IF A FREEMASON DIED TODAY?~SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES ARE FILLED WITH FREEMASONS, TURN A BLIND EYE TO UNBIBLICAL WORKS GOSPEL
republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:
If you are a Christian you have probably asked this question to someone at least once in your life:
“If you died today, do you know if God would accept you into Heaven?”
Every Sunday, in churches all across the world, this is a question
that preachers ask as they prepare to give a gospel invitation to their
audience. This same question is asked during the rest of the week as
God’s people go throughout their cities to evangelize lost. Faithful
Christian evangelists communicate the answer to this question clearly
– those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and
Savior will perish in Hell. The correct answer to this question is
easily supported by the Bible:
“Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,
‘Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit
done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be
known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of
Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the
dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. 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 4:8-12
“Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, how
do we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth,
and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had
known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him,
and have seen Him.’” John 14:5-7
“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is
the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found
written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14-15
This question is one of eternal consequence. It is perhaps the most
important question that can be asked. The Christian answer to it is
clear, but how do Freemasons answer this pivotal question? The Masonic
answer to this question is apparent from their official policies and
funeral rights.
When any Master Mason dies, he is entitled to a Masonic burial.
Funeral rites are prescribed by Masonic handbooks and include
readings, responses, and prayers. Clearly, Masonic funeral rites (which
are led by the “Worshipful Master” of an individual lodge) are
religious services. Yet, these services are not particular to any one
religion. A specific religious affiliation is not required to be a
Freemason. According to Cartersville Masonic Lodge 63 F&M[1] an absolute requirement for becoming a mason is to “have belief in a Supreme Being (of any faith. No particular religion or faith is required or excluded. All are welcome.)” The Cartersville lodge claims that “Masonry is universal in its ideals.”
Any Master Mason is entitled to a Masonic funeral and Christian belief is not
required to be a Freemason. Thus, deceased non-Christian Freemasons
can (and do) receive Masonic funeral services. According to God’s word,
non-Christians suffer for an eternity in Hell. Yet, Masonic funeral
rites do not indicate such, in fact, they indicate the opposite.
The funeral ceremony of the Mount Scopus Lodge A.F & A.M. includes the following language:
“My Brethren, the roll of the workmen has been called,
and one Master Mason has not answered to his name. He has laid down the
working tools of the Craft and with them he has left that mortal part
for which he no longer has use. His labors here below have taught him to
divest his heart and conscience of the vices and superfluities of life,
thereby fitting his mind as a living stone for that spiritual building —
that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Strengthened in
his labors here by faith in God, and confident of expectation of
immortality, he has sought admission to the Celestial Lodge above.”
Clearly, there is an expectation that the dead Freemason (whether or
not he accepted the Lord Jesus as his Savior) will reach Heaven, or what
the Freemasons call the “Celestial Lodge” of the “Great Architect of
the Universe”. Akin’s Lodge Manual, which was published by John W. Akin
of Cartersville, GA, includes the following funerary language:
“Most glorious God, Author of all good and Giver of all
mercy pour down thy blessings upon us…may we be induced so to regulate
our conduct here that when the awful moment shall arrive that we are
about to quit this transitory scene, the enlivening prospect of thy
mercy may dispel the gloom of death; and after our departure hence in
peace and in thy favor, may we be received into thine everlasting
kingdom, and there enjoy, in union with the soul of our departed
friends, the just rewards of a pious and virtuous life. Amen!”
From a Christian worldview, this language is profoundly disturbing.
A dead non-Christian has no hope of receiving mercy from God. He has
no hope of being received into God’s kingdom. His Christian friends
will never again unite with him. He is forever under the curse of sin,
destined for Hell. To make matters worse, the language of the funeral
rite implies that getting to Heaven is the result of living a “pious and
virtuous life.” In other words, getting to Heaven is the result of
living a good life and doing good works. Scripture clearly and
absolutely teaches that good works do not and cannot save.
