Why The MCGI Is A Cult

In this entry I will give the numerous truths that show why Eli Soriano's MCGI (Members, Church of God International) is a cult (like it was not obvious already). I guess it's only fair to explain the basis of this claim using the template that existing cults follow. This is to show that I am not doing this merely to defame or persecute Soriano, but to help open the eyes of the multitudes he has deceived into his fold. I could care less about Soriano and his defenders but the urging of the Holy Spirit is stronger than anything else. And it alone takes the fear, hate, apprehension, and bias away from pursuing this endeavor.

The first characteristic of a cult is the inclination to hold the leader's word as superior to the Bible. Cults will deny what God says in His Word as completely true especially if it goes against their doctrines. They use God's very own words to inject doubt into the minds of followers by weaving half-truths and ambiguity one after the other taken from the same Bible. The explanation and interpretation if Scripture is exclusive to the leader of the cult. Members are not permitted to do so on their own. There is no permission for self study. This is why all questions are directed to the leader. Moreover, they look at their leader as infallible.

The idea that their leader is the "sent" and therefore the "only" person qualified to interpret scripture is as unbiblical as it is cultic. Questioning the leader's word is like going against God himself. Eventually, the followers change their theological point of authority away from God's full and final written Word, the Bible, to the cult leader's own unique, self-promoting opinions about the Bible. They will still use the Bible for convenience. But everything is lip service now. They can try all they want, but Soriano's cult members will have to keep fooling their own minds to deny what this identifier says about their cult. Because it is spot on.

Cults teach that salvation depends upon something other than the Atonement for sins through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. For cults, Jesus' sacrifice is not enough to save them from sin and to complete this, human works is injected into their doctrine. The cult's message of salvation is clouded with obedience to requirements declared by its leader, instead of relying on the grace of God alone for salvation. Because of this, there is no guarantee of salvation for the member. The member is continually bound to obligations instead of being spiritually free. Obligations also lead to financial exploitation where the member is brainwashed that money contributed to the cause will be reciprocated substantially.

In order to gain favor with the market they target, they will use ambiguous doctrines meant to deceive rather than enlighten. They will cater to itching ears and say what is popular or what the public wants to hear. Hidden behind these propaganda lies the doctrinal beliefs they will impart once the listener has decided to become part of the cult.

It is a fact that cults will claim at one point or another, that they are the only true church and all other churches are false. They will denounce other groups, even badmouthing specific groups (particularly those that expose their falsehoods). Regardless of the cult, they all claim this exclusivity with God as the only ones who will enter into heaven. A condition is thereafter set, that to become saved, you MUST join their cult. Moreover the leader will surely say that it will be impossible to serve God without becoming a member. That's another bull's-eye for Soriano's MCGI.

Further still, the group leader will claim to be no mere man. He will label himself as the messiah (like Apollo Quiboloy), the sent, the angel of the Lord (like Felix Manalo), a god (like Eliseo Soriano), etc. This is followed with declarations that all others are dishonest, deceitful, from the devil, all the while it is they who exhibit all manner of Satanic characters.

They will welcome blogs like this and call it persecution. Soriano in particular will claim he is being attacked for righteousness sake. He will consider this as evidence that what he teaches is the only and true body of Christ. A member then, will find the weight of the world on his shoulders should he decide to leave the cult. The poor soul will be conditioned to think that to leave the group is to leave God Himself.

There will always be a special discovery like holy literature, communion with the dead, angels, or even God. Sometimes it's a continuing revelation that only the leader is privileged to hear. Such revelations come from hallucinations, visions, dreams, private discoveries, etc.

The last and most important characteristic of a cult in which Soriano's MCGI is again spot on, is wrong understanding of Christ's nature. A cult will usually deny the true deity of Christ, His true humanity, His true origin, or the true union of the two natures in one Person. They will either demote Christ, make Him subordinate, or worse, make Him a creation and not the creator.

My interactions with members of Soriano's cult has always led me conclude that these poor people are like prisoners to the lies of Soriano. He always uses out-of-context scripture as proofs for their doctrines. They focus on one verse or passage of the Bible to the exclusion of others, then limit their understanding to the shallowness and wanton disregard for the true context of Scripture that Soriano spews out. Because of this, the ignorant remain ignorant. The prisoners in MCGI, remain prisoners in MCGI. And they are willingly allowing Soriano to fill their heads with falsehoods. Keeping them from finding the true person of Jesus Christ in the Bible. Keeping themselves from being set free.

Salvation In Two Flavors

Heresy in Soriano's doctrines reach it's peak with the false teaching that Jesus brings two kinds of salvation.

The first of the two is derived from Matthew 1:21, which says, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Here Soriano claims that Jesus came and died for Israel alone.

The second of the two salvations is for the faithful Gentiles. This lot will only have their chance at redemption at the time of Jesus' return. In a twisted perversion of scripture, this means that Christ's death should mean little to the Gentiles since it was not meant for them. Would Jesus have to die all over again for the Gentiles? Because it is written in scripture that the punishment for sin is death (Romans 3:23) and the atonement for it is the blood of the innocent. The answer is no of course. Soriano's teaching is heretical to the last letter. He would have Christ doing a sequel to His last stint on earth.

Soriano teaches that on Christ's return, the Gentiles, will be saved if they remain faithful, and belong to God's "legitimate church"... which just so happens to be his church, Members Church of God International (MCGI).

With this false doctrine, Soriano injects yet another betrayal of scripture. Scripture declares in plain and simple words... there is nothing man can do to merit salvation. Joining a cult like Soriano's could not bring man any further from being saved.

Soriano continually pushes for "works-based salvation". A clear departure form Ephesians 2:8-9 which clearly teaches that there is only one plan for salvation, and that nothing man can do will be acceptable unto the Lord (Isaiah 64:6). He uses a perverse misinterpretation of 1 Timothy 3:15, "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." Claiming that God has NAMED His church as "Church Of The Living God, The Pillar And Ground Of The Truth". People only need to JOIN to be saved, because God has established it, and it's there already, nothing else is needed but JOIN. This is a lie Soriano says through his teeth.

The funny thing is, Soriano even pursued having his church renamed with the lengthy chopped portion of scripture to make his church sound legit. But the Securities and Exchange Commission would not allow it, on account of an entity already existing with the very same name. He settles for the present MCGI yet claims this is the TRUE CHURCH that Jesus established before ascending into heaven.

Soriano teaches the heresy that a sinner must FIRST join the church (his church) before he or she can receive Christ as Savior. The Bible teaches the exact opposite. Because the very moment you trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you become a member of the Body of Christ (The Church).

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The truth is, there is nothing we can do by works to earn salvation. There is no step that requires joining a church, and then this, and then that. It is true that Christians should be baptized, publicly confess Christ as Savior, turn from sin, and commit their lives to obeying God. But, these are not steps to salvation. They are RESULTS of salvation. Because of our sin, we cannot earn salvation by any means. There is no manual with 10 steps or 1000 steps to follow. That is why Jesus had to die in our place. We are totally incapable of paying our sin debt to God or cleanse ourselves from sin. Only God could accomplish our salvation. God Himself completed the necessary “steps” and thereby freely offers salvation to anyone who will receive it from Him.

We don't have to join any visible church organization to be saved. Jesus' love and sacrifice was sufficient for all, Jews and Gentiles alike. The word 'all' includes those who came before and after His death on the cross. There is no second type of salvation as Soriano teaches. Faith ALONE (Ephesians 2:8-9), in Jesus ALONE (Romans 10:13) is all that's needed to be saved. For Jesus is the ONLY WAY, He is the TRUTH, and He is the LIFE. No man cometh unto the Father, but through Jesus (John 14:6).