The Church of the Twenty-First Century carries a lot of baggage in the form of traditions. Some traditions are not necessarily negative, but we continue to do them because this is what we have received from our past. The First-Century Church did not have Church buildings; they met in the homes of Believers. The First-Century Church did not have professional preachers, pastors or priests. The leaders were simply Believers.

However, there are traditions that Christians received in the Fourth Century. In that century the Church was forcibly merged with Roman paganism. Some of the results of this merger were the Christianization of formerly pagan rituals. An example would be the Day of the Dead, or All Hallows Eve, or Halloween.

Halloween is far more than Trick or Treat and costumes. It is an important time in the occult. It is a continuation of the ancient practice of demonic ancestor worship. I cannot and will not in this short space describe the evil and wickedness that is performed by Satanists, Occultists and other pagans on this day, and to this day.

Christians should have no part in this practice, even the sugar-coated variety. “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” – First Thessalonians 5:22

Here are quotes from Scripture showing what the Lord, the Holy Creator, thinks of having anything to do with other gods and perpetuating pagan traditions that have nothing to do with the saving of souls. (emphasis added)

• "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." – Ephesians 5:11
• "But they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works; They served their idols, Which became a snare to them." – Psalm 106:35-36
• "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? Therefore, “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord." – Second Corinthians 6:14, 17

This may seem more strident than my usual lessons, but the Church cannot continue to provoke the Lord to anger. “ … With abominations they provoked Him to anger.” (Deuteronomy 32:16) We cannot join the world in a “Christianized” version of this pagan time. We must get back on track and focus on worshiping Jesus and saving souls through the spreading of the Gospel. “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16) The time is short.

As Christians we are to be separate from the world. We should be separate. May we act like it in all things. Praise the Lord for sanctifying or setting Christians apart!