I am Baptist; and I know that there are Baptist churches that you can't be a member of while also being a Freemason; while other Baptist churches xo ex Dpt Freemasons as members. I am in hopes that there is someone here on the Baptist forums that has that information on the Church of Christ. I apreciate any information.
Insomuch as the Masons basically deny the full authority of the Bible, but make it a "greater text among many", and do not recognize the "Redeemer, long expected," to have come yet, it would be difficult for Freemasons to be members of
any Christ-preaching church. According to Masonic authors Mackey and McClenachan:
"The Bible is properly called a greater light of Masonry, for from the center of the Lodge it pours forth upon the East, the West, and the South its refulgent rays of Divine truth. The Bible is used among Masons as a symbol of the will of God, however it may be expressed. And, therefore,whatever to any people expresses that will may be used as a substitute for the Bible in a Masonic Lodge. Thus, in a Lodge consisting entirely of Jews, the Old Testament alone may be placed upon the altar, and Turkish Masons make use of the Koran. Whether it be the gospels to the Christian, the Pentateuch to the Israelite, the Koran to the Mussulman, or the Vedas to the Brahman, it everywhere Masonically conveys the same idea--that of the symbolism of the Divine Will revealed to man" (Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, Vol. 1, p. 104).
Further, I have found that the Jesus is deliberately omitted from the Masonic doctrinal system. He is not recognized as God incarnate and Savior of the world. For example, the status given to the Lord Jesus Christ by Masonic author Albert Pike:
"And as little do we tell the sincere Christian that Jesus of Nazareth was but a man like us, or His history but the unreal revival of an older legend." (Morals and Dogma, p. 524).
This illustration Pike uses presents the denial of the Deity of the Lord Jesus, places Him on the same status as any man, and calls Him a legend! Pike continues:
"Nor is it within its province to determine how the ultimate triumph of Light and Truth and Good, over Darkness and Error and Evil, is to be achieved; nor whether the Redeemer, looked and longed for by all nations, hath appeared in Judea, or is yet to come." (Morals and Dogma, p. 525).
I ask you, has the Lord Jesus, the Savior and Redeemer, by His death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb, come already? The Bible clearly and authoritatively teaches that He did. But not necessarily, according to Pike or the Masonic Lodges of the world. And these are just a few of the problems the Masonic creeds have in examination of their organization as it relates and attempts to proclaim Christ.
In fairness, many church members are not actually Christians, and many don't know it. But when one comes to church wearing the label "Freemason", he pretty much is at odds with the doctrines of Christianity before he even hears a sermon or tithes in an offering plate.