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Can A Christian be a Mason?
Lyle Larrigan
FREEMASONRY IN A NUTSHELL
A Christian frequently must render a decision about supporting or joining various organizations that exist in the community. In some cases it may be a service club, a charitable organization or a secret society such as one of the lodges. In all cases, the Christian should carefully examine the articles or constitutional principles that the organization is based upon. In the case of the lodges, that is somewhat difficult to do, especially as lodge members are under oath not to divulge the nature of the foundational principles or the ceremonies that are carried out in the temples. However most comprehensive public libraries have copies of some official lodge publications and books written by Masons, ex-Masons, and non-Masons available for anyone who wishes to find out details of lodge rituals and beliefs. While some Masons deny that Freemasonry is a religion, there are some like Coil, the author of "Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia" who would agree that it is a religion. When one considers that the lodge meeting places are called "temples", prayer is directed to a supreme deity called "The Great (or Grand) Architect of the Universe" at the opening and closing of all meetings and the Bible is considered a "piece" of lodge furniture and is referred to in some of the rituals, it becomes quite apparent that Freemasonry can be and is considered a religion by most people who have done research into its workings. In his 1984 book titled "The Brotherhood", Stephen Knight, a journalist and author attempted to take as objective a point-of-view as he could in deciding whether or not Masonry was guilty of devil worship as many had charged, and whether or not it was compatible with Christianity. He decided that the matter did not require a great deal of knowledge of theology. On page 231 of his book we find: "One does not have to be a theologian - nor even a Freemason or a Christian - to recognize that Christians and Freemasons would have to worship the same God for the two to be compatible. The question simply, then, is do they? If Freemasonry were found, despite its protestations to the contrary, to be a quasi-religion and to have a different god from the Christian God, then the two would naturally be incompatible." On pages 235 and 236, Knight goes on to reveal the "ineffable" name of the G.A.O.T.U. which is deliberately hidden from the candidates and lower degree Masons. "In fact the Masonic god - cloaked under the description Great Architect - has a specific name and a particular nature, which has nothing to do with Christ, Vishnu, Buddha, Mohammed or any other being recognized by the great faiths of the modern world." "Two-thirds of Freemasons never realize the untruth of the line they are fed as to the identity of the Great Architect, because it is deliberately kept hidden from them. It is no overstatement to say that most Freemasons, even those without strong religious convictions would never have joined the Brotherhood if they had not been the victims of this subtle trick". "The true name, although not the nature of the Masonic god, is revealed only to those Third Degree Masons who elect to be "exalted" to the Holy Royal Arch.""In the ritual of exaltation, the name of the Great Architect of the Universe is revealed as JAH-BUL-ON - not a general umbrella term open to any interpretation an individual Freemason might choose but a precise designation that describes a specific supernatural being - a compound deity composed of three separate personalities fused into one. Each syllable of the "ineffable name" represents one personality of this trinity: JAH = Jahweh, the God of the Hebrew. BUL = Baal, the ancient Canaanite fertility god associated with "licentious rites of imitative magic". "ON = Osiris, the ancient Egyptian god of the underworld Coil records this in his Encyclopedia on page 516 as, "Jah, Bel, and On appear in the American ritual of the Royal Arch degree on the supposition that Jah was the Syriac name of God, Bel (Baal) the Chaldean, and On, the Egyptian." Anyone with a reasonable amount of Sunday School training will recall the great difficulties that the nation of Israel experienced whenever they became caught in the practice of Baal worship. 1 Kings, chapter 18 records the showdown between Elijah, the true prophet, the 450 prophets of Baal, and the 400 prophets of the grove. Verse 24 of chapter 18 says, "And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God." The account goes on to tell us that Baal did not, indeed, could not answer the 450 prophets, while God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob answered Elijah and consumed not only the offering, but also the wet wood and the trench full of water around the offering. Subsequently, the prophets of Baal were executed as they were false and had led the people of Israel into false idolatry. The apostle Paul warned the first century churches about having fellowship with unbelievers. "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (2 Corinthians 6:14-17) Jesus said to his followers that: ..I am the Light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life". (John 8:12). For the Christian who has been washed in the precious blood of the Lamb, the only proper course of action is to repent of the sin of having fellowship with those who deny that Christ alone is the Savior of the world. The Christian should not partake in the works of darkness. If you are a Christian, please consider 1 John 5:10-12, which reads: "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not, God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." Can you as a Christian, in conscience accept the Masonic teaching that men (only) of all faiths can be acceptable by their own virtue and works before God? What about your unsaved lodge brothers? Will you remain silent about Jesus and thus deny Him before them? If you are not a "born-again, blood-washed" follower of Jesus, can you see that God the creator of all mankind has provided salvation and eternal life by one means, namely His precious Son, Jesus? Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12). If you know that you are a sinner in need of Jesus as your Savior, humble yourself before God and ask Him to forgive you, and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Accept the free gift of the precious blood of Jesus that was shed for your redemption. You will be given a new spiritual life and for the first time you will begin to know, as opposed to having knowledge of, who God really is. God has a perfect plan for your life. You can, day by day, learn from Him what the plan is, after you have received Jesus and are daily trusting in Him.
