Open your Bibles with me, if you would, please, to Ephesians chapter 5 today, back to the passage that Jade was addressing first hour. I am preaching a message today that I wish that Mary and I had heard from our pastor 30-some years ago when we were young parents. And the title of this message today is, Halloween, tricked by trunk or treat. Ephesians chapter 5. We read, beginning in verse 6, "...let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness." By the way, who is he talking about in verse 7? Be not ye therefore partakers with them, unbelievers, children of disobedience. For ye were sometimes darkness, ye used to be where they were, but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Paul says, verse 11, And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light. For whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore, he saith, awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. This time of the year, many concerned Christian parents are asking, should I let my children celebrate Halloween? What is the will of the Lord on this subject? First of all, to those who ask the question, I would first reply, thank you for asking. Far too many unthinking, paganized, and pseudo-Christians don't really care much about what they should do, or about what the Lord would have them to do, because for far too many unthinking, paganized Christians and pseudo-Christians, the only thing they care about is what they want to do. Or even worse, their only concern in this matter is what their children want to do or what their children want them to do. And far too many parents today are very foolishly more concerned about their children being able to have their fun than they are with teaching their children life lessons that will help them in their teen years when they're confronted head-on with the allurements of the devil. or with training up their children in the way they should go so that when they're old they won't depart from it. As Proverbs 22 verse 6 says. I need to state here that there are also many Christians that do care about what the Bible says and who actually do want to have a balanced approach to this issue. Who don't want to be unreasonably legalistic or pharisaical and who argue from the scriptures as to why Christians do have liberty in this area. There are some of those. And while there are many things that Many Pharisees frown on and condemn that may not be sin, and in which there may be ground for Christian liberty. Paul says here in verse 17, Be ye not unwise, but be understanding what the will of the Lord is. I hope to show in this message why on this issue understanding what the will of the Lord is means recognizing that Christians should have absolutely nothing to do with any type of Halloween observance. I heard a program once on Moody Radio several years ago before I quit listening to Moody Radio. It was a program that was devoted to the many wonderful things that Christians can, in good conscience, do to celebrate Halloween. On a sidebar, I have to say that I really have no doubt whatsoever in my mind that if Dwight L. Moody was here today, he'd say, take my name off that network. He'd say, I want nothing to do with that network. And I also actually believe he'd say the same also about the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago that has fallen into the same path of compromise, apostasy, and ecumenism that most of the churches across this land also have fallen prey to, and actually has in fact, that network has in fact actually helped lead the way down that path of apostasy. Of which this particular radio program several years ago was just one example. But for the next ten days, of course, across this land and every town, every city, as one goes out for a drive through their town or checks local ads, they're going to see church after church after church advertising their upcoming Halloween celebrations, sometimes called fall festivals, but most often called trunk or treat, where the church families line up their cars in the parking lot, they open up their car trunks and they apply their most festive and often most ghoulish Halloween decorations to their cars, so the little kiddos can then trek around trunk-to-trunk begging for treats, filling up their little plastic jack-o'-lanterns with candy and other health foods. Most of the churches in Brooksville, where Mary and I live, are doing exactly that, including the Baptist churches. And most of these churches also advertise, costumes welcome, and some actually giving prizes for the best costume, and others saying non-scary costumes only. I hope to show in this message that whether You call it Halloween, or All Hallows' Eve, or Samhain as Wiccan witches and Satanists call it, Samhain. Because of the way this holiday has been observed by Roman Catholics for several centuries to glorify death itself and to maintain ancient pagan practices of praying to and for the dead, in particular for the souls that they believe are still in purgatory, burning off their sins because Christ's atonement on the cross was allegedly not sufficient to cover their sins. And also because of the way that Wiccan witches and wizards to this day do almost the exact same thing in their occult practices and concur that this particular day, Halloween or Samhain, is one of their most sacred holidays. Also because of the way this so-called holiday, which is supposed to, by the way, mean a holy day, that word holiday is supposed to mean holy day, The way it's observed right now in our culture by non-Christians and the most unholy way in every neighborhood across the land to glorify what God calls the abominable practices of the heathen, the practices of witchcraft and divination, necromancy, Satanism, darkness