I was offended by the picture of Padgetts Creek Baptist Church recognizing the Masons. This was in the May 3 issue.
During the annual session of the Southern Baptist Convention, June 15-17, 1993, the messengers overwhelmingly approved a report on Freemasonry. Although they recognized the many charitable endeavors of Freemasonry, they concluded that “many tenets and teachings of Freemasonry are not compatible with Christianity or Southern Baptist doctrine.”
The report identified eight tenets and teachings that it concluded were not compatible with Christianity. Here are the eight concerns:
1. Freemasonry uses offensive, non-biblical, and blasphemous terms relating to God.
2. Freemasonry insists on the use of “bloody oaths” or obligations, which are strictly forbidden by scripture (Matthew 5:34-37).
3. Freemasonry urges that occultic and/or pagan readings be used.
4. Freemasonry includes the Bible as part of the “furniture of the lodge,” but only as an equal with non-Christian symbols and writings.
5. Freemasonry misuses the term “light” to refer to moral “reformation” as a means to salvation.
6. Freemasonry teaches that salvation may be attained by “good works” and not through faith in Christ alone.
7. Freemasonry advocates in many of its writings the non-biblical teachings of universalism.
8. In some of its lodges, Freemasonry discriminates against non-whites.
(Note: These have been taken from the Report on Freemasonry by the NAMB staff.)
I know that many outstanding Christians and Southern Baptist (some preachers) have been, and are, members of Freemasonry. Many of them don’t even know what the tenets and teachings mean. Many don’t even know that a Freemason doesn’t have to be a Christian. A Muslim or a Hindu can be a Freemason.
I understand that the Freemasons do a lot of charitable work, but we should not publicly recognize them in our churches. To read the NAMB report, go to www.4thruth.com.
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