Should Christians Belong to Secret Societies?

Summary

Summary prepared by Acts 2:38 Life from the transcript below — the preacher’s words follow in full.

The statement in the Articles of faith, and the question behind it

• The question comes from the Articles of faith, under a heading on secret societies: it holds that the people of God should have no connection whatever with secret societies, or any other organization or body wherein there is Fellowship with unbelievers, bound by an oath — and it adds, as scriptural evidence, the James passage and the 2 Corinthians passage. The question: why did the founders feel this needed to be included — why did they believe a believer shouldn't be part of secret societies, and what's the rationale behind it? He takes it up: perhaps that was more urgent in their day than we think of today, but it is an important teaching — so let's look at the scripture.

The oath teaching: James, echoing the Sermon on the Mount

• What the referenced passage in James talks about is: don't swear by an oath, don't take an oath (we may have had another episode about that). Basically, the scriptural teaching there in James — which actually echoes Christ's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, in the fifth and sixth chapters of Matthew's gospel — is that we should just be simply known as people who tell the truth. We should not take a special oath to try to prove that this statement we will stand by, even though by implication we're probably not going to stand by other statements. We shouldn't do that.

Scriptures: James 5:12; Matthew 5; Matthew 6

The passage read aloud: do not be unequally yoked

• And then 2 Corinthians 6 — let me read in the New King James, starting with verse 14: 'Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers' (the word is heard throughout as 'yolked'). 'For what Fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with belel'? 'Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?' So this is a very strong teaching.

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

Where the teaching applies — and where it doesn't

• Now, we often apply this to marriage, which he thinks is a valid application, because that's the closest association two humans could have. You might wonder: what about business partnerships? Well, most business partnerships are limited, and for certain purposes, so he doesn't think that necessarily comes into play. But there are certain organizations, in ancient times and in modern times — usually these are semi-religious, if not religious or mystical — where people take a secret oath: they agree to support one another, or support their order; they agree to certain doctrines; they agree to keep certain things secret. Something like the Masons might come to mind, or similar groups like that. Now, if something is just a social group, or a charitable group, or a business group, then he doesn't really think that applies. But if it's a group where Believers and unbelievers are bound with a secret oath — to support one another, to believe certain things, and not to disclose that to the outside — well, then that means this believer is putting this association above the church, where the church should be our highest association.

Why the founders wrote it: a conflict of loyalty

• They're binding themselves probably in support of doctrines which are false, or contrary to God's word. They're pledging support to unbelievers, which they have no guarantee that those unbelievers will not commit sinful things, or things contrary to God's word — and they're bound to participate, or to support that. And then, being secret, they're not subject to the church, or Believers, being able to examine the content of this. So yes: he thinks being bound in a secret society by an oath would be contrary to these passages of scripture. And he thinks the reason this statement is in the Articles of faith is that this would undermine the unity of the church — or would put something where you are supposed to give a higher loyalty to some other group than to the church, or to the teachings of the Bible. That can lead into actual false doctrine, or actual sinful activities — or at least the potential is there — and there's a conflict of loyalty between this group and the church. So we should not participate in any kind of group that would have that degree of loyalty, or secrecy, or commitment to an unbeliever. We do have to take it seriously: do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

Scripture index: James 5:12; Matthew 5; Matthew 6; 2 Corinthians 6:14-16.