History of Halloween was traces back to the ancient religion of the Celtics in Ireland. The Celtic people were very conscious of the spiritual world and had their own ideas.
As Christianity spread to parts of Europe, people tried to introduce ideas which reflected a more Christian view. And Halloween has since become a confusing mixture of traditions and practices from pagan cultures and Christian tradition.
During the period of the influence of Christianity spread into Celtic lands, in the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs, to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. In 834, Gregory III moved All Saint's Day from May 13 to Nov. 1 and for Christians, this became an opportunity for remembering before God all the saints who had died and all the dead in the Christian community. Oct. 31 thus became All Hallows' Eve ('hallow' means 'saint').
Sadly, though, many of the customs survived and were blended in with Christianity. Numerous folk customs connected with the pagan observances for the dead have survived to the present.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Crafts of Exitement at Pumpkin Bowling
Christians should evaluate Halloween and determine an appropriate response for themselves and their own families. Christians should refrain from any participation that would compromise one's faith or bring dishonor to the Lord Jesus Christ. A good principle is to look for ways to become a positive, Christ-honoring voice in the midst of secularism and paganism. Each Christian must be persuaded in his own conscience about how he approaches Halloween.
Some Christians decide to have a limited, non-compromising participation in Halloween. Sometimes their activities can be creative and help to promote the gospel. One mother was planning to keep her son home from his public school's Halloween parade but he convinced her to let him go dressed as his favorite Bible character, David. He stood on the stage before his entire public school and told the story of how David trusted God and saved God's people from Goliath. Other families respond to trick or treaters by including a salvation tract with each treat. Many families restrict their children's trick or treating (this seems consistent with our continuing parental admonition "Don't take candy from a stranger!") and instead let them attend a community party or a party in the home of friends. Most Christian families restrict their children's costumes to exclude evil, pagan, or demonic costumes. Some insist on a biblical character’s costume.
Some Christians decide to "overcome" the pagan and secular trappings of Halloween in a manner similar to the way the Church "overcame" pagan festivals with All Saints Day. Many churches have "Harvest Festivals," where children may dress as farm animals or farmers. Others host "Reformation Festivals," where children may dress as their favorite Bible character or as a figure from church history. Some churches sponsor "Hell Houses" for older children
and teenagers where the gospel is preached as the way to avoid the horrors of eternal punishment. One church youth group has a costume party (no evil characters allowed) where participants play games and have contests as part of preparing food baskets for the needy. They ring the doorbells of needy people in their community and "treat" them with the anonymous food baskets (including a personal message with the plan of salvation and an invitation to church).
Regardless of the position you take regarding your family's response to Halloween, all Christians can rejoice that "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4); that we can "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7); and that through the cross Christ has "disarmed principalities and powers," and "made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them" (Col. 2:15).
Some Christians decide to have a limited, non-compromising participation in Halloween. Sometimes their activities can be creative and help to promote the gospel. One mother was planning to keep her son home from his public school's Halloween parade but he convinced her to let him go dressed as his favorite Bible character, David. He stood on the stage before his entire public school and told the story of how David trusted God and saved God's people from Goliath. Other families respond to trick or treaters by including a salvation tract with each treat. Many families restrict their children's trick or treating (this seems consistent with our continuing parental admonition "Don't take candy from a stranger!") and instead let them attend a community party or a party in the home of friends. Most Christian families restrict their children's costumes to exclude evil, pagan, or demonic costumes. Some insist on a biblical character’s costume.
Some Christians decide to "overcome" the pagan and secular trappings of Halloween in a manner similar to the way the Church "overcame" pagan festivals with All Saints Day. Many churches have "Harvest Festivals," where children may dress as farm animals or farmers. Others host "Reformation Festivals," where children may dress as their favorite Bible character or as a figure from church history. Some churches sponsor "Hell Houses" for older children
and teenagers where the gospel is preached as the way to avoid the horrors of eternal punishment. One church youth group has a costume party (no evil characters allowed) where participants play games and have contests as part of preparing food baskets for the needy. They ring the doorbells of needy people in their community and "treat" them with the anonymous food baskets (including a personal message with the plan of salvation and an invitation to church).
Regardless of the position you take regarding your family's response to Halloween, all Christians can rejoice that "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4); that we can "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7); and that through the cross Christ has "disarmed principalities and powers," and "made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them" (Col. 2:15).
The Message and the Candy
Are You Saved
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." [John 3:16]
The problem is: Man is sinful and separated from God. Thus he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life. Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is an evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
The result of this sin, if not dealt with, is eternal damnation. "For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Romans 6:23]
However, this is not God's perfect plan for you because He loves you and does not want you eternally separated from Him. "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." [2 Peter 3:9]
Man however is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy or religion. But, all man's efforts do not bridge the gulf that separates a holy God and sinful man.
Jesus Christ is the Answer! Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [Romans 5:8]
We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us the kind of people He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins in not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." [John 3:16]
The problem is: Man is sinful and separated from God. Thus he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life. Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is an evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
The result of this sin, if not dealt with, is eternal damnation. "For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Romans 6:23]
However, this is not God's perfect plan for you because He loves you and does not want you eternally separated from Him. "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." [2 Peter 3:9]
Man however is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy or religion. But, all man's efforts do not bridge the gulf that separates a holy God and sinful man.
Jesus Christ is the Answer! Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [Romans 5:8]
We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us the kind of people He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins in not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
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