Halloween’s not a Christian festival
I am responding to a “name and address supplied” letter from one of your readers relating to Halloween. True Christians follow Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible – the only book written under inspiration of the one true God (2 Timothy 3:16,17).
However, this does mean that we cannot be selective as to what we do and don’t do.
Before deciding whether to celebrate a particular holiday you need to consult the Bible.
Some holidays and celebrations clearly violate Bible principles and hence Christians would not participate in them and need to maintain a clear conscience before God and men (Acts 24:16).
Is the holiday based on an unscriptural teaching; are the holidays rooted in the belief in or worship of other gods (as Christmas, Easter or May Day are); holidays that are based on superstition or on the belief in luck; holidays that are based on the idea that the soul is immortal; holidays that are linked to the occult, observances related to worship under the Mosaic law, which ended with Jesus’ sacrifice (Colossians 2:17). Does the holiday promote interfaith, celebrations of a religious figure or events that encourage united worship among people with different religious beliefs; observances that are based on religious traditions not endorsed by the Bible, does the holiday exalt a human, an organisation or a national symbol. Holidays that honour a ruler or other notable figure, celebrations of a nation’s flag, holidays that exalt a saint, celebrations of political or social movements; a holiday that elevates one nation or ethnic group above others, events that honour the armed forces, celebrations of a nation’s history or independence, is the holiday characterised by unrestrained or lewd behaviour ????????
Each person must make their own decision on what their Christian conscience allows them to take part in (Joshua 24:15). Halloween is NOT based on the Bible.
We are imperfect human beings that are striving to follow the Bible but we cannot be selective as to what we do or don’t do in such matters when it suits.
True Christians will not be popular/hated actually but Jesus did warn his followers this would happen (see Matthew 24:9, John 17:14, John 15:18, Matthew 10:22, Luke 21:17, Mark 13:13)
Sue Pilgrim By email