Baptists and Freemasonry

[Ingo Breuer]

I am a Missionary Baptist who has recently had some doubts about what he's being taught about the church. Missionary Baptists here in middle Tennessee teach that in order to become part of the Lord's church you need to present yourself for membership and then you are baptized with authority into the church. Church is defined as purely local and not spiritual or invisible. Churches that don't have authority - no lineage back to Christ - are not a church and their baptisms are invalid. You are not in the bride of Christ if you are not the right kind of Baptist according to them. You'll just be a wedding guest. 1. Cor. 12:13 is being re-interpreted to mean "For by one Spirit are we all lead to be baptized ..." meaning the Spirit leads you to be baptized into a Baptist-brider church. I have so many doubts about this. I can't believe that anymore. I believe I belong to the body of Christ since I'm saved and not since I'm immersed in the baptistry by Bro. so-and-so.

Then I have discovered that many Missionary Baptist preachers, deacons and influential members wear Masonic apparel. I have seen ushers with the Masonic symbol tattoed into their hands. What an obscure message there is in a handshake? A biography of numerous Missionary Baptist preachers revealed how many are actually in the lodge (Royal Arch Mason ?!?). What is that? Does a good soldier of the Lord Jesus need to bow before a 'worshipful master' to be initiated into Luciferian philosphy. One preacher said that baptism is the "initiation rite" into the church. Like the Masons, so do some of our preachers have a fascination for John the Baptist. These preachers exalt John the Baptist because from him comes the "authority to baptize" and the name of our denomination, "Baptist". I can't believe that anymore.
There is an independent, fundamental Baptist church in town and they expose Freemasonry and they are not Baptist-briders either. They believe that Holy Ghost baptism places you in the curch when you get saved. And the term "church" refers also to a spiritual body and not just the local congregation. There is not a single Mason at that church and they sure wouldn't let one preach or pastor.

Why is it that the Baptist-brider churches are so filled with Masonry? Is there any connection? Please pray that the Lord helps me out of this current state of confusion and doubt. I love God and the salvation He gave me through Jesus Christ, but it is sad to see these weird things in the church. Thanks for any of your comments!

 

[gb93433]

I think you already know the answer to your dilemma. The next step is action. Are they blind and do not care to change or are they ignorant? Have you told them what masonry is and how it compares to the Bible?

You might show them how masonry is against scripture. I am sure some are not all that involved and don't see anything wrong with it. To them it may just be another social organization. So do your homework and give them the facts about Christinaity and freemasonry and let them compare.

They may not know what you do.

 

[donnA]

At one time I did some reading on freemasonary. What I found is that those in the lowest levels usually are not told everything. I believe a lot of us know more about it then they do.

 

[Bro Tony]

Bro Ingo,

You have discovered the insidious nature and work of freemasonry in the church. There is hidden meaning behind what they say. If the masons are running that church the Lord's work will be hindered. You need to find a church that does not allow any group to influence it, but is solely committed to the Word of God. It is such a shame the blindness to freemasonry found in so many churches. It is sad that so many Baptist pastors are involved in this satanic group.

Bro Tony

 

[Jeffrey H]

The SBC addressed freemasonry in a formal statement back in the early '90's. While the statement declared that some aspects of freemasonry were incompatible with Chritianity, the issue was essentially pushed under the rug and was never heard from again. Was the influence of freemasonry in the SBC the reason the issue died so quickly? I believe it was.

Freemasons are encouraged to be active in their religion, but what they bring to your church is a form of universalism that says there are many way to God.

People are afraid to speak out against masons because they are a secret society that can do things in secret. If you decide to fight against the infux of freemasonry in your church, begin with lots of prayer and expect them to give you a difficult time, persecute you, and call you a troublemaker.

 

[gb93433]

It died so quickly because many involved in the organization disagreed with it. Some were deacons and other leaders in the church. If those who were in freemasonry were also leadrs in the church it had no efefct on those leaders. In most SBC churches the pastor has little power. What was he supposed to do kick those men out? That never happened that I know of.

 

[Bro Tony]

From my experience it died for two reasons. First, like gb said, the number of freemasons in the SBC churches is staggering and they seek to lead their local church. Secondly, because there are not enough men in the SBC who will stand for the truth. There are far to many who have a big yellow stripe down their backsides, and will not trust God. We need some "Elijah's" who will stand against the prophets of baal in our churches.

Bro Tony

 

[Todd]

Bro. Ingo,

If I were you, I would start going to the Bible-believing, Bible-preaching Independent church down the street and join them ASAP if they are seeking to fulfill the Great Commission. Don't waste your time trying to stay and fight a battle you can't win, unless God instructs you to do so and has given you an overwhelming sense of peace that things are going to change. The church sounds very "Landmarkian-like" in many of its views and that spells DANGER. Have you ever noticed how you faintly see a Landmark church that is a growing church? That in and of itself should give you all the reason you need to follow what I believe is the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life, and take your membership somewhere else where you can be in full agreement and full participation with the body of Christ.

God bless you as you seek to serve Him!

Todd

 

[Jeffrey H]

What was he supposed to do kick those men out? That never happened that I know of.

gb,

If the church is influenced by masons, then it's the pastor that gets kicked out if he trys to preach against freemasonry. Sad, very sad.

