Cultic Characteristics

The Corinthians were close to becoming a cult and thus much rested upon how they would respond to Paul's challenge. There was no way that the Corinthians could be neutral to Paul's questions. They were either going to be shaken out of their stupor, or they were doing to self consciously embrace the characteristics of a cult. They wouldn't have immediately become a cult, but if they self-consciously held cultic characteristics close to their hearts they would be in grave danger. If they refused to change their ways they would have to answer Paul's questions in the affirmative. This is a common characteristic of cults and false religions: e.g., Mohammed, Joseph Smith and Charles Taze Russell. Paul's challenging questions are pointed at us too for we are prone to exalt our own ideas, traditions etc above the revelation of God and when we do that we too adopt cultic characteristics.