Question and Answer Program No. 85

Masonry perpetuates the worship of what they call the great architect of the universe that really mean anything. They recognize a supreme being that frankly you could have someone from Taylor's Islam and Hinduism Mormonism Roman Catholicism and Baptist demonstrate involved as Freemasons, believing that it fits their particular religion. So different religions knowledge this great architect hello and welcome to wisdom from the heart. The clip that you just heard was a portion of Stephen's answer to a question that he received from today is the first Friday of the month and the first and third Friday of each month is a day that we set aside to answer some questions that have come in from you are listening audience.

The number that you can call if you have a Bible question for Stephen is 910-808-9384 and you can use that number any time to ask your question were ready to get started. So here's our first question of the day care on what he thinks about the Freemasonry Bible have to say about their teaching is a lot of information out about Freemasonry that seems to be incompatible with Christianity, but I would just like to hear what Dr. Beatty has to say and also how that would affect any people that are part Freemasonry and church leadership. Thank you and we really enjoy your show Carol thank you so much for calling in with your question Stephen.

I've heard of Freemasonry, but I don't know that much about it some kind of what Carol I think sure. Well, we won't take the time to discuss. You know everything about what they believe. In fact, the difficulty with determining masonry or Freemasonry is it so broad and so wide and so many people think so many different things all under the same umbrella. So let's just talk about what we know. I don't know but you friends, but you may know, Masons. I certainly have none. Some of the past a new one. Mason was very high up. In fact, he served as the chaplain of his particular region or group mesh with the particular word was for it, and over time left it primarily because of the incompatibility of Freemasonry with the gospel and with Scripture, it is troubling certainly to me on a number of fronts, masonry perpetuates the worship of what they call the great architect of the universe that I can really mean anything.

They recognize a supreme being, but frankly, you can have someone from tail wisdom, Islam, Hinduism, Mormonism, Roman Catholicism and into the Baptist demonstrate involved as Freemasons, believing that it fits their particular religion. So different religions all acknowledge this great architect of the universe and they would simply say they call God by different names, well frankly that isn't true. The Scripture we know that the embodiment of the true and living God is Jesus Christ. God incarnate. He has a name, it isn't law, it is Elohim and his son Jesus.

Christ, the Messiah, it bothers me that while we as Christians view the Bible clearly as the authoritative word of God for Masons. The Bible just one of many books.

In fact, there a lot of different kinds of sacred scriptures out there.

I have copies of these books in my library but they're not sacred inspired Scripture. I have a copy of the Corrado I got a copy of the Bengali Gita and I have a copy of the book of Mormon and other books. These are not equally inspired books, only the Bible comes from God is the breath of God.

The others are spurious and they preach and teach another gospel. We believe as Christians that were born again by faith in Christ alone. Masonry teaches like any other false religious system that you can earn your salvation by good works, by the way were not have open or or secret beliefs were not to do things in secret and in masonry.

There are lots of various levels of of secrecy and you know should go up one level after another year you progress and you find out more and more I can take you back to the early centuries. The second third fourth century with Gnosticism and Gnosticism was a false religion that gave you special knowledge as one of the special initiates and as you moved on to higher levels. He got more and more truth.

Well, actually it was more and more deception. It was more and more untruths. It wasn't Christianity. And so I get that to our friends a question Scott. You cannot Mason be a Christian can Mason be a member of the evangelical church are less turnaround.

Can someone be a member of an evangelical church and be a Mason well I would say that they got to be really bad Mason and not believe most of the things are being taught or like my friend from years ago you going to be a Mason only temporarily until they recognize and admit it is a different gospel, and it is not Scripture and their worshiping a different God from the Bible and my Bible tells me as Paul wrote to the Galatians that if anybody comes to you teaching a different gospel, even if it's an angel from heaven if they're preaching a gospel other than the one we preached to you. Let them be accursed. That is, let them be under the curse of God.

Why because are false teachers. So for those of you that are in masonry. Take a good hard look. Don't close your eyes evaluated according to Scripture and then my recommendation would be to get out to leave it and my recommendation to pastors would be to simply hold of the truth of Scripture and evaluate any religious system against the truth of Scripture. Now, Mason was they were not a religion.

Well then why do so many things related to religion. Why do you have these statements what you have these rituals.