Here's a website about freemasonry in the church with testimonies from Pastors that were forced out. Satan is alive and very active!

http://www.eph511.com/index.html


--Jeff

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by Jeffrey H:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> What was he supposed to do kick those men out? That never happened that I know of.

gb,

If the church is influenced by masons, then it's the pastor that gets kicked out if he trys to preach against freemasonry. Sad, very sad.

--Jeff </font>[/QUOTE]How true! It works in other areas too. I know from experience. I was in an SBC church where the deacons supported the Mormon bishop preaching because they thought he was a christian. I spoke against it and preached from 1 and 2 Peter, and Jude on false teachers.

 

[rlvaughn]

Ingo, I am also opposed to membership in secret societies, but I do not think there is any real connection between being a "Baptist-Brider" and being a Mason. You probably just have "experienced" a regional anomaly. That is, you just happen to be in an area where both the idea of a "Baptist Bride" and Masonry are strong. I know a number of Baptists across the country who are affiliated with different groups of Baptists. Masonry tends to have strong regional pockets within any of the groups that do not have restrictions against Masonry. As mentioned here, there are strong pockets of Masonry within the Southern Baptist Convention. Very few Southern Baptists are "Baptist Briders".

I will be praying for you to see the Lord's leadership. I would recommend that you not rush into a quick church change over the issue of Masonry. The independent fundamental Baptist church may have some serious issues as well, which you just don't know because you aren't involved like you are in your current church. And in spite of what flaws you see, many of the missionary Baptists in Middle Tennessee take a strong stand on the Spirit's work in salvation, which is lacking in many IFB's with which I'm familiar. That one point is worth a lot. Of course, my judgment could be clouded also because I don't agree with the "Holy Ghost baptism" terminology as being equivalent with salvation, though the majority of the Christian world does. Lean on the Lord, and He will see you through to the way He has for you. It might not be what I advise or what you think either.

 

[Jim1999]

There is a lot of false information about Freemasonry and how it behaves. I was a mason for many years, as was common in England amongst ministers.

It never affected my ability to minister and it never intefered with my preaching God's truth. It also never imposed foreign beliefs upon me.

I left for personal reasons, and do not advocate membership in Freemasonry to-day, but neither do I like the false witness against them.

The secrecy is not as secret as you might imagine, and it is not sinister. It is one of the largest organizations for raising funds, and through the kin organization fund the largest children's hospital in the USA..and children attend there FREE of all costs.

Perhaps it behaves differently in the South where Klan organizations flourished, and many masons also belonged to the Klan, and this brotherhood carried on to this generation. That I don't know.

In Canada, we just chose to ignore those who were into masonry. They did not interfere with the local church, and it did not interfere with their personal testimonies for Jesus Christ.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Artimaeus]

Biblical Objections to Freemasonry.
1. The oaths and their penalties
2. Universal brotherhood of man
3. Racist
4. False Religion (and raises other false religions to respectability)
5. Anti-Christian
6. Pagan - Ancient mysteries = Freemasonry
7. Secret (even feigned)
8. Lies; false claoms and deceptive "explanations
9. Blasphemous to God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Bible
10. False plan of salvation
11. Rejects Jesus as only way of salvation
12. Uses Biblical character names with fictional stories.
13. Subtle deception - defines words their own way.

Reconciling the Bible and Freemasonry requires mental and spiritual gymnastics that are olympian in nature.

(Edited to add: "...and it still can't be done.")

 

[rsr]

Jim, Jim, Jim. Why must you keep posting facts instead of the preconceived notions of other folks?

 

[Ben W]

Here is a link that I found where a T.V camera was taken inside of a Freemason Lodge, and all is revealed.

http://www.rte.ie/tv/wouldyoubelieve/2004/prog3/thisweek.html

 

[Ps104_33]

Can anyone tell me just what is the chief end to becoming a Mason? Why do men become Masons?

 

[Jim1999]

Ps104_33

The primary reason is for fellowship with other men interested in something more than just organizations such as the Lions Club, etc. They are also interested in charities. It is a challenge to go through the chairs,,the different levels in masonry.

Note, I am not advocating masonry to anyone for any reason. I left it years ago...period..for my own reasons...By the way, I was never threatened or challenged by fellow masons when I left, just to dispell that myth.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Ps104_33]

The reason I asked is that I know someone who was recently accepted in the Masons. The reason he gave me was that if you ever get yourself into a jam they will help you out. This person is of very questionable character and I am surprised that he was let in. Do they do background checks on those they accept?

 

[Rosell]

I wonder if anyone has done a study on the influence of various denominations within the masons, or the influence of masons on various denominations. I wouldn't be so quick to condemn Southern Baptists or "Baptist-Briders" for being involved and send someone down the street to an IFB church to be free of the influence of masonry. Several years ago, when I was pastoring a Southern Baptist church in a small town, the IFB pastor and a good percentage of his deacons and men in his church basically ran the local masonic lodge, and I suspect that several of them were also Klan. I don't think being a particular kind of Baptist makes you immune to the influences of other organizations.

 

[Jim1999]

Ps104..

Yes, two members interview the candidate as to reasons for wanting to be a mason. They check on the person's background, a police check, a check with their minister if they are church oriented, and a meeting with the man and his wife going through similar questions.

On aid; if a mason were travelling say in Europe he could find shelter in any mason's home. I have never tested this. It is not shelter from crime. Masonry is supposed to be of the highest morals...but I can't say this is always true.

Cheers,

Jim