My curiosity was piqued because the reality is that there are many Southern Baptists who are also Freemasons. I wondered how this could be since I have heard that Masonic beliefs contradict with Christianity (read more on this by clicking here).
This bible begins with twenty pictures of King Solomon's temple and discussion of why this is important. This is followed by the image that you see below. This image shows the structure of Freemasonry. It is composed of names such as "White shrine," "Eastern star," "Sublime prince of the royal secret," "Most excellent master," and "Pontiff." There are also all sorts of different knights, princes, and chiefs mentioned.
The most troubling part of this bible comes just after the title page. The troubling section is entitled The Words of a Great Masonic Divine.
After a few paragraphs of positive comments about the bible, this section goes on to say (emphasis mine), "And yet, like everything else in Masonry, the Bible, so rich in symbolism, is itself a symbol -- that is, a part taken from the whole. It is a sovereign symbol of the Book of Faith, the Will of God as man has learned it in the midst of the years -- that perpetual revelation of himself which God is making mankind in every land and every age. Thus, by the very honor which Masonry pays to the Bible, it teaches us to revere every book of faith in which men find help for today and hope for the morrow. Joining hands with the man of Islam as he takes oath on the Koran, and with the Hindu as he makes covenant with God upon the book that he loves best."
The Great Masonic Divine continues, "For Masonry knows, what so many forget, that religions are many, but Religion is one -- perhaps we may say one thing, but that one thing includes everything -- the life of God in the soul of man, and the duty and hope of man which proceed from His essential character. Therefore, it invites to its altar men of all faiths, knowing that, if they use different names for 'the Nameless One of a hundred names,' they are yet praying to the one God and Father of all; knowing, also, that while they read different volumes, they are in fact reading the same vast Book of the Faith of Man as revealed in the struggle and sorrow of the race in its quest of God. So that, great and noble as the Bible is, Masonry sees it as a symbol of that eternal Book of the Will of God."
These direct quotes from this Freemasonry bible leave no doubt that Freemasonry and Christianity do not mix. Why is this? The above wording shows that Freemasonry is a pluralistic religion. Pluralism states that all religions are valid and lead to God in different ways. This is clearly what the above quotes indicate.
Christianity, on the other hand, is an exclusivistic religion. This means that the bible makes very clear claims that Jesus Christ alone is the sole means of salvation. No other religions are valid or lead to God (see here and here). No other religious books are the Word of God.
Since pluralism and exclusivism oppose one another, it is impossible for Freemasonry and Christianity to be reconciled. This has significant implications for churches. There are many folks who want to be both Christians and Masons. However, they can't have it both ways. No one can follow the teachings of both Jesus Christ and Freemasonry.
As oil and water do not mix, neither do Freemasonry and Christianity.
