Monday, 31 October 2011

• Living Hallowed on an Unhallowed Eve

  By David

  In commenting about Halloween, I’ve heard it said, “the Halloween we see most commonly practiced today is a blend of commercialism (25% of all the candy sold annually in the U.S. is purchased for Halloween) and a dance with evil.”

  With “Halloween” here, schools and stores are in full swing with the second largest holiday in the U.S.  Some regions in the U.S. barely even celebrate, while others spare no expense to go all out.

  If you would like to get a solid background and history on this holiday, please visit History.com.

  I agree with their secular accounting on both overarching points:

  • The origins are pagan and the holiday has retained much of its origins to this day.
  • The church merged with this holiday to an adulterating effect.

  AN UNHALLOWED EVE

  How many times did God chasten Israel because she adopted the customs and festivals of her neighbors?  I don’t think you need to be a scholar in Old Testament studies to find more than is necessary to make the point that Israel was always finding herself in trouble because she abandoned her holiness by adopting wicked customs and indulging themselves this way with everyone else around her.

  Today, Halloween is one of these festivals for the church that has had an unholy effect upon the church.

  If you read the history.com account, you’ll recall that Halloween is, essentially “A Hallowed Eve”.

  Does the word “hallowed” mean anything to you?

  “‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. 
  Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”

  Matthew 6:9-10

  The Lord called the name of God Hallowed… it’s a word to mean “greatly revered and respected as holy” (Oxford Dictionary, 2004-2011).

  What do you celebrate when you participate in Halloween?

  • Death
  • Scary movies
  • Monsters
  • Sorcery (witches, etc)
  • Candy…
  • other?

  The pagan origins, more often than not, are what are celebrated.  Few truly do engage in the customs of remembering the saints-past.

  MAGIC V.S. THE GOSPEL

  In a separate post, entitled “Magic & Sorcery” I briefly recalled to our attention God’s view of “magic” and the supernatural: the Lord equated magic with rebellion.  Please take some time to examine that post if you are unsure about how the Christian should feel and relate to “magic” and “sorcery”.  God viewed this so severely that in Old Testament it was a crime punishable by death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27).

  We should be reminded that no one is celebrating the gospel on Halloween.  Aside from a few (rather cheesy) attempts by “culturally relevant” churches to take advantage of the holiday by throwing hay-rides and other things in which the gospel isn’t preached with power, there is little demonstration of the Holy Spirit on this day.

  Halloween uplifts Magic.  But does Magic have any power?  Well, I actually believe there are demonic forces with power over those who are still living in the flesh- a topic I plan on addressing later- however it lacks the power of the gospel.  And what is the power of the gospel?

  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”

  Romans 1:16

  Indulging in your fantasies and “losing” yourself in those dreams may be fun, for a short time, however, they are not the things by which you are sanctified.  They do not bring an knowledge of the Truth.  Neither are they things on which you can stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

  But we are ministers of the gospel of God’s Word: with the power to tear down the strongholds of the enemy!

  If we have been forewarned that sorcery and divination are like that of rebellion to God, then we must guard ourselves, knowing that it was pride at work in Satan that caused him to rebel against God!

  LIVING HALLOWED

  “27Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”– Philippians 1:27

  As brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been redeemed by the gospel of God’s Word, not only for our salvation, but to life (the very opposite of the death that Halloween celebrates).

  What is a fitting way for the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ to behave?

  “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

  Philippians 4:8

  As children of the Light, able to discern, is there anything true in Halloween?  What about honorable?  What is right in the celebration of death?  What is pure about this festival?  Is there anything lovely?  What about the reputation of Halloween?  Is there even anything worthy of praise about the most innocent aspect of Halloween (trick or treating)?

  With so many Christians struggling to live a sanctified life, should we encourage one another to celebrate or abstain from Halloween?

  “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.“

  1st Thessalonians 5:21-22

  Based on these scriptures, should Christians participate in Halloween celebrations and traditions?  Should Christians provide alternatives to the typical Halloween celebrations?

  Image Source

  • 10:20 AM
  • 2142 Views
  • 50 eProps
  • 28 Comments