Halloween: Pagan Celebration or Childlike Fun?

🍁 2000 years ago, Ancient Celts and Druid priests celebrated Samhain, dressing as animals and monsters thinking it would keep evil spirits from kidnapping them while they prayed for the dead. 

🍁 As Catholicism spread in the 10th century, the Celts tried to incorporate elements of Samhain into All Saints’ Day (All-Hallows Eve).(1) 

🍁 Then in the Middle Ages, “souling” was added to the celebration: going door-to-door, promising to pray for dead relatives in exchange for pastries. Eventually, children went door-to-door asking for gifts and food.

🍁 In the 19th century an Irish myth about the devil led to the display of jack-o'-lanterns which were supposed to scare away evil spirits. 

🍁 When Irish immigrants brought Halloween to the States in the 20th century, it was marked by “vandalism, physical assaults and sporadic acts of violence.”(2) 

This was also when the Samhain tradition of costumes was revived, and the pagan decorations emphasized death, witches, ghosts, black cats, bad luck, and tricks. 

Halloween has an evil theme, and it trivializes evil spirits, witches, and evil symbols, encouraging children to see them as fun and fictional.(3)

When we read Old Testament passages like Deuteronomy 18:10-12, we realize that paganism has always been sick and disgusting. But the more our world rejects Scripture, the more paganism thrives. That's why we see an increase in the display of evil symbols at Halloween.

Do you think the warning in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 applies to Halloween?(4)  

If you feel comfortable participating in Halloween, please at least use it as a way to share Christ.(5) 

Source: History.com 

My thoughts:

I’ve had an uneasy feeling about Halloween ever since I became a Christian. I tried to justify it at times, but eventually kept my children from participating. I just couldn’t feel comfortable with what it represents. However, if Christians avoided occult and pagan symbols and costumes, I've always seen it as a Romans 14 “allowed difference” among Christians. See Handling Non-Essential Differences. 

But I felt like writing this stronger warning this year because we are dealing with so much compromise and evil in our culture right now, and I think it’s more important than ever that we “come out from them and be separate.” 

If we fear that our children won’t “fit in” with other kids if they can’t celebrate Halloween, we should realize that fitting in is the worst thing we could want for our children. And the sooner they learn their need to stand against worldly influences, the better. See You Can Fit In or You Can Follow Jesus.

Many people have tried to tie Christmas to pagan holidays even though Christmas has a Christian name, is always defined as the birthday of Christ, and does not directly resemble ancient rituals or pagan symbols. Nor does it glorify Satan, witches, or demons. 

If a person wishes not to celebrate Christmas, this is a genuine Romans 14 difference, and we should respect each other's choices even if we disagree. But unlike Christmas, Halloween maintains its pagan emphasis, so I encourage you to pray about whether God would have you involved. See Christmas Confusion: Don't Accept Unsubstantiated Claims.

Please see my other posts regarding Halloween:

3 Ways of Looking at Popular Pagan Practices

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

 

Different Ways Christians Handle Halloween

I also recommend these resources:

Got Questions – Should Christians celebrate Halloween?

Al Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Seminary

Two-minute video – Can Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Short article – Christianity and the Dark Side...

7 Sides of Halloween with Mike Winger

Footnotes:

(1) All Saints' Day was established to honor saints hundreds of years before Celtic practices were added, and All Saints' Day has maintained its original meaning. Halloween is a holiday unto itself. 

(2) Halloween has always been associated with mischief. In fact, in the 1970s and 1980s, arsonists celebrated the holiday by setting fires. In 1984, Detroit had more than 800 dangerous fires lit for this purpose. 

 

(3) Halloween is celebrated by Wiccans: "Wicca, the largest of the modern Pagan, or Neo-Pagan, religions. Its followers, who are called Wiccans, typically identify as witches and draw inspiration largely from the pre-Christian religions of Europe." (Britannica)

(4) 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ Therefore, ‘Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’ And, ‘I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’”

(5) Living Waters ministry sells tracts to hand out to trick-or-treaters. For example, see Albert Brainstein and Curved Illusion. They also sell another tract with a jack-o'-lantern on it, but I don't recommend using symbols of Halloween to share the gospel.

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Don't Let Circumstances "Eat" You

Sometimes "detours" in our lives are part of God's divine plan. Read about one of mine: When God Changes Our Plans.

These detours happen when we misunderstand God's purpose or get ahead of His plans. That's when God uses a "detour" to prepare us for a future blessing.

But there's another type of detour that isn't natural or good. It's a "Jonah detour," and it follows what I call "the Jonah principle": 

"If you run from God, expect to be eaten by circumstances."

God called Jonah, Jonah ran, and God detoured him into the belly of a big fish (Jonah 1). We look at Jonah and think, "How ridiculous! You can't run from God!"

But I imagine Jonah's thought processes were similar to ours when we "run" from Scripture passages that tell us to:  

✔ Deny ourselves (See We Need It: Self-Denial)  

✔ Be holy (See What does it mean to be holy?)

