Freemasonry is a litmus test

 

The Nature of Litmus Paper

Litmus paper is used as an acid-base indicator in chemical analysis. When litmus paper is placed in an acidic solution, it turns red. When placed in a basic solution, it turns blue. Chemists rely on this reaction to identify acidic or basic solutions. Although litmus paper is used to test for acidity, strong acid can just as well be used to test litmus paper. If a chemist were to place a strip of paper in a strongly acidic solution and it did not turn red, he would KNOW that the strip was not litmus paper. If a person who claimed to be a chemist were to insist that even though the paper did not turn red in strong acid, it is still genuine litmus paper, his judgment would be called into question. It would be apparent that he does not know chemistry. Litmus paper always reacts in a predictable fashion.

The Nature of Christians

Christians are people who have embraced the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. They are followers of Jesus. Christians react to spiritual stimuli in a predictable fashion, just as does litmus paper to chemical stimuli. Jesus said:

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

(John 8:12)

Just as we know that a person who is following Jesus does not walk in darkness, we know that a person who is walking in darkness is not following Jesus. It would be impossible.

The basics of the gospel are fairly simple. Paul put it most succinctly:

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

(1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

In summary, this is the Gospel:

• Jesus willingly died.
• He was buried.
• He was raised from the grave.

All Christians, even mere babes in Christ, have clearly perceived those facts and are conscious of them daily. In order for a person to be a Christian, he must understand the reason for which Jesus died.

Paul explained exactly why Jesus died in the book of Romans:

• All men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

  (3:23)

• The wages of sin are death.

  (6:23)

• There are none righteous, no not one.

  (3:10)

• The righteousness of God is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.

  (3:22)

• For those who believe on Him that justifieth the ungodly, their faith is counted for righteousness.

  (4:5)

• We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

  (3:24)

Christians know that Jesus willingly died, was buried and raised from the grave, so that those who believed in Him would stand as righteous before God on judgment day. Salvation is conditional on righteousness. Righteousness is conditional on faith.

Faith may be tested

Just as acidity may be tested using well know reactions, faith may be tested. James tells us that genuine faith produces a reaction - works. Works, such as feeding the poor, or caring for the sick are examples of fruit which faith produces. They are done without the expectation of reward or recognition. James wrote:

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? . . . Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

(James 2:14, 17)

Although he was involved constantly in good works, Paul revealed that works have no part in our salvation:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

(Ephesians 2:8-9)

The litmus reaction is a valid evidence of acidity, yet it does not have a part in the corrosive effect of acid. In a similar fashion, works done to bring glory to Jesus Christ are a valid evidence of faith, yet they do not have a part in the salvation which results from faith.

Are there other litmus type reactions which can be used to identify those who will inherit salvation? Speaking of sin, Jesus said:

. . . except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

(Luke 13:3)

Christians have faith in the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. That faith produces a continuing series of responses. John tells us that we can use the presence, or absence, of repentance as an indicator of those to whom righteousness has been imputed, as a result of genuine faith:

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

(1 John 3:7-10)

The equations are simple:

    No faith = no salvation

    No reaction = no genuine faith

Repentance and works are the litmus type reactions by which God would have us discern who are and who are not our brothers in Christ. God had John tell us how to discern so that we would not be led astray, but rather would KNOW who is genuine.

Jesus said, in John chapter 10, that His sheep know His voice. He said that they will never follow another. When we see a man who is following another, we know that he is not one of the sheep.

The Nature of Freemasonry

If we look around, we can see men in the midst of our congregations who have met in secret and portrayed Hiram Abiff in Masonic ritual. In ritual - as Hiram, they have willingly died - rather than betray their trust. They have been buried and then raised from the grave. At the conclusion of the ritual, they were told that they should imitate Hiram Abiff so that they can get into heaven, to spend eternity with God. ALL Master Masons are familiar with this ritual. They know that Hiram willingly died, was buried and raised from the grave. They all know the name Hiram Abiff.

The Masonic plan of salvation substitutes Hiram Abiff for Jesus Christ. It replaces faith in Jesus Christ with imitation of Hiram Abiff, as the critical requirement for spending eternity with God. [1. PDF source documents in footnotes]

This is the gospel of Freemasonry:

• Hiram willingly died.
• He was buried.
• He was raised from the grave.

These facts can be verified by examining Masonic ritual or by examining many Masonic monitors - small books which are produced by the Grand Lodges and given to men after they are raised to Master Mason.

Most Masons deny that Masonic ritual teaches salvation. To admit the truth would allow us to immediately know that they were not genuine Christians. They could no longer be pastors, elders, deacons, or Sunday School teachers. Yet Masonic monitors, which are written in plain, non-coded English, explain the meaning of ritual. Many contain the teaching that the meaning of the ritual is that they (Masons) have been redeemed from the death of sin. [2.] Some state that the Master Mason represents a man raised to the faith of salvation. [3.] Beginning in 1946, and continuing through at least five editions, the Kentucky Monitor states that Jesus is a savior for Christians, while Hiram Abiff is a savior for Masons. [4.] That statement alone reveals that Freemasonry is a religion which is opposed to Jesus Christ.

When a Christian who joins the Masonic Lodge is confronted with the facts of the Masonic gospel, he can react in only one way: he must renounce Freemasonry.

Freemasonry is a litmus test for Christians. A Christian reacts in only one way because his nature is such that he will not walk in darkness. He will never follow another; he has chosen to follow Jesus. He must repent. His response is as predictable as the response of litmus to acid.

We should take note of the reaction of anyone who claims to be a spiritual leader, yet claims that a man who does not renounce, when confronted with the acidic nature of Freemasonry, is a Christian nonetheless. We should recognize that it is not the reaction of a genuine spiritual leader.

The Nature of Spiritual Leaders

Hebrews 13:7 tells us that a spiritual leader watches over the souls of the flock as a man who must give account. If he does not warn men of the consequences of participating in the promotion of a false gospel, we KNOW that he is not acting as one who must give account. Spiritual leaders are watchmen on the wall. We know that God will hold them accountable:

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.'

(Ezekiel 33:6)

We need to examine the reactions of those who claim to be spiritual leaders, because we are commanded to obey our spiritual leaders. If we obey those who claim to be spiritual leaders, yet do evil, we will share in their evil deeds. They may claim to be shepherds of the flock, yet we must not follow them. Such false shepherds are not following Jesus any more than the man who claims to be a Christian, yet will not renounce Freemasonry. The pastor who welcomes Freemasons into the congregation, while knowing the truth about Freemasonry will be held accountable. John wrote:

Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.

(2 John 1: 9-11)

Freemasonry is a litmus test for the layman and for the spiritual leader alike. Christians, by their nature can react in only one way. The persistent Mason is not a Christian. Those who maintain that a Christian can remain a Mason are either ignorant of the facts concerning Freemasonry, or they are people who would modify the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They do this by stating that a man need not repent. They claim that a man can remain a Mason and still share in the salvation which was purchased with the blood of Jesus. They are denying the teachings of Jesus. In Luke 13:3, Jesus said that unless we repent, we will die in our sins.

Jesus also said that His sheep will not follow another. If we choose to support and follow a false shepherd, knowing he does not speak the whole council of God (Acts 20:26-31), we are not His sheep. His sheep will not follow another.

You have a choice to make. Will you stand with the Church, and follow legitimate spiritual leaders opposing false plans of salvation and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Or, will you stand with those from the Lodge and defend an organization which teaches a plan of salvation which is based on imitation of Hiram Abiff?

Your response will be determined by your nature. Christians can react in only one way.

• Freemasonry is a litmus test.
• It is not just another sin.
• It is another savior.

Footnotes

[1.] Kentucky Monitor, Grand Lodge of Kentucky, p. 152

Then let us imitate our G. M. H. A. in all his varied perfection. Let us emulate his amiable and virtuous character, his unfeigned piety to God, and his inflexible fidelity to his trust, that, like him, we may welcome the grim tyrant Death, and receive him as a kind messenger sent by our Supreme Grand Master to translate us from this imperfect to that all-perfect, glorious, and celestial Lodge above, where the Great Architect of the Universe presides, forever reigns.

[2.] Indiana Monitor and Freemason’s Guide, Grand Lodge of Indiana, p. 154

By its legend and all its ritual, it is implied that we have been redeemed from the death of sin and the sepulchre of pollution. "The ceremonies and lecture," as a distinguished writer has observed, "beautifully illustrate this all-engrossing subject; and the conclu-sion we arrive at is, that youth, properly directed, leads us to the honorable and virtuous maturity, and that the life of man, regulated by morality, faith, and justice, will be rewarded at its closing hour by the prospect of eternal bliss.

Nevada Masonic Monitor, Third Degree, Grand Lodge of Nevada, p. 3

This is the scope and aim of its ritual. The Master Mason represents man, when youth, man-hood, old age, and life itself have passed away as fleeting shadows. yet raised from the grave of iniquity, and quickened into another and a better existence. By its legend and all its ritual, it is implied that we have been redeemed from the death of sin and the sepulchre of pollution.

Ahiman Rezon, Grand Lodge of South Carolina, p. 141

It was the single object of all the ancient rites and mysteries practiced in the very bosom of pagan darkness. . .to teach the immortality of the Soul. This is still the great design of the third degree of Masonry. This is the scope and aim of its ritual. The Master Mason represents man, when youth, manhood, old age, and life itself have passed away as fleeting shadows, yet raised from the grave of iniquity, and quickened into another and better existence. By its legend and all its ritual, it is implied that we have been redeemed from the death of sin and the sepulchre of pollution. . . .and the conclusion we arrive at is, that youth, properly directed, leads us to honorable and virtuous maturity, and that the life of man, regulated by morality, faith, and justice, will be rewarded at its closing hour by the prospect of eternal bliss. . .  (page 141, 1947 Ed. Ahiman Rezon)

[3.] ibid, p. 141-2

The important design of the degree is to symbolize the great doctrines of the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul; and hence it has been remarked by a learned writer of our Order, that the Master Mason represents a man saved from the grave of iniquity, and raised to the faith of salvation.

[4.] Kentucky Monitor, Thirteenth Edition, pages XIV-XV

All believed in a future life, to be attained by purification and trials; in a state or successive states of reward and punishment; and in a Mediator or Redeemer, by whom the Evil Principle was to be overcome and the Supreme Deity reconciled to His creatures. The belief was general that He was to be born of a virgin and suffer a painful death. The Hindus called him Krishna; the Chinese, Kioun-tse; the Persians, Sosiosch; the Chaldeans, Dhouvanai; the Egyptians, Horus; Plato, Love; the Scandinavians, Balder; the Christians, Jesus; Masons, Hiram. (pages XIV-XV)

 

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