Why do you have baptism when you beliefs. What you have. Chaplain sounds very religious to me and it is in my view, a false religion. You think Stephen as I was listening to your answer to Carol. It struck me.

People are involved in all sorts of clubs and organizations, but it sounds like what's troubling about Freemasonry is that the trying to bring these religious aspects into their organization and it ends up being a polluted form of of religion and that's what makes it dangerous compared to another club or an organization that steers clear of religion as a whole absolutely.

If you want to become a member of a club that plays golf, go play golf player like I do in the woods usually events don't join an organization that has all of these nods toward religion and God redefining him contrary to the definitions of Scripture stay clear of such organizations also point out Carol before we move on the things that Stephen has said, I can't necessarily think of an example, but any other organization besides Freemasonry that does the same thing the same warnings would apply.

Carol, thank you so much for calling in with your questions. We were glad to hear from you. The number that Carol used to reach us is 910-808-9384. It's a number that we've set up for you to call in with your question regarding the Bible or the Christian faith.

Anything that you'd like Stephen to answer on a future broadcast. We don't answer that number it's only set up for you to call in with your question.

If you would like to speak with us or if we can help you in any way please call our office number but once again the Bible? I'm is 910-808-9384 we were happy to receive this question from John John and Hong Kong are not aligned on the question I have is in Deuteronomy chapter 8 is a stop in about eight and about and my question great years that prophecy about Jesus Christ. Stories about nonprofit that was there a soil or another profit that you will comment at the time, so please answer me that question. Thank you so very much. Thank you John for calling in with your question.

We were glad to hear from you Stephen. John is correct in that Deuteronomy 18 starting in verse 15 Moses does refer to a prophet who will come in Stephen whose Moses, referring to what I think we have an immediate application of the text and we have a broader application. As believers we can certainly look at Old Testament texts like these and see the Lord in them and I think there's truth in LME refer that in a moment the immediate application and understanding of the text is simply the guidelines for identifying a true prophet. How do you know a prophet is going to show up in Israel is really speaking for God and that's what he's doing.

So you have differences in verse 20 probably speaks a word presumptuously in my name was I not commanded him to speak. That prophet shall die so happy to take care of false prophets in Israel well is a short lifespan unless you say it that way. In fact, later on in that same paragraph he says what is prophet speaks in the name of the Lord. If the thing does not come about or come true. That is the thing which the Lord is not spoken in the prophet is spoken presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him like we know from the Old Testament. One of the early tests of genuine prophets was they were supposed to give a prophecy of something that was supposed to happen in a ready waiter and see what happened and if it didn't happen. They gathered stones and they killed him. The executed judgment from God on the false prophet.

God had little patience with false prophets. If you go back into this text John and you look at the earlier paragraph he is forbidding any number of different things so that the people don't imitate unbelieving nations.

Everything from witchcraft, sorcery, interpreting omens, casting spells, medium spiritists, those who call up or speak to the dead and then he gets in the prophets he's dealing with all of these potentially misleading individuals who will say they are speaking for God or genuine spirituality, but you're going to lead the people astray. So that's the immediate context, he simply giving the principles of what's truth stay in the word and if a man says he speaking for God.

If it doesn't come true he isn't and you execute another broader application that I mentioned earlier is yes. What greater profit is there. In fact, he is the final prophet, the writer of Hebrews said that God spoke in the past in many different ways and means, but in these last days he has spoken unto us by or through his son were not looking for another profit to show up after Jesus were simply following the words of Jesus, the true prophet. So yes, you can build back into this chapter. In Deuteronomy the truth of Christ. I'll give you one illustration that will leave this question, but the resurrected Lord of the gospel by Luke in chapter 24 in verse 27 he remembers talking to these two discouraged disciples along we call the road to Emmaus and the Lord says.

In fact, Luke says of the Lord and beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself, but you love that. So Jesus can go back to Deuteronomy 18 and he can say guess what, I'm the fulfillment ultimately of the true prophet of God. He's our great high priest. He's our great profit and of course our king in these passages in the Old Testament ultimately do in a broader application .2 him yet. Thank you Steven and thank you again John for calling in with your question.