✔ Earnestly seek God (See Seek God Wholeheartedly) 

✔ Seek His Kingdom first (See Great Wisdom in the Small Book of Haggai)

Today let's ask God if we're running away from any of His purposes in any area of our lives.  As soon as we acknowledge our sin, God can "spit" us out of the "belly of disobedience" and back into action.

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Bible Love Notes will not be writing more devotions specifically about the upcoming election, but my husband shares his concerns in this post: In This Election Biblical Principles Are at Stake. 

 

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Guilt or Sin - Which Is Our Real Enemy?

I recently read an article that claimed the church is responsible for some abortions because we make women feel guilty when they are unmarried and pregnant.

It's popular to claim that our problem is guilt, not sin. And this argument normally comes up with culturally acceptable sins like premarital sex, abortion, or LGBTQ lifestyles. But this is simply a sophisticated way to blame God for His loving, protective, purposeful commands.

Our sins should cause us guilt:

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:8-10

The church is commanded to call people to repentance and restore them to fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:12; Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20). Helping someone avoid authentic guilt is ungodly and damaging.

If we feel sorry for ourselves instead of sorry for our sins, we're taking “the way of Cain” who was the Ultimate Pouter. If a woman kills her unborn child and blames the church for making her feel guilty, she's calling God a liar (1 John 1:8-10).

The church should lovingly care for unmarried women so they can give life to their unborn children, but that process must begin with the woman's confession and repentance. 

This is true for all sins. We must honestly face our sins without self-pity or blame-shifting.

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For more on the true meaning of guilt, see Shame, Guilt, Conviction.

To see how this false teaching is used by Boundaries, see No One Should Make You Feel Guilty...Really?

To identify elements of an insincere apology, see 5 Signs of a Fake Apology.  

For some insights into the beauty of repentance, see God is Faithful and Just to Forgive.

It's a great time to buy Wisdom for Life for gift-giving because of the great sales on on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.

Sometimes I Trust in Chariots

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” Psalm 20:7-8 

Sometimes I trust in “chariots”:

• My instincts, abilities, insight
• My perspective and strength 
• Human authorities or human wisdom
• Friends or relatives

Then I wonder why I fail and why certain problems continue to plague me.

When David faced the taunting giant, Goliath, he had the right perspective—he knew whom he could trust.  

He said:
“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty…” 1 Samuel 17:45

Do you have “Goliaths” in your life—financial, relational, career, emotional, or physical difficulties taunting you? 

God is able to do more than we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

Only in the name of the Lord can we conquer the giants in our lives or gain the strength to persevere in the midst of them!

Some other verses to encourage you:

James 4:7: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” 

1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 

2 Samuel 22:33: “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.” 

Philippians 4:13: “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Also: Ephesians 6:10-18

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To read about a bad choice David made, see: What a Tangled Web We Weave.

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. Find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon. In addition, you can buy the book in Kindle format on Amazon and as an ebook on other sites.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

 

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Do You Have the Same Fire in Your Heart that Jeremiah Had?

God gave Jeremiah hard truths to proclaim, and Jeremiah said:

“The word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak anymore in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:8-9

Do you ever feel this "fire"?

When someone insists there are many ways to God, do you feel compelled to explain that the only way of salvation is through Jesus (1 John 5:10-12)? 

When someone insists there are no rules for sexual intimacy, do you feel compelled to explain that God created sex exclusively for the marriage union of a man and a woman, and all other lifestyles cause damage to our souls (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)? 

 

When someone claims Jesus never addressed people's sins, do you feel compelled to correct their error? (Matthew 4:17; John 7:7). 

Doing these things won't make us popular (John 15:18-19). But we cannot keep quiet as so many walk to their deaths. We must share the good news of Christ.

Jeremiah said that God’s word was in his heart “like a fire” that he could not hold inside. Can we say the same?

I pray that I will always be more concerned about the Lord's reputation than my own.

For more on Jeremiah, see Choosing the Ancient Paths and Have We Forgotten How to Blush?

 

It's a great time to buy Wisdom for Life for gift-giving because of the great sales on on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.

 

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When You Blow It, Don't Hit the "Backspace"

Recently I spoke without thinking, and my words were sanctimonious. 

I apologized to the person and asked God's forgiveness, but I was disappointed in myself.  I should have known better since I occasionally get self-righteous comments on my blog posts and know they aren't helpful.

Sometimes when I blow it like this, I feel I've hit the backspace button on my spiritual growth. But God is helping me understand that we only hit the backspace if we fail to honestly repent and learn from our failures.

We can choose to deny, excuse, or justify our sins. In fact, if someone confronts us we can call them judgmental and self-righteous and attack them. If we do this, we definitely hit the backspace. And if we do it continually, we eventually lose our sense of shame (Ephesians 4:17-19). 

I don't want that. I want to be like Paul who honestly addressed his sins, admitted he still blew it at times, but said he was moving forward—not hitting the backspace:

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14

Of course, this wasn't the only time I blew it:

I Admit It: I Was Foolish

I Blew It—How Could I Set It Straight?  

