Evil

Halloween.
Do you "do" Halloween?

Up until recent years we did. Now, we don't. What changed?

Well, we put Christ first and He opened our eyes. Before then we lived a lot like unbelievers. The darkness (evil) of this world had blinded our eyes to the truth and love and goodness and joy and peace that God LONGS to give us.

Our heart and eyes had problem and God healed us. That simple.  ( see John 12:39-41 and 1 John 2:10-11)

And, frankly, we like to play dress-up, and we LOVE to eat candy. We even did "good" characters for our kid's costumes. It was FUN! But it still wasn't right.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck . . . but we put a dress on it, that doesn't make it NOT a duck.

If it looks just like a honey tree, and smells just like a honey tree, and taste just like a honey tree . . . but we cover it with toilet paper and call it Hooper Hanigan . . . well, it's still a honey tree. It just has toilet paper stuck to it and a dumb name.
If it's called evil, but it's dressed up sweet - its still evil.

If it's wrong to do, but we do it anyway, it doesn't just become right because we changed our minds.

God NEVER changes His mind. Galatians 5:19-21 give us a clue about things God doesn't like. It calls them "acts of the flesh." These things come naturally to us as we live in this dark/evil world.

 

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

~ Gal. 5:19-21 ~

 

The Bible also tells us, as His children and citizens of Heaven, not to worship as other nations do.

 

³⁰ take care that you be not ensnared to follow (other nations), after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ ³¹ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.

~ Deut. 12:30-31 - emphasis mine ~

 

We are called to act differently. To be peculiar (I know that's easier for some of us than others).

 

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,

an holy nation, a peculiar people;

that ye should shew forth the praises of him

who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

~ 1 Peter 2:9 ~

(this happens to be a verse I claimed for our "school" - I just love it!)

So, call a duck a duck. Call evil what it is. Even when on the surface it looks really cute or tasty.

 

 Submit yourselves, then, to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Wash your hands, you sinners,

and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

~ James 4:7-8 ~
(calling a duck NOT a duck would also be double-minded)

 

 And another benefit of submitting/coming "near to God,"  is that He sends the Holy Spirit to us. To convict, to lead to bring forth fruit. (I was just going to put one verse here - but the whole thing is so delicious - and profitable for training).

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^[c] you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

~ Gal. 5:13-26 ~

And, sweet people, you haven't lived on this planet for even a century - not even close. God's been planning your existence since the creation of the world. Read Psalm 139. Don't you think that the one who has perfectly balanced the world on nothing for our survival can make a perfect plan for your life?
But Satan has been around for thousands of years. He has had LOTS of practice being a liar and dressing up evil to look like good. In 2 Corinthians 11:14 "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." And "his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness." (1 Cor. 11:15) They may even be sitting next to us in church Sunday! (1 Cor. 11:13) "Such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ."
I don't wanna be one of them!!!!

Lord, put Your truth on my lips in my feeble attempts to love others in Your name! May I not lead them astray but point them to You in all I say or do. I submit to you. I can't do it on my own.

Now, if I've not convinced you listen to "The Problem with Christians and Halloween" from Mike Griffin or read "The Five Scariest Things You can Do This Halloween" or check out some of the articles at Answers in Genesis. Much smarter folks than me say all this stuff much better than I can.

So, do you "do" Halloween? Why or why not?

Author's note: No offense was meant towards nice ducks, honey trees, toilet paper or any man named Hooper Hanigan. Bless his heart.
Author's confession: Confession: I'll admit, I still hit the grocery store late that particular night or the next morning for 1/2 price candy. God made us to enjoy life. - you can pray about that one for me.