Halloween and the Christian

"Sunday Sermon 091425"

In keeping with the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, and his mandate to teach and obey all things commanded, we will cover a topic that is needed in the church today.

Please turn with me to:

[Deu 18:9-13 KJV] 9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 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. 13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

[Exo 22:18 KJV] 18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

[Lev 19:31 KJV] 31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

[Lev 20:27 KJV] 27 A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.

We can see in these verses from the Old Testament that the heart of Father God is against witches, wizards, evil spirits, and affection with the dead (necromancy). God hates this stuff.

In the New Testament, we have the same sort of evil defined, but in Greek terminology. Words like sorcery, demons, devils, and evil spirits. We see this language used everywhere across the NT, and these also are an abomination to Father God. And so, how does God the Son feel about these things? Where does Jesus the King stand?

Let’s turn to the New Testament and look at a general policy that Jesus has established in relation to the church’s affiliation with this sort of abomination. Please turn to:

[2Co 6:14-18 KJV] 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

So, based on these passages in the OT and NT, both Father God and God the Son are against these abominations: Horoscopes (an “observer of times”), Mediums (“consulter with familiar spirits”), charms, angelic infatuation, association with darkness, devils, and ghosts, and witches, and graveyards, (necromancy), and the dead in general…even tacit affiliation with these sorts of things has an impact on God’s heart, does it not? What is that impact? Feelings of betrayal because these are abominations in God’s view. 

 Questions?

1. Are kingdom citizens. Does God dwell in us? What is his policy towards affiliation with darkness–separation or appeasement? Is it not there in 2 Corinthians? Is a policy not a command?

2. Which is the more difficult task, preaching about Hell…or….preaching about an American holiday that comes around in October, and is filled with these same items that we just read about? 

 So many faithful undershepherds will preach all day about a place called Hell…all day about separating from the bars, and the dance clubs, and the darker places in American society…but when it comes to an honest discussion about Halloween, they run for cover. Like a secret idol, they won’t even mention it from the pulpit. This is sin. It is a great hypocrisy in the church, and a dis-service to God. We have a mandate, a commission to cover all topics that impact godliness! Do we not?

This morning we’ll have an honest discussion about Halloween.

The Origins of Halloween

Where did it come from?

Samhain means “November” in the old Irish tongue.

This Satanic Holiday immigrated here from both the Celtic Nations and from the Catholic Empire. And, in all fairness, the Catholic Empire chose to appease the holiday by renaming it to “All Saints Day”, and moving it to November 1st.

So, the name merged and became “Hallowed” “Eve”…..Halloween. Its origins began with abominable things that we have in our verses today and we see them displayed on every front porch across the cities of America; witches, spirits, grave scenes, and darkness in general. And what is the power there, win the heart of the kids with emotions and candy, associate neighborly fellowship with darkness…win the hearts of the next generation to be cozy with things that God hates, and you will force the parents to rationalize, to go along with the ritual….to appease…to acquiesce…to pay homage to darkness.

The Celtics believed that at sundown, on October 31st, the doorway between the living and the dead was open, and the spirits of evil could be appeased. That involved costumes to look like them, and sacrafices, and family celebrations…paying homage to the evil spirits..forming concord with them…agreement with them, so that no evil would be visited upon them in the coming year. (Google up the early costumes)

What was the reaction of the biblically sound churches in early America?

• At first, they railed against Halloween and preached separation from it. That then became appeasement to it (in concord), and then renaming it to a Harvest Fest, which conveniently fell on October 31st. Harvest Fests traditionally had nothing to do with Halloween because Halloween was not in America at that time (c. 1910). Harvest Fests frequently took place between September and November, and there were typically several Fests during this season, but not necessarily on October 31st. The 31st became an established Fest in an effort to appease the folks celebrating Halloween. The children were taught appeasement instead of God’s command to "separate" from this “abomination”.

So, early immigration from Ireland and parts of England brought Sanheim to America. The Catholic Empire also brought it over, repackaged as “All Saints Day”. Mexico has since added a second day of appeasement to our calendar called Dia del Morte/Day of the Dead (Nov. 1-2nd). Sugar skulls, candy devils, and all sorts of halloween like stuff for the children.

•  The born again church across America strongly opposed Halloween when it was introduced in America. Profiteers have since tried to make it more palatable to the church, adding friendlier faces, and secular themes to the costumes, making it more of a silly, kid friendly holiday–apeasement. But the fact remains that this holiday’s origins and its purpose is to make affiliation with darkness acceptable to all; including the church. To win the youth of the next generation to participate. To turn the kids against the parents if they don’t participate! To cause feelings of guilt if they don’t participate. All the while, “pressing them into the world’s mold” of breaking God’s heart, and corrupting his church! Appeasement is participation!

 Question?

3. If you knew nothing about Halloween, and you walked the streets of darkness, and you looked at all of the decorations, what would you conclude?

4. Could we honestly invite Jesus to this holiday?  

So, right now everyone in this room has a struggle going on within their heart. Some are angry that this topic was brought up. Some are neutral. Jesus is actively looking at your thoughts right now. His spirit is here, all around us…in this room. What does he see? 

It is the Bishop’s job to warn people a month ahead of time about Halloween, is it not? It is the Bishop’s job to warn people not to participate with this abomination.

My sermon today is not meant to punish anyone or cause division within the church. My purpose is to cause division between the church and a holiday that is filled with things that God hates. My purpose today is to follow the Great Commission, and its command to teach, and to obey the commands of King Jesus. 

I will say from the pulpit that I will not support any form of appeasement concerning Halloween. My family and I are against it, we stand with King Jesus on this point. I will also not cast stones at anyone here who disagrees with my position–but I implore you to re-consider!

I want you to see Halloween for what it is and then you can make a choice this October. I will not pick on you and I do not want fingers being pointed at anyone in here. I want us each to face God at the end of October and let him know what your choice will be. 

 There are only 2 choices in the verses we just read:

1. Participation/Appeasement as commanded by the world

2. Separation as commanded by God

There is no neutral ground. No tree to hide behind in the garden. You will need to make a choice and then face God with your decision this October.

I leave you with these two verses:

[Gal 4:16 KJV] 16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

[Jhn 15:18-22 KJV] 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.