Confession Is Good for the Soul 

What To Do When We Blow It 

Would you like to "watch" the first devotion in my book Wisdom for Life? Just click the image below to do that!

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Was Jesus Likable?

Years ago I read the book "They Like Jesus but Not the Church." It had some valid points about the way we Christians can make the gospel unattractive by clumsy remarks and rude attitudes.

But the book's basic premise was flawed. It suggested that people would like us if we acted more like Jesus.

That's not scriptural.

Even when we speak the truth in love, our message will offend those involved in culturally acceptable sins. In fact, if all of our unsaved friends and relatives approve of our values, we aren't living faithfully for the Lord.

Jesus made people angry—so angry they killed him.

And it wasn't just the self-righteous religious people who hated Jesus. Anyone who refused to accept God's definition of sin hated Jesus (John 7:7). If we want to be like the true Jesus in Scripture, people will hate us too (1 John 3:13).

 

I'm not suggesting that we should seek to make people angry. But we shouldn't be surprised if people reject us even when we've shared God's truth graciously.

"You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 10:22 

Let's strive for faithfulness, not popularity.

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See also The Fake Jesus vs. the Real Jesus Collection of five one-minute devotions. And please do the Bite Size Bible Study based on this devotion: HERE.

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. Find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon. In addition, you can buy the book in Kindle format on Amazon and as an ebook on other sites.

 

Sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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Confused Definitions of Love

Are you feeling a bit beaten down, dear Christians? I sometimes feel that way when culture and unbelieving friends and family pound me with the world's definition of love: “If you approve of my values, you're loving. Otherwise, you're hateful.”  

When I look back on my family heritage, I see that the kindest, fairest, and most sacrificial men and women were those who loved Jesus and refused to approve of sin. They weren't perfect, but they were loving.

The same is true when I look at my present friends, family, and acquaintances. 

I still love the people in my life who have bought into worldly values, but their lives would not be defined as loving or sacrificial. 

Whenever we feel beat up by our culture or by our worldly friends and family, let's remind ourselves of God's definition of love: 

“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:3-6

When we love Jesus, we never approve of sin. We love people enough to warn them (2 Timothy 2:24-26). 

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For more on this subject see these one-minute devotions:

7 Important Truths about God's Love

Does True Love Include Disapproval? 

Tolerance Isn't Approval, Agreement, or Silence 

Think God Is a Permissive Granddad?  

💙 Please check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs and is on sale at reduced prices on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.  

You can sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

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Don't Be Stupid!

In our build-your-self-esteem world, it's becoming increasingly rare for people to give or receive honest, constructive criticism.

Even worse, many Christians are convinced God never rebukes or disciplines His followers. 

I've often heard someone say that when God looks at them, He doesn't see their sins; He only sees Jesus.

This belief isn't found in the Bible.

Scripture tells us we're counted righteous in Christ, but that doesn't mean God is ignorant of our sins or content with our character. 

God "disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” Hebrews 12:6

His Word "is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 

God doesn't sugar-coat it:

"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid." Proverbs 12:1 

God forgives our sins, but He loves us too much to overlook them. 

Let's not be stupid.

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I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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Do You Know Why Christians Have "Unveiled Faces"?

In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul explains that the old covenant law had a temporary purpose. When Moses met with God to receive the law, his face glowed, but he veiled his face for two reasons: 

1. The people were frightened by the brightness (Exodus 34:29-35).

2. Moses didn’t want them to see the light fade (2 Corinthians 3:13).

Why did the light fade? 

Because it was part of the old covenant law which didn't bring salvation.* The purpose of the old covenant was to prepare us for the new covenant in Christ, showing us that we can never be “good enough” to earn salvation (Galatians 3:24-25; Romans 3:20). 

But when we accept Christ's redemption, we're given a permanent glory, and we shine with “unveiled faces” as we “contemplate the Lord’s glory” and allow Him to transform us “into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

Think about that. When we genuinely accept Christ, we start “glowing” with the permanent glory of our Lord's salvation. And the more we let God’s Spirit transform our hearts and minds, the brighter His glory becomes in our lives.

So let's ask God to show us specific ways we can “glow” today. In fact, when we wake up each morning, let's ask Him to use our  “unveiled faces” to share His glory with others.

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* This does not mean that people in the Old Testament were not saved. It means that keeping the law didn't save them. They were saved the same way we are saved—through faith. Christ had not yet revealed Himself and His salvation, but they were saved by their faith that God would supply a Savior (Romans 4; Hebrews 11).

 

Scripture clearly teaches that the law could save no one. “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son” (Romans 8:3). This highlights one of many errors in The Hebrew Roots Movement. It also refutes the false doctrine in The Chosen mini-series where Christ says He is “the Law of Moses.”

See All or Nothing: Hebrew Roots Movement and Scripture Refutes The Chosen's "I Am the Law of Moses" Statement.

💙 Please check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs and is on sale at reduced prices on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.  

And please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

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