We were glad to hear from you Stephen. We received this question from a listener in Georgia all night to a parent you know like when you know Barnett Payton argues in his life mentally as well as physically. He said it is okay will not dare to see the pastor we dared that you don't look at what God really give me the script is owned and noticing tempting about pastors jogging.

Thank you, Stephen. There's a lot of nuances to this question since this pastor who is apparently teaching God's word but his lifestyle does not match what he teaches and she needs help is an excellent question. Thank you for asking it and is not a new problem. By the way. In fact, there was a problem going all the way back to the first century church. We know that because the apostle Paul, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, said that there's more to administer than his message. There's more to a pastor that is preaching. There has to be something about his life that coincides with the qualifications that God delivers so that when the word is preached, it is not discredited by an unrepentant lifestyle. So let me cut to back up a little bit and just encourage you that it's a it's an old problem. So what you're facing in your church. Don't think you're the only church or the you're here the only Christian to have struggled with this issue and I can tell you as a pastor, teacher, elder of this is Scott accosted the desk from me.

Here is an elder in our church pastor in our church who we we never go to sleep without this thought in our minds and hearts into heavy heavy burden. This mantle of being a shepherd and what it requires of us, not just in our preaching in our teaching, but our personal lives.

So let's go to what the Bible says about the subject. If you go to Titus chapter 101st Timothy chapter 3 you find the same list basically of 23 standards.

So slick of what Paul says to Titus. In chapter 1 he says of the legato verse seven for the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward of that right there leads all of us were in the ministries they will I need to quit now. Well understand if you're a pastor and I'm sure you do understand that the word above reproach isn't referring to perfection is referring to a pattern.

This is the pattern of a man's life. A pastor like any other Christian is is a fallen sinner and sinners sin. But here's the key difference. The elder the pastor while not having attained the godly perfection and no Christian will. He is committed to demonstrating a godly pattern in his life. No pastor can lay claim to a flawless perfection, but he can demonstrate faithful progression and he needs to model it to the church family.

So what does Paul mean when he says above reproach. It means he is pursuing a pattern of faithful biblical godly living as a relates to his marriage, his children, his character is lifestyle and by the way, why should he be pursuing this pattern because his life is a pattern for everybody.

Following him. Leadership is influence the pastor. It is an endorsement of activity in the lifestyle the very nature of leadership invites a imitation effect. Paul said that to the believers in Philippi and flipping 317 brethren join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.

So because of the very nature of leadership that invites invitation you have to make sure the pastors are living lives worth imitating. So if I can summarize it. What he does publicly is qualified by how he lives privately when I got to say like the average politician today.

What I do in private and matter in obsolete good leader. Well that doesn't fit the biblical pattern of an elder may work in the corporate world and I only really works there either.

By the way, but it certainly isn't a work in the church so those who are leading the body, the bride of Christ.

They lead not by perfection but by progression, a pattern above reproach literally could be translated without a handle that means there is anything about your life that can become a handle where someone could grab you and say you are clearly in sin here and by the way for the congregation. Paul gives a pretty stern warning in his letter to Timothy. He says that an elder shouldn't be accused without two or three witnesses. So make sure before you accuse an elder of something that is indeed true.

These are highly impactful. These are highly explosive issues and Scott and she's asking should be listening to him. While I cannot think of what an older believer told me one time and that is a God gives a crooked stick to draw a straight line. Well there is truth to that, and I know that in me. There is no good thing only the spirit of God through me can preach a message and back it up with a lifestyle but I can't use that to say him to live a crooked life and God's gonna draw a straight line because of teaching the Scripture according to the New Testament, we need straight lives drawing straight lines in any man is failing or refusing to repent of open and known sin isn't worth following. And he certainly isn't worth listening to. Thank you Steven for that practical advice from God's word and thank you also to our listeners a really difficult situation that she finds herself and were glad that you were calling for help friends. I want to let you know that Stephen has preached a series on this topic that I think you might find helpful.

If you go to our website which you'll find@wisdomonline.org. Stephen has a series that he preached from Titus chapter 1 verses five through 16 called the shepherds mantle. The most relevant message to the topic were discussing today is the second lesson in that series called raising the bar from Titus 16, but that entire series.

The shepherds mantle will help you once you get to that website, you will be able to download a printed transcript of each of those messages, you can listen to those messages absolutely free right from that website or if you prefer, we can send you CDs of that series.

All of that will be found@wisdomonline.org and search for the shepherds mantle before we move on to another question.

Let me give you the phone number that you can use if you have a Bible question for Stephen just dialed 910-808-9384.

You can call that number any time if you're listening to a message and you want clarification you're in a Bible study and you have a question or just your reading God's word for yourself and you come across something that you don't understand any time night or day, you can dial 910-808-9384 and ask your question, which is exactly what this listener did tell her every morning on our EE. What is your interpretation of Scripture and ventilation Quail therapeutic rate wondering why my credit with the current date and upon her head a crown of $12. According to this year.

September 23.

This particular Scripture will Bakersfield after the year beguiling written. I had no way of knowing that one day we would have the technology to get the car. I was just wondering what your interpretation of the year on the liner and the Scripture on the 23rd and keep up the good work. Kindly show you for calling you with your question. And Stephen, I'll throw it right over to you. Can we interpret Revelation 12 and terms of planet alignment. Well, I mean obviously there will be alignment in the latter things are going to be taking place through the book of Revelation, but as it relates to NASA's prediction that somehow you have some kind of alignment September maybe this is Revelation chapter 12. The gray probably got without his his leg was happening around chapter 12 if what happens in chapter 12 is this alignment that's Gonna Take Pl. in September a lot of things going to have to happen before then because as I'm looking at the book of Revelation in understanding and taking his progression sequentially. Things are happening. You've got all of these trumpet judgments that are going to take place first.

So these angels blowing on these trumpets which indicate great judgment.

They better start playing the trumpets because the first one to get a sounders and we hail and fire mixed with blood. That's chapter 8, 1/3 of the earth is going to be burned up, 1/3 of the trees are to be burned up and all the green grass burned up. That's just the first trumpet okay I will think that's happened yet. Better happen soon. This is August 2 angel sounds like a great mountain burning with fire thrown into the sea. 1/3 of the sea becomes blood clot with the these are and I'm just reading here the pages but I will try these are things that are going to happen prior to what happens in chapter 12 so of what happens in chapter 12 is something NASA predicted that's Gonna Take Pl. in September. We have other issues going so what is happening here. Who is this woman in my research I came across a number of different opinions. One is the Mary Baker Eddy believe she was the woman herself and the child that she bore the John talks about in Revelation chapter 12. The woman gave birth to a child. She thought that was her and the child was the Christian science movement and the came about in 1879 will unfortunately tragically, Mary Baker Eddy now knows that she was not this woman of the Catholic Church believes it's Mary, and of course in their deification of Mary to equal status with Christ as they would hold this to be hers. The queen of heaven. The trouble is in this text it's talking about a woman already crowned, and yet still pregnant with this child so that doesn't fit very well. Third view holds that the woman represents God himself, but that's can be difficult because you have God delivering God and having to run from the Dragon out of the gods can run from the Dragon course you have the view. The church is the woman, the bride of Christ, and certainly the church is referred to as a woman as the bride but the church did not give birth to Christ. Christ gave birth to the church and I think that I'm sort of tipping my hand here are day. I think the view that fits the context of the chapter as well as the rest of Scripture is that the woman represents Israel this is so because Christ is born is the seed of Israel.

He's Jewish of Jewish kin.

The prophet Isaiah, and the prophet Jeremiah both use the language of Israel being a woman in labor.

We also know that Israel is under the heel of Rome. When Christ is born you have the added persecution by Satan to wipe out the Christ child. Just review the Christmas story as we call it in the anguish of Israel as Herod has all the Jewish boys under the age of two killed the symbolic appearance of the woman is tied to Israel. You have the sun and the moon and the 12 stars in Genesis 37 Israel was clothed with the sun, the moon, referring to Rachel's Jacobs wife and the mother of Joseph, the 12 stars, which perfectly represent the 12 tribes of Israel and of course from them comes the birth of the Messiah. So in short, the woman is Israel. Christ is the seed of the woman and the battle is between the seat of Christ, and the seed of Satan Stephen we need to wrap up our time, but also like to just point out that any time we tie date to future prophecy.

That's always a dangerous thing to do before we go. I do want to give you our office number we can help you in any way. We would love to hear from you today and you can call us at 86 648-866-4842 love Stephen thank you Charlotte for calling friends. This takes a right up to the join us on his