halloween

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Should I Celebrate Halloween?
By Joseph Prescia

When there is a question that needs to be answered we don’t elevate our personal opinion as the ultimate authority, but rather we go to the Word of God to see what Scripture says about our question. Then we line up with God’s way. The Scriptures do not explicitly speak of Halloween by name. How can we then be so sure about determining right from wrong? We know a person’s actions and their motives are covered in Scripture. There are principles throughout the Word of God that are very clear to help us determine what is good and what is evil.

Romans 14:5-6 (KJV)
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

In the New Testament we are instructed to not honor certain days above others like Israel did in the Old Testament under the Law. If we decide to, it says here in Romans that we are to be "fully persuaded" (verse5) regarding that day and to observe it to the Lord (verse 6). Being "fully persuaded" means to be conscientiously convinced one way or the other, "Do I honor this day to God or do I not honor it to God?" While this verse indicates a freewill decision, if one honors the day at all it must be to God.

There are several pagan holidays throughout the year that have merged with Christianity to satisfy the greatest number of people’s hunger for tradition. We know that Easter is based upon the fertility goddess Astarte [also known as Eostre, Eastre, Ishtar, Ostarun or Ostera] from which we get the name Easter. That is where the fertile little bunny rabbit came into play for this holiday, as well as other pagan traditions. However we can find godly things to remember during this time of the year like the resurrection of our lord and savior Jesus Christ. We can regard this as a special day unto God in our hearts being fully persuaded of the good. He reminds us that He looks on the heart [I Samuel 16:7]. The word "Christmas" also came from pagan traditions. Its traditions go back to the worshipping of sun gods like Saturnalia, yet we can still remember the birth of Jesus Christ on this day. We can look for the godly good [I Thessalonians 5:21]. There are several holidays throughout the year just like these.

On the other hand when we get to Halloween we cannot find any godly moral basis in Scripture to elevate that day to the true God. We can find plenty to elevate Satan, through witchcraft, ghosts (or more accurately devil spirits), scaring people half to death, tricking them and deceiving them; none of which are godly characteristics.

Romans 14:19 (KJV)
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

We can edify people by telling them the truth, comforting them, and encouraging them in godly principles from the Word of God. Halloween takes something that’s devilish and tries to make it fun. After all, “it’s for the children.”

John 8:32 (KJV)
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 17:17 (KJV)
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

We are encouraged to do the right thing. God’s Word tells us what is right. So the basis for all decisions needs to come from the Holy Scriptures. Any other source then is of the world. At times one can find accurate information regarding history from the world. Take for instance the following from Microsoft Encarta Reference Library:

“The most important…holiday to influence later Halloween customs was Samhain, a holiday observed by ancient Celts, a tribal people who inhabited most of Western and Central Europe in the first millennium BC. Samhain began at sundown on October 31 and extended into the following day. According to the Celtic pagan religion, known as Druidism, the spirits of those who had died in the preceding year roamed the earth on Samhain evening. The Celts sought to ward off these spirits with offerings of food and drink. The Celts also built bonfires at sacred hilltop sites and performed rituals, often involving human and animal sacrifices, to honor Druid deities.

The Roman Catholic Church often incorporated modified versions of older religious traditions in order to win converts. For example, Pope Gregory IV sought to replace Samhain with All Saint’s Day in 835. Folk observances linked to these Christian holidays, including Halloween, thus preserved many of the ancient Celtic customs associated with Sanhain.”

Many of these dark customs include observing ghosts, wearing costumes and masks, fortune telling, offering sacrifices to the dead, Jack-o’-Lanterns, witches, black cats, vampires, bats, full moon practices, and violence.

These customs are not what you would consider Biblical role models. In fact, they better fit the actions of a member in an occult organization. But, since it’s “for the children” and we refuse to teach them the devilish background of Halloween then anything must be allowed, otherwise we risk being called a party pooper.

Everything about Halloween magnifies the dead. Samhain (closely related to Satan) is the god of the dead. The Bible says that the Devil is the god of death and destruction [Hebrews 2:14]. There’s nothing about Halloween that elevates Christ, the giver of life. Scripture tell us that when we choose a day as a special day then we are to regard as to the Lord, and yet there is nothing in Halloween to elevate as good except death and the Devil.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6 (KJV)
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Both the Old and New Testaments are clear regarding other gods.

Exodus 20:3-4 (KJV)
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Both Testaments clarify that idolatry is not acceptable and that there is only one true God. Doing something for fun, but against God's will, cannot avoid or even water down the authority of the Scriptures.

Why do so many Christians get tricked into taking part in dark traditions? There are many reasons. They are taught by the world that it’s fun and it’s for the children and therefore you HAVE to do it. You may think that you have no other choice. You do have free will to decide right from wrong. Furthermore many do not know, or in some cases don’t care to know, what the Scriptures say.

The real, behind the scenes, from the back door, devilish push for Halloween is to magnify the dead, thereby giving the Devil, the god of death his glory. The Bible says that when someone dies they are dead until Christ comes back.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10 (KJV)
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

The dead cannot have any influence whatsoever on the living. They are in the grave until Christ comes back for them.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (KJV)
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

There is comfort in truth. The Bible brings truth and understanding. Lies deceive and set people up for defeat. The dead are dead until Christ makes them alive again. That day has not yet happened. To propound that you can communicate with the dead is a lie from the Devil. This first great lie from Satan is found back in Genesis chapter 3 when he told Eve:

Genesis 3:4 (KJV)
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

He has been propounding that lie ever since the fall of mankind and still promotes it today. The Devil wants people to think that the dead are alive and that alive people can communicate with them now. Since the dead are dead until Christ returns (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10) the source behind this communication has to be devil spirits mimicking the person, and not alive people.

Scaring people half to death is not a godly action. Fear does not come from the true God. It comes from the Devil.

2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

God gives us power and love, not fear.

1 John 4:4 (KJV)
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you [God in Christ in you], than he that is in the world [Satan].

The distinction between the two spiritual powers is clear. The logic of whose side to take is also most obvious.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (KJV)
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire [walking on hot coals], or that useth divination [information from false gods-devil spirits], or an observer of times [horoscopes], or an enchanter [healing through the use of devil spirits-Vines Dictionary], or a witch ["to use magic formulas"-Wilson's OT Word Studies], Or a charmer ("one who uses spells"-Adam Clark's Commentary), or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer [one who supposedly communicates with the dead]. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Almost all of these actions involve the use of devil spirits summoned by the user. Since God is the Lord and He changes not [Malachi 3:6], why would participation in these things today in the New Testament be any more palatable to Him? If they are abominations back then are we to erroneously conclude that God embraces them today? The New Testament has plenty to say regarding darkness.

Ephesians 5:11 (KJV)
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Not only am I not to fellowship with darkness but I am to take it a step higher by reproving them also. I am to correct where things are off the Word of God and to show how to get back to righteousness (II Timothy 3:16).

1 Corinthians 10:20-22 (KJV)
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

The answer is obvious: No!

In the fourth chapter of James there are two simple instructions.

James 4:7 (KJV)
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1. Submit to God.
2. Resist the Devil

Neither of these is confusing. In fact they are quite simple to understand and to do.

Romans 14:22 (KJV)
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

We live in the Grace Administration [Ephesians 3:2] today. There is plenty of room to live in freedom in Christ [Galatians 5:1], however we still need to make decisions based upon believing the authority of the written Word of God so that we don’t live in condemnation.

We have the freedom today to do what ever we want and God will not have us put to death like in the Old Testament for doing certain evil deeds because of His grace. Wouldn’t you want to live right before God, pleasing Him, loving Him, doing the will of God from a heart that’s thankful for what’s He’s done for us in Christ Jesus?

Romans 14:5-6 (KJV)
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

How could you do Halloween to the Lord? You can't.

Colossians 3:17, 23 (KJV)
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

With a Biblical background we can then decide what to do. We can either stand approved before God or not. The result will be determined by what we do with the Scriptures.

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