SUGGESTIONS FOR DEALING WITH SOMEONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE BOTH A CHRISTIAN AND A FREEMASON
This section is written to assist Christians, who, after much prayer, have decided to approach someone who claims to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and a Freemason at the same time. The first and most important step is to establish that as Christians, you both accept Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9,10), and Saviour (Acts 4:12). If you meet any hesitation or resistance on this first step, you can suggest that perhaps you could take the Bible test found in 2 Cor. 13:5 to check and see if you are really both "in the true faith". This could lead to a discussion of what it means to have Christ "in you", to be "saved", and therefore, a Christian. Share your own salvation experience. If the Mason appears to be basically an unbeliever, or a doubter, we recommend Josh McDowell's book, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, where in chapter 7 he considers the claims of Jesus. Perhaps it may be necessary to establish this foundation before proceeding, should you find yourself dealing with a real skeptic, who nevertheless considers himself a "Christian".(This book is available in Christian Book stores. In any event, remind the Mason that his own writings state that the "Holy Bible is the Great Light in Masonry, and the Rule and Guide for faith and practice." (The HOLY BIBLE The Great Light in Masonry, Philadelphia, A. J. Holman Company, l968). Once agreement is reached on the first step, you should move on by acknowledging that you are aware that Freemasonry makes many fine-sounding claims, and that it has a public record of good works and enjoys a high degree of acceptability, even within a number of the liberal Christian denominations. Tell them that you are aware of their oath of secrecy, and that you will not in any way ask them to divulge any Masonic secrets. Explain that you are motivated by the love of Christ, and that from your understanding and reading, Freemasonry and Christianity are not only incompatible, but in fact are opposed to one another. Listen patiently to the Mason's objections. He may try being a prevaricator, that is, one who deflects someone from finding out the truth, even if it means lying to do so. Remember he is under oath to protect Freemasonrys secrets and may even tell you things about Freemasonry you know to be false. If not done deliberately, it is also possible that the Mason you are dealing with may have forgotten exactly what he was taught, or has not carefully read what he was given. Be patient and proceed. We suggest you use only three or so of the following comparisons at a time and keep the rest for later discussions.
SALVATION BY WORKS?
Freemasonry teaches, "...that everything which man is put to do, if rightly and faithfully done, naturally helps to work out his salvation; that if he obeys the genuine principles of his calling, he will be a good man:..." (Pike, p. 211 ). Christianity teaches, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." (Ephesians 2: 8,9. See also Romans 11:6).
SEVERAL WAYS TO GOD? Freemasonry teaches, "...these paths appear to branch off in various directions, yet they all reach the same ultimate goal, and that to some men, one path is better and to others, another." (J.S.M. Ward quoted in Freemasonry, The Invisible Cult in our Midst by J. Harris p. 100). Christianity teaches, "...I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." (Jesus, quoted in John 14:6. See also John 10, 9; 3:36.)
IS JESUS ONLY ONE OF MANY? Freemasonry teaches, "It reverences all the great reformers. It sees in Moses, the lawgiver of the Jews, in Confucius and Zoroaster, in Jesus of Nazareth, and in the Arabian Iconoclast, Great Teachers of Morality, and Eminent Reformers, if no more: and allows every brother of the order to assign to each such higher and even Divine Character as his Creed and Truth require." (Pike, p. 525). Christianity teaches, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved". (Acts 4:12; See also 1 Cor. 8:6).
ARE BLOODY OATHS ACCEPTABLE? Freemasonry teaches: First Degree - Throat cut across, tongue torn out etc. as part of the the sworn. Third Degree - Body severed in twain, bowels taken out etc. as part of the oath sworn. (Harris pp. 50,51).Christianity teaches, "But I say to you, make no oath at all,...But let your statement be, "yes, yes" or "No, no"; and anything beyond these is of evil." (Matthew 5:34-37; see also James 5:12).
HOW IS THE BIBLE VIEWED? Freemasonry teaches, "The Bible is used among Masons as the symbol of the will of God, however it may be expressed, and therefore, whatever to any people expresses that will may be used as a substitute for the Bible in a Masonic Lodge." (Albert Mackey quoted by Harris p. 47). Therefore any "Holy" book may be on the Masonic altar! Christianity teaches, "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness ; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16; see also Proverbs 30:5,6, Hebrews 4:12).
SHOULD SECRETS BE KEPT BY CHRISTIANS? Freemasonry teaches, "Masonry, like all the Religions, all the Mysteries, Herneticism and Alchemy conceals its secrets from all except the Adepts and Sages, or the elect, and uses false explanations and misinterpretations of its symbols to mislead those who deserve only to be mislead; to conceal the Truth, which it calls Light from them, and to draw them away from it." (Pike, p. 104,105.) Christianity teaches, "Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; behold, these know what I said." (John 18:20; see also Matt. 10:27, Luke 12:3, Ephesians 5:11-13).
WHERE IS TRUE LIGHT FOUND? Freemasonry teaches, Masonry is a search after Light. That search leads us directly back, as you see, to the Kabalah." (Pike p. 741). However, the Kabalah teachings (Jewish occult mysticism) is condemned by the Bible. Christianity teaches, "...Jesus spoke to them saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12. See also John 1:4,5, and Matt. 5:14-16).
IN CONCLUSION
It is important to remember that of the more than six million Freemasons in the world, the vast majority have only taken the first three degrees. For this majority of Blue Lodge Members, the so-called higher degrees offered by "concordant bodies" do not represent true Freemasonry. Therefore, it is possible that a Blue Lodge Member will not accept the references given previously. The sad but true fact is that those who go on through the higher degrees find out eventually that they were deceived in the first three degrees. The following quotation illustrates just how badly and thoroughly deceived they are, and your Masonic friend or relative may be the living proof of this deception by protesting that it is not so. "The Blue Degrees are but the outer court of portico of the Temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the Initiate, but he is intentionally misled by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them; but it is intended that he shall imagine he understands them...It is well enough for the mass of those called Masons to imagine that all is contained in the Blue Degrees; and whoso attempts to undeceive them will labor in vain,..." (Pike p. 819). As you close your discussion with your Masonic friend, read together 1 John 5:10-13, "The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son. And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life". Remind him that there is no room for the name of Jesus in a well regulated lodge, as illustrated by the absence of His name in every prayer according to Lodge ritual. You could conclude with a statement like the following:--Jesus said in John 5:23, "that all men should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him." Your response Seeing then that Masonry does not require anyone to honor the Son at all, let alone give Him equal honor with the Father, will you cease belonging to an organization that denies that Jesus is Lord? Your response should be to repent and renounce your involvement in this Christ-dishonoring group, ask for forgiveness from God and be determined to be a witness for Christ. Truly, a Mason faces an eternal choice, will he be a Christian, or will he be a Mason, for he cannot be both. If you wish a Masonic friend or relative to have information anonymously, send in his name with $1.50 to cover costs. Also, we suggest you avail yourself of the book "Freemasonry: The Invisible Cult in our Midst" written by a former "Worshipful Master" of the Masonic Lodge, Jack Harris. Also, a booklet is available Please refer to our order form.
More info on this topic: www.ephesians5-11.org Ephesians 5:11 Ministry. Exposing the Darkness of Freemasonry. P.O.Box 20214 Baltimore, Maryland
21284
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