I live in River Oaks, a small community just outside of the Fort Worth city limits. This community has a small weekly newspaper called the River Oaks News. A recent edition of the News revealed that a Christian living in the River Oaks area had received an award for his work in the Masonic Lodge. It used to be rather common to hear of Christian men who held membership in the Masonic Lodge, and who would, when confronted with the sinfulness of such membership, choose the Lodge over the Lord’s church. Others would have a tender heart toward truth and, when they became aware of the sin in their life, would repent and repudiate their membership in Masonry. Lately, though, less is heard of Masonic membership, and less preaching is being done on the subject of Masonry. Perhaps this is the reason this man is so proud of his association with a religion and a religious institution other than the Lord’s church. We do not know if he is ignorant of the truth, or not. We only know that he holds membership in two religious institutions, and is accepted in both. This, despite the fact that the New Testament reveals that membership is allowed for God’s people in only one religious institution, the church: "But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15). Regardless of that particular circumstance, it makes clear our need to teach on this matter, that none be caught up in this error.
The Sin of Masonry
It is sinful to be a Mason. I realize that there are some Christians who are ignorant of this fact. They may consider themselves simply members of a civil fraternity, and may not be aware of the religious tenets and characteristics of the Masonic religion. That does not change the fact that Masonry is religion, that Masons are members of a religious institution, and that a Christians can not be faithful to Christ and hold membership in the Masonic Lodge any more than they can be faithful to Christ and hold membership in the Catholic church.
Albert G. Mackey, who is regarded as the most eminent of Masonic scholars, wrote the following:
"The tendency of all true Masonry is towards religion. If it makes any progress, its progress is to that holy end. Look at its ancient landmarks, its sublime ceremonies, its profound symbols and allegories — all inculcating religious doctrines, commanding religious observance, and teaching religious truth, and who can deny that it is eminently a religious institution? … Masonry, then, is indeed, a religious institution; and on this ground mainly, if not alone, should the religious Mason defend it."
(Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, pg. 728-729)
Albert Pike, another Masonic scholar wrote a revealing thing regarding the Masonic relationship. In his Morals and Dogma, he wrote:
"Masonry around whose altars the Christian, the Hebrew, the Moslem, the Brahmin, the followers of Confucius and Zoraster, can assemble as brethren and unite in prayer to the one God" (pg. 266).
"To the Mason, God is our Father in Heaven … He is our Father, and we are all brethren" (pg. 227).
This claim is one of the most astounding in Masonry. The Mason finds his fellowship both with God and man, not in Christ or the church, but in the Lodge!
Understand this clearly. The Masonic Lodge teaches and adherants accept that their relationship in the Lodge is what assures them salvation. The Masonic Lodge teaches that the Jew, Muslim, Brahmin, Confucian, Zorasterian, and other religious men who have rejected Christ, nevertheless can approach God in prayer, and approach other Masons in spiritual fellowship, based upon his membership in the Lodge!
In contrast, where does the Bible reveal reconciliation and fellowship to be? In Christ! Notice the following scriptures:
John 14:1-6, "’Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’"
Ephesians 2:11-16, "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh; who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands; that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity."
Much more could be pointed out, but this is sufficient to demonstrate that no Christian can be faithful to his Master, and at the same time hold membership in such an insitution. Some may try to disregard the significance of this issue, they do so at their own peril.
