Eastern Star claims it is founded on the Holy Bible, and is a Christian organisation. They intentionally teach that Freemasonry and Christianity are compatible. The five degrees are said to be named after Biblical women, but documentary evidence shows that the self confessed founder, Rob Morris, originally chose the names of Greek goddesses, with them later changed to align more with the Bible. The fifth degree is called ‘Electa’, originally named ‘Arame’ after the Greek goddess. Electa, Eastern star teaches, is the elect lady of 2 John 1. However, she is not named in the Bible. Electa is a Masonic tradition.

2 John 1 "the elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth."

According to Eastern Star Electa was originally a pagan who worshipped idols; she converted to Christianity and despite possible persecution herself, opened up her home to persecuted Christians, and shared her wealth. When she was threatened with death for confessing Christianity, her and her family were protected for many years by Masonic friends. It is claimed by an old Eastern Star ritual book that Electa was a friend of St John (the Apostle) and the wife of Gaius, a Past Grand Master of Masons. It is claimed that on his death, another Christian was chosen as Grand Master.

Eastern Star claims that the apostle John was a Patron Saint of Masonry, a pillar of the early Church, and the man who succeeded Electa’s husband as Grand Master of Freemasonry. They declare that early Christians owed much to Masonry, for their principles united them together, and protected them from enemies.

This is far from the truth. The spirit of Masonry was behind much persecution and martyrdom in the early Church.

St John is said to have named the degree after Electa in order to keep her memory alive.

It is a deliberate act on the part of Freemasonry to teach that Masonry and Christianity are compatible. They have to some extent succeeded in the public eye, not least the church. Despite the exposure of Freemasonry by Church men such as Charles Finney in late 19th century America, there is a rich heritage of Freemasonry within the established churches of both UK and America and beyond.

The Elect Lady of 2 John

The apostle John (the writer of the gospel bearing his name, the three letters of John and the book of Revelation) had ministered to the Churches in Asia Minor (present day Turkey) which are named in the first three chapters of the book of Revelation. In the gospel of John, the apostle calls himself ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. Here in 2 John he calls himself ‘the elder’. This term may have been an affectionate name by which he was known to his ‘parishioners’, or it could be the identity of an apostle or original witness to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The letter is addressed to ‘the elect (or chosen) lady’. There is no direct evidence that the Greek word ‘eklekte’, translated ‘elect’ or ‘chosen’ was a personal name. It could be a personification of a Church, in the same way that the Church is referred to as the ‘Bride of Christ’. Grammatical evidence suggests that the message is directed to a community of believers. These could well be the ‘children’ referred to in verse 1. As an old man, the apostle John frequently addressed the congregations as ‘’my little children (see 1 John 2.1). As an older man, John repeatedly spoke of the love of God, stressing love as the foundation for Christian life. Indeed Jesus Christ himself warned the Church at Ephesus to resume their love – for God, for fellow believers and for the lost. This is followed with a dire warning of the Church being closed down if the fullness of love in their midst was not resumed. It is not, therefore, unreasonable to make the assumption that John in these letters is using endearing terms of affection to his audience. However, John was well aware that not all professing Christians have cultivated a character in tune with God’s desire for them.

"Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the son." 2 John 9

This verse strongly suggests that one time believers can wander from the truth, being seduced by heresy or doctrines of demons. Today we see evidence of believers with a strong message for the Church overstepping the mark of common sense and sound Biblical doctrine. It is one of the enemy’s tactics – if he can not silence us, he will try and make us go ‘over the top’ and hence loose both respect and impact for our message.

If we go beyond the truth of the Bible, we have in effect left God behind. We are then functioning without God and the Holy Spirit’s direction. We will then have effectively lost our relationship with God.

John warns us about false teachers amongst us declaring heresy. "Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist!" 2 John 7

We could not have a clearer warning than this! It is nothing new to us in England – we are familiar with apostate church leaders giving Christianity a bad name in the public eye, and mocking the truth of Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection.

But by no means is this letter all negative - "I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father" 2 John 4. If we love God we will show it by obeying his commandments (1 John 2.3-5). The greatest commandment is to love one another. "And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments" 2 John 6. All else pales into insignificance without love (1 Cor 13) and becomes a work of the flesh, devoid of the full power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus in Revelation 2. 4 warns the Church not to abandon, or turn away from their first love. This is a threefold love – of God, of each other and for the lost. This is not just an emotional love, but a love that is outworked from our hearts in obedience to God. It is a heartfelt expression of the love we have received from our Father God, which then springs out of us to effect others. This love of God for believers is found throughout the writings of John. Of all the writers, he perhaps had the greatest revelation of love. If you need this touch of God in your life, read his first letter, then pray to receive from God for yourself.

If you have been taught stories or moral lectures that are not actually found in the Bible, please question the source of them very carefully, and ask God to give you a personal revelation of the truth of His Word. You may contact us if it will help you.