and evil. For those reasons, I believe this text in Ephesians chapter 5, along with many others throughout the Scriptures tell us that Christians should have nothing whatsoever to do with recognizing, observing, or especially celebrating this satanic so-called holiday at all. And I say that there's no way and there's absolutely no need to attempt to whitewash and Christianize the grossly evil nature of this purely satanic holiday. The proper Christian response to Halloween is to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Prove them wrong, as that word means. And therefore, the best way for a church to make a statement to the community for Christ on this issue is to say, we have nothing to do with this satanic holiday. In your bulletins there, I have a little insert there that includes a printout from a Catholic website that's titled, Halloween is the Vigil of the Catholic Feast of All Saints. And it says, remember Halloween is the vigil of the Catholic holy days of all saints, November 1, and all souls, November 2, which follow immediately after. These feasts are remembrances of our beloved dead, those who are among the saints in heaven and those who remain in the cleansing fire awaiting admittance to paradise. It says, the Church of Santa Maria de la Concepcion the Cappuccini, which, Jane, I think you'll appreciate that means the Church of St. Mary's concession stand and coffee shop. It's famous for its ossuary crypt, which displays the remains of over 4,000 Capuchin monks who went to their eternal reward between A.D. 1500 and 1870. Here it shows a picture of these skeletons dressed in their monk robe. Isn't that nice? You know, you have kids walking around in the streets with that exact costume on, don't you? Yes, indeed. Famous for its ossuary crypt, which displays remains of over 4,000 monks who went to their eternal reward between AD 1500 and 1870, among the remains is a plaque which reads, what you are now, we used to be. What we are now, you will be. Isn't that cryptic? This is a reminder to the faithful, says this Catholic website, of their mortality and the gracious nature of death. Recalling the words of Christ in the parable, thou fool, this very night your life shall be required of you. Wishing you a blessed and contemplative All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. Isn't that a blessed, blessed wish there? So then there's one brief Catholic definition of Halloween. Another Roman Catholic website describes or whitewashes the meaning of Halloween to modern Catholics. It says Halloween, or the EEN, or the evening before all hallows, or the all holy ones, or the saints, is a vigil of two feast days. All Saints Day is November 1. All Souls Day is November 2. On All Saints Day, we celebrate the lives of the saints, especially those in heaven, of course, those who are venerated as saints. On All Souls Day, we remember those who have died, especially in our immediate family. This site says, skeletons and skulls are naturally symbols of Halloween because of All Souls Day, the Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead, as some countries call it. It doesn't hurt us to think about death once in a year. Once a year, we're all going to die someday. Skeletons and skulls remind us of this. I mean, is this whitewashing the whole thing or not? This is a Catholic website. These skeletons and skulls are good. It reminds us of death. We all have to die someday. Figures of devils and witches can also remind us of the ever-present temptation to be like God. So these are good things, says this Catholic website. Halloween is not of the devil, as some fundamentalists say, says this Catholic website. Many denominations don't teach about the communion of saints. No, because it's heresy. So naturally they don't celebrate All Saints Day or All Souls Day. All they have left of Halloween is a pre-Christian superstition about the dead. Their doctrine, of course, of the communion of saints is that we, as Christians here on earth, can communicate and pray to the saints and have them pray for us. The doctrine of the communion of the saints. The same website also describes the pagan origins of Halloween. It says, the true origins of Halloween lie with the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany. For the Celts, November 1 marked the beginning of a new year and coming of winter. The night before the new year, they celebrated the festival of Samhain. spelled Samhain, but it's pronounced Samhain, Lord of the Dead. Samhain was the Lord of the Dead. During this festival, cells believed the souls of the dead, including ghosts, goblins, and witches, returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires. Then it says, but where does the Christian aspect of this holiday come into play? In 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all the martyrs, later all saints, from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallows Even, or Holy Evening. By the way, Pope Gregory curiously did that, by the way, after 500 years of remembering the martyrs on May 13, so that the event would coincide with this pagan holiday of Samhain, just as Rome did with Christ's Mass. Eventually the name, this site says, was shortened to the current Halloween. On November 2nd, the Church celebrates All Souls Day. The purpose of these feasts is to remember those who have died, whether they are officially recognized by the Church as saints or not. It is a celebration of the communion of saints, which reminds us that the Church is not bound by space or time. It says the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that through the communion of saints, a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory, and those who are still pilgrