Innocent or Evil

I felt like I was hiding from an enemy last night when we turned off the lights and it was like no one was home. We did that because we do not believe we should take part in a holiday that puts so much attention on the occult and on demons and evil in all types of ways. It’s even gotten so that Halloween has even been sexualized by some of the costumes that are being advertised. It’s a holiday I prefer not to take part in, for the sake of children who unwittingly go around seeking candy from strangers. I know that some have tried to tame it down by using the phrase, “trunk or treats, given out of trunks on church parking lots. I know that there will be at least some who will be injured, either by the children running across streets in a candy frenzy, or by some perverted individual who will try to either substitute drugs for candy, or fix candy with objects that could harm. All for the purpose of celebrating a night that traditions say, “the dead come out during this night” so that people would dress up in costumes to ward off the spirits of the dead.” So I turn out the lights because I will not be a part of this. And I pray that all the children will be safe from harm during this time. When I seek Scripture for this I am taken to the Old Testament. Now some may say that we now live under the season of grace and that all things are permissible. But we also must remember that all things are not beneficial. Some of the rules of the Old testament are just plain sensible, and are still sensible today. So I share this with you today: “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable customs of those nations. No one among you is to make his son or daughter pass through the fire, practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery, cast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead. Everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. Though these nations you are about to drive out listen to fortune-tellers and diviners, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do this.” Deuteronomy 18: 9-14 I don’t think anyone can dispute that Halloween is a demonic holiday. There is no other reason for it, even if some try to minimize its darkness by involving children. We who are of the faith, should reject that which even has the appearance of evil. I’m not talking about shunning those who let their children go trick or treating, but to encourage all to teach all that is good, and to stay away from that which honors the things of evil. I know this will be met with some who reject it as evil, but search your heart, as believers, and know that even if you want to participate in a part that you consider not evil, you are still honoring the day by participating in what is meant for evil. Let’s make sure our children are not programmed to accept the day, but to understand why we do not celebrate. Let’s not let anything unholy come into our homes, and dressing up as a cartoon character may not be unholy, but the practice of the day is unholy, and we must be awake and act sensibly in a time when this holiday is becoming more and more evil. Pastor Andy