“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, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
The language of the Masonic funeral rite cannot be said or believed
by a Christian in good conscience. It is a lie. It contradicts God’s
word. This lie is more insidious than the Christian friends of Masons
might know. Akin’s manual actually includes alternate funeral language
which is to be read when a Masonic funeral service is held at a church.[2]
The language designed for readings in front of a body of Christians
does not include the language which indicates that works save. Thus,
Christians may be unaware of the unbiblical practices of their fellow
church members who participate in Freemasonry…because they have been
hidden from them.
Freemasons have one answer to the question “If you died today, do you
know if God would accept you into Heaven?” at church and another at
their lodge. They are double-minded men. Scripture teaches
that a “double-minded man is unstable in all his ways, like the surf of
the sea and driven and tossed by the wind.” Unchecked, such men are
dangerous to the health of a church. If there are Freemasons at your
church, scripture makes your duty clear. Members of this secret society
must be dealt with according to biblical standards:
“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of
these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of
disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were
formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children
of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness
and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the
Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but
instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the
things which are done by them in secret.” Ephesians 5:6-12
“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2
As a Christian, it is your moral responsibility to call Freemasons to
reject freemasonry in repentance. If a Freemason refuses, thereby
proving that his loyalty to his lodge is greater than his loyalty to
Christ’s church, then he must be treated according to the prescription
of 1 Corinthians 6:
“I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean
with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and
swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the
world. 11 But
actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if
he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a
drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
This will not be easy…but then again taking up cross and following
Jesus is not supposed to be. The most loving thing to do is call
sinners to repentance. The most Holy thing to do is to remove the
wicked from the body. Like the Israelites who suffered from the secret sin of Achan,
the work of the local church will be hindered by the secret sins of its
Masonic members. The more Freemasons that infiltrate a church, the
greater influence they have. Freemasonry is not harmless. It has
temporal and eternal consequences. It literally teaches a different,
works-based gospel than the faith-based gospel taught in the Bible.
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach
to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be
accursed!” Galatians 1:8
Because church membership is so prevalent among Freemasons, potential
pastors should inform church pulpit committees that they will not
countenance Freemasonry under their shepherding. Church members should
support their pastors and fellow church members who insist on exercising
Biblical fidelity and church discipline in regards to Freemasonry.
After reading this you may be saying to yourself, “There have been
Freemasons in my church for years. They seem like good men. I’ve never
heard any of this before. I didn’t know any of this.”
Well…you know it now. Faithfulness to Christ is paramount.
“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
For an additional, first-hand resource on Masonic funeral rites, see
the video below from Chrisitan Apologist John Ankerberg of Chattanooga,
TN:
*I have resided in Cartersville, Georgia since 1996. I write to
you from the very town where Akin’s manual was written and is practiced.
This is a small town. Pray for me that the Lord will protect me from
any persecution that comes as a result of my taking of this biblical
stand against an influential group. If you need any help with this
issue, please don’t hesitate to contact me. If you are a Freemason, I
adjure you to abandon the craft.
**Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion.
It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed,
any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the
educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material
displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.
[1]
“F&M” refers to “Free and Accepted” masonry. It is the mainstream
form of masonry. Free and Accepted lodges operate under the
jurisdiction of Grand Lodges. Cartersville #63 operates under the
jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Georgia.
[2]
Many pastors do not allow Masonic funeral rites to be held in their
church buildings. Many of these same pastors, however, do not initiate
church discipline on Masons. This action is contradictory. If a Mason
can be a member in good standing, why can he not have a Masonic funeral
in a church?
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SEE ALSO:
https://watch.pair.com/sbc.html
http://jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Freemasonry/famous_baptists.htm
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Freemasonry/sbc-masons.htm
http://www.ericbarger.com/articles/fmasonry-sbc.2.htm
http://www.freemasonrywatch.org/holly.html