People can look up for themselves what various dictionaries and other "definers" say constitute a cult, but generally a cult is composed of several elements.

1) A human authority figure, usually of recent vintage, who claims to have the only true knowledge of God, or some other life force and who tells the follower not to listen to anyone else, or read anything else but what he (or she) instructs. Apparently no one in human history was as smart, or as holy, as this person, because only he (or she) has been given the divine truth. That cult leaders contradict each other, not to mention the Bible, apparently does not phase them or their followers. God can't be saying contradictory things or He would not be God.

2) Some cults require a separation from family and friends in order for the cult leader to retain physical and ideological control over people. Modern examples of cult leaders include Jim Jones of the People's Temple and David Koresh of the Branch Davidians. It is no coincidence that each of these cult leaders required their followers to die for them. The real God has died for us.

3) A book that adds to or detracts from (same thing) Scripture. Immediately, critics will say, "Everyone claims to have a book that is the revealed Word of God, so what makes yours so special?" My answer comes on at least three levels. The first is that what we call the Bible accurately explains man's condition (sin) and God's purpose (redemption), while offering hope for eternity. No other book can satisfactorily address such questions. It is a book written by different authors over thousands of years but it has a unity that only God could have brought about, because He is the true Author, using human instruments. Second, only in the Bible does God intervene on Man's behalf. Cults require followers to intervene on God's behalf by placating an angry deity. Third, only Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead, which no cult leader has done, or could do. The evidence for that is the hundreds of witnesses, none of whom recanted what they saw, even in the face of prison, torture and death. Human nature tells you at least one would have denied the resurrection if it didn't occur. And still many give their lives today for Him because only He gives back life as it was originally intended.