Him in faith according to His prescribed way/means, and that anyone who comes to Him as duch, He will in no wise cast out.

 

[Alan D. Strange]

@Pergamum

It is the case that Joseph Tkach, Sr. and his son of the same name (Jr.) made changes in Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God that led to a total doctrinal reconfiguration so that the new organization was accepted into the NAE in 1997, affirming the Trinity, Christ's death on the cross for sin, denying British Israelism, the ongoing OT observances, etc.

That's all fairly recent history and needs to be taken into account by the maker of the statement that you cited.

Peace,
Alan

 

[Pergamum]

@Pergamum

It is the case that Joseph Tkach, Sr. and his son of the same name (Jr.) made changes in Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God that led to a total doctrinal reconfiguration so that the new organization was accepted into the NAE in 1997, affirming the Trinity, Christ's death on the cross for sin, denying British Israelism, the ongoing OT observances, etc.

That's all fairly recent history and needs to be taken into account by the maker of the statement that you cited.

Peace,
Alan

Excellent example. Thanks. And so good to hear.

 

[Charles Johnson]

I believe Seventh-Day Adventists moved from Arianism to an orthodox doctrine of the Trinity.

 

[Alan D. Strange]

I believe Seventh-Day Adventists moved from Arianism to an orthodox doctrine of the Trinity.

They did, though other problems remained, prompting Tony Hoekema to regard them as a cult, though Walter Martin came to regard them more favorably and moved them out of cult status in his famous Kingdom of the Cults.They are an organization that is certainly better than in the days of Ms. White.

Of course, we could talk about what has happened in the SBC since 1979 (a remarkable and heartening story) and even some of our own NAPARC churches (the ARP) in more recent years.

The old "once gone bad, always stays bad" is not always true! His arm is not shortened that He cannot save and this should lead us not to lose heart or to curtail our prayers for repentance and renewal. We have no call to conclude that any particular parties are irredeemable but to beseech heaven night and day, praying for the Lord graciously to visit the hardest of hearts with his glorious salvation.

Peace,
Alan

 

[Wayne]

The OP stipulated focus on the leader(s) of a cult, and so Bill Diehl and his Present Truth magazine with it's near-Calvinistic emphasis on justification by faith doesn't qualify, but it has been interesting to watch. Diehl is SDA:

http://www.presenttruthmag.com