Witnessing to someone in a cult

Cults have both a theological and sociological drawing on people. More join because of the sociological aspect and learn to accept the theological. Before you address their doctrine, find why they have joined. Was it friends, to make friends, to be with people with a cause? In the conversation ask them if their joining strained their relationship with their family and other friends not in their religious group.

Once you have discussed this you than can more easily address the differences in doctrine they are being taught. Always stay on the core issues and do not speak on more than three points. Usually one or two are better. Take the most important difference to be discussed first. If they cannot see them than there is no reason to move on to other topics.

Even if you disagree and the person does not see what you are saying assure them that they can contact you at any time and you will be there for them.

What you most likely will encounter are those who think that their working for God completes or merits salvation. They may talk about grace but will have not experience faith through grace that results in their salvation.

Why do people choose to trust their own works instead of accepting God’s grace as a gift? It’s easier to look at ones self obedience to gauge how they are doing than to rest in Jesus’ work for them that already took place. Often their group or church will insist on them doing works. Work’s foster the pride in man. It makes us feel good and it has us believe that we can do what is needed to have God accept us. But it prevents one from actually having God’s grace and for them to exercise faith to have salvation.

The Gospel message is the very opposite of man by his own ability of works to please God. It is God's personal work for man that is completed -- it is grace, a gift freely given. This is why the evangelion, is called the good news. It is a proclamation from God to man that you can be forgiven, restored, begin anew.  This good news is only found in Christ, the son of God and after we are affected we are his messengers that are to bring it others.

So what works must you do to receive salvation? NONE. You must Believe (have faith) in the gospel, we are to repent of our way so we can turn and receive His love gift to us. It’s simple, yet profound.  But it must be the correct gospel and the correct Jesus. A Jesus who is not God is not the real Gospel; a Jesus who is not the Son pf God sent by the Father from heaven is not the real gospel; A Jesus who did not raise to life again physically in the body is not the real gospel. All these components are necessary for one to understand the gospel.

1 Cor. 15:1-5 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures”

 Paul is giving the church what he himself received. All according to the Scriptures