Are Freemason beliefs compatible with the Bible?

Freemasonry is the teachings and practices of an order known as Masons or Freemasons. They are a secret society for men, with an estimated 6 million members world-wide. Masons are involved in a lot of charitable causes and they claim not to be a religion, but rather “a way of life for men to apply Masonic principles to their daily activities, both personal and professional. By so doing, men work to become the best they can be for themselves, their families, and their communities.” (https://www.freemason.com/general-faq/how-does-freemasonry-work/,accessed on 06-01-2025)

But, what are these Masonic principles, and are they compatible with the Bible?

1.Masons believe in a supreme being referred to as the “Great Architect of the Universe” (GAOTU) and members are encouraged to “think of the Supreme Being according to his own beliefs and convictions.” (https://www.freemason.com/general-faq/masonic-god/,accessed on 06-01-2025).
Is this compatible with the Bible? NO. Within the Biblical framework, there is no place for accepting the god of the Koran or the god(s) of Hinduism as equally valid to the God of the Bible. The first commandment says, “I am the Lord your God … You shall have no other gods before me.” (Ex. 20:2-3). In Isaiah 46:9, the Lord says, “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” The “gods” of other religions are idols and demonic entities, according to 1 Corinthians 10:19-20.

2.Masons believe in a multiplicity of sacred religious documents that are equally valid. For Masons, the Bible is one of seven sacred volumes, among others, including The Gita (for Hindus), and The Granth Sahib (for Sikhs), and The Koran (for Muslims). (https://grandlodgeofiowa.org/docs/Freemasonry_Religion/VolumeofSacredLaworiginal.pdf, accessed 06-01-2025)
Is this compatible with the Bible? NO. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that it is only the holy Scriptures that are “God-breathed and … useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” All other religious books are the words of man, but the Bible alone is the words of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13). If you really think about it, on a logical level, all sacred books cannot be equally valid as they say very different things about God. For example, the Koran says Jesus is a mere man. The Bible says that Jesus is God. The Hindu Gita says there are many gods. The Bible says there is one God. Clearly, every religious book cannot be correct, as they are teaching very different things.

3.Masons believe that man is not sinful, but rather in need of self-improvement. As one prominent mason wrote, every Mason is on a quest to achieve a “state of perfection at which we hope to obtain, by a virtuous education, our own endeavors and the blessing of God” (Deputy Grand Master R. W. Donald Gardner Hicks, Jr, Proceedings, pp. 2004–94).
Is this compatible with the Bible? NO. The Bible tells us we are sinners. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Furthermore, 1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Due to our inherent sinful nature combined with our own sinful actions, we need salvation that comes not from within ourselves (striving for self-improvement) but from an outside Savior, Jesus. This salvation cannot be obtained by our own works. It is the gift from God, received by faith, according to Ephesians 2:8-9.

4.Masons believe Jesus is equal to the prophets of other religions. A group of ex-Masons describe how in Masonry, Jesus is equated to the prophets of other pagan religions: “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” (http://www.emfj.org/salvat.htm, accessed 06-01-2025)
Is this compatible with the Bible? NO. The Bible declares that Jesus isn’t the same person as Krishna or Hiram or Horus. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary, 2000 years ago. Therefore, Jesus is God in human flesh (John 1:1-3), not merely a man. As Thomas rightly confessed to Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

As you can see, Masonry contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture on numerous important issues. issues. As a result, a Christian should not be a member of the Freemasons, nor should they be a member of any organization that has any connection with Freemasonry.

For more helpful resources on this topic, go to ex-masons for Jesus (http://www.emfj.org/)