Is It Biblical to Teach That All Men,
      Including Christians, Live in Darkness?

      The Masonic Lodge teaches that all men including Christians live in spiritual darkness until they enter and become members of the Lodge. Is this biblical?

      The Masonic Lodge teaches the nonbiblical view stated above in the first three degrees of the Blue Lodge, especially in the Entered Apprentice degree where the candidate is told he will now be brought out of darkness and into the light. This teaching can also be seen from the fact that light is the first and most important symbol in Masonry [1]. For the Mason, light symbolizes the seeking of truth. It is the goal of Masonic Ritual to bring the ignorant or unenlightened candidate to "Masonic Light" [2]. Only Masonry brings light to the candidate, therefore only the Mason knows the truth [3]. This means all non-Masons exist in spiritual darkness.

      Proof that Masonry teaches this concept can be found by examining the Ritual of the first degree of Masonry. In the first degree, each candidate is instructed, "You have long been in darkness, and new seek to be brought back to light." In the Ritual, when the candidate stands at the anteroom door, he knocks three times. On the other side of the door, the Junior Deacon also knocks three times and opens the door. He then says, "Who goes there?" The answer given by his conductor (the Senior Steward) is given in the Ritual itself:

      "Mr. [Peter Smith], who has long been in darkness, and now seeks to be brought to light, and to receive a part in the rights and benefits of this Worshipful Lodge, erected to God ..." [4]

      During our telecast, former Worshipful Master Jack Harris quoted Albert Mackey, who held the highest positions Masonry has to offer. Mackey was a thirty-third degree Mason and Secretary General of the Supreme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree Scottish Rite, a position he held for a great many years. In his book, "The Manual of the Lodge, Mackey describes the candidate who seeks to enter the Masonic Lodge:

      "There he stands without [outside] our portals, on the threshold of his new Masonic life, in darkness, helplessness and ignorance. Having been wandering amid the errors and covered over with the pollutions of the outer and profane world, he comes inquiringly to our door, seeking the new birth, and asking a withdrawal of the veil which conceals divine truth from his uninitiated sight" [5]

      But how can any Christian take the first degree of Masonry and say that he has "long been in darkness, and now seeks to be brought to light"? Is it really true that Christians are still in darkness and the only way they can enter the light is to join the Masonic Lodge? When you became a Christian, weren't you rescued out of darkness? Let's look at what the Bible says.

      Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness" )(John 12:46 NIV emphasis added}. He also said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12 NIV). Here Jesus teaches that He is the Light. He teaches that believing in Him removes spiritual darkness; He does not teach that any ritual Masonic or other, removes darkness.

      Colossians 1:12-14 (NIV) says, "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (emphasis added).

      Another example is Ephesians 5:8, where the Apostle Paul writes, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as Children of light (for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret" (Ephesians 5:8-12 NIV, emphasis added).

      Jesus and the Bible plainly teach that any person who believes in Him is no longer in darkness. If you are a Christian, how could you enter the Masonic Lodge and swear that you are still in darkness and seeking light? In the first degree of Masonry, didn't you say that which is directly contrary to what your Lord and the Scriptures teach?

      In Henry Wilson Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia he writes, "Light is everywhere the symbol of intelligence, information, knowledge, and truth and is opposed to darkness which symbolizes ignorance and evil. So, in the ceremonies, the candidate is said to be brought from darkness to light" [6].

      But if Coil is right, then no Christian should take the vows of the Lodge, confessing that he does not have the truth and is living in spiritual ignorance and evil. The Scriptures clearly state that Christians "are not in darkness" and are "all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness" (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 NIV, emphasis added).

      How can a Christian participate in rituals and promote another religion that denies and opposes the teachings of Christ? Jesus Himself asks, "And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46).

      [1] Albert G. Mackey. The Symbolism of Freemasonry: Illustrating and Explaining Its Science and Philosophy, Its Legends, Myths, and Symbols. Chicago, IL: Charles T. Powner Co., 1875, pp. 148, 158

      [2] Allen E. Roberts. The Craft and Its Symbols: Opening the Door to Masonic Symbolism. Richmond, VA: Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply, 1974, pp. 21.

      [3] Albert G. Mackey. The Symbolism of Freemasonry: Illustrating and Explaining Its Science and Philosophy, Its Legends, Myths, and Symbols. Chicago, IL: Charles T. Powner Co., 1875, pp. 148, 158

      [4] Malcom C. Duncan. Masonic Ritual and Monitor. New York: David Mckay Co., nd. pp. 29.

      [5] Albert Mackey. The Manual of the Lodge. New York: Clark Maynard, 1870, pp. 20.

      [6] Henry Wilson Coil. Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia. New York: Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply, 1961, pp. 375

      Material taken from: The Facts on The Masonic Lodge -- Does Masonry Conflict With the Christian Faith? by John Ankerberg & John Weldon, pp. 23-26.
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