Freemasonry Part 3: How It Has Infiltrated the Church

     This is perhaps the most difficult segment of my three-part exposition on Freemasonry.  It is in this post that we must examine the existence of Freemasonry in our Church bodies and how it effects not only the salvation of those involved, but the work of the saved Christian for the Kingdom of God.
     I am writing from the supposition that Freemasons are members of our Churches, and I assure you, they are.  I know that there are many who will argue that they (or  their beloved fathers or grandfathers) do not share the same understanding of Masons that I have alleged; that for them, their membership in the Masonic Order has been for business contacts, or social purposes, or because it is a family heritage.  And they may even be ignorant of the underlying religious teachings of Freemasonry.  As I have stated in the previous posts, they may think that the oaths they took to the Creator, the Eternal God, or the Everlasting God referred to YHWH and Jesus.
     But do they know of the spirit of deception that controlled Albert Pike, the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Masonic Order, and the founder of much of modern Freemasonry's rituals?  Do they know that he wrote in his Morals and Dogma (p. 333), "The Book of the Law shall be an indispensable article of the lodge furniture. This book, however, need not necessarily be the Holy Bible; but according to the religious faith of the members of the lodge. It may be the Koran, the Zend Avesta, or the Vedas or Shasters."  The Koran, we know, but what of the others?  The Zend Avesta is the sacred book of Zoroastrianism containing its cosmogony, law, and liturgy, the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster.  The Vedas is the most ancient Hindu scriptures, written in early Sanskrit and containing hymns, philosophy, and guidance on ritual for the priests of Vedic religion.  Shasters, in Hindu, is any book of instructions, particularly containing Divine ordinances.  Wouldn't this present a problem for a Masonic Christian who professes his belief in Jehovah, the One True God?
     Furthermore, do these Christians who are members of a Masonic lodge know that on page 524 of his Morals and Dogma that Pike proclaims, "We do not undervalue the importance of any Truth. We utter no word that can be deemed irreverent by anyone of any faith ... And as little do we tell the sincere Christian that Jesus of Nazareth was but a man like us, or His history but the unreal revival of an older legend."  I can certainly see how Christians could be ignorant of the foundation of Freemasonry.  It is quite apparent that deceiving them into believing they are honoring their God is an acceptable practice ... and make darn sure you don't tell them that YHWH isn't the only god being worshipped!  In fact, multiple deities are being worshipped at the altar of Freemasonry!  And do you think that is acceptable to our God?!?  Is He agreeable to being lumped in with all the other foreign gods?  Does that sound like the same God of the Bible, who said, You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God?
     I admit that all I am saying would be very confusing and contradictory to a Christian who is also a Mason.  And all Christian Masons cannot be judged by the same standards.  In his fine article, Freemasonry and the Christian Church, Russ Wise points out that there are different categories of Christian Masons.  First, there are some who do not have a clear knowledge of Christianity. They believe that religion and Christianity are the same and that if someone uses the Scriptures, that person must be a Christian. Such people are sincere but untaught. Because they do not know what Christianity teaches, they see nothing wrong with Freemasonry.   A second category would be those who do not know what Masonry is and what it teaches. They are not only uninformed about Christianity but are equally uninformed about the teachings of Freemasonry. These individuals are without any theological foundation on which to discern truth from error. Likewise, they are often ignorant of the occult direction the Lodge has taken over the past few decades.
     A third group is made up of individuals who profess Christ, yet continue as Masons regardless of how much they know about Christianity and Freemasonry. They are indeed in a state of rebellion and have chosen not to follow the truth of Christ.  The final group are those who profess Christ and yet have abandoned the Christian faith. Those who have embraced this position are essentially Unitarian in their belief. They no longer hold to the absolute deity of Christ or His blood atonement.
     In any of these cases, and independent of the degree of ignorance of Freemasonry's foundations, I am reminded of the words of the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 18:21.  In his confrontation with the occultic wickedness of Kind Ahab and Jezebel, Scriptures says Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.  And so today, The Great Architect of the Universe in Freemasonry has become the modern Baal.  And the Bible is clear ... you cannot serve two masters! But the people said nothing...

     And here is where Satan is winning the battle.  You see, Masons are encouraged to be an active member in their local church, and therefore, you often find that the most influential members of a particular church are Masons.  They can be found on various Church boards, are deacons or elders, and often control the finances of a church.  And, of course, many are pastors.  While not advocating that Masons be denied membership in churches, I would be very careful about the positions they hold within your church body.
     It is also interesting to note the varied stances that different denominations have taken on this subject.  Dr. David R. Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries has written a concise blog on church denominations and their acceptance or rejection of Freemasonry.  It is his contention that a Christian who is a Mason can never grow to his full potential in Christ.  And isn't that what we all aspire to?
     There is another issue that I feel cannot be ignored when considering the infiltration of Freemasonry in the Church.  How does the presence of Masons in the congregation affect what is said from the pulpit?  That is where the inspiration of the Holy Spirit comes into play.  True Christians would recognize the false religion of Freemasonry if expressed in its fullness and truth.  But remember ... it is an organization based on SECRECY.
     And the Church must recognize the foundation of Freemasonry, as spoken by Albert Pike, once again in his Morals and Dogma:  "Religion ... must needs be alloyed [mixed] with an amount of error [lying] ... the religion of the many must necessarily be more incorrect than that of the refined and reflective few" (page 224).  And again on page 102 in his Teaching for the 3rd Degree:  "A spirit ... that loves wisdom and contemplates the Truth close at hand, is forced to disguise it, to induce the multitudes to accept it ... Fictions are necessary to the people ...".  There you have it!  Lying is not only encouraged, it is necessary to protect the false truth of "the refined and reflective few".
     So, I come to you, pleading in all earnestness --- Do your research on Freemasonry!  Can you really turn a blind eye to the implications of false religious doctrine, even if it means conflict within your Church?  Don't you want your Church to stand for God's unadulterated and pure Truth?  Or are you willing to compromise with the world to keep the peace and maintain unity within your Body?  Will you be able to stand before God and profess that you did all you could to remove false doctrine and influences from His Church?  Will Jesus remove your lampstand?
     But I warn you... it will cost you.   To stand against Satan and his false religious systems is not for the fainthearted.  I urge you to read the testimonies of Southern Baptist pastors Stewart Bedillion, Pierce Dodson and Stoney Shaw, as they provide classic examples of the response to any rejection of Freemasonry in the Church.  Funny thing is, I can identify with each of these scenarios... it is a lonely road.  But one that I cannot shy away from because my Lord has shown me the truth through the Holy Spirit.  And that is my prayer for you.  That you will search the Scriptures for God's Truth, and not blindly follow any human leader or organization.  Pray for your pastor that he will have the strength to stand for True Doctrine, and that he will be like Elijah, unwilling to compromise for the sake of glorifying The One True God.  Do not be tempted to fall for the lies, deception, and delusion that Satan so enticingly offers.  And most of all, put on your full armor of God to withstand the slings and arrows that will come from exposing the Enemy's false and blasphemous promises.  May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May He make His face shine upon you, and be gracious towards you. And may He lift up His countenance towards you, and give you peace.

When doing your research on Freemasonry, there are many knowledgeable articles from which to choose, and you will find many that speak the truth from a Biblical perspective.  Here are just a few:  Christians and Freemasonry; Freemasonry and the Christian Church; The Impact of Freemasonry Within The Church; and What Are the Ramifications of Freemasonry in Your Church?

Galatians 1:6-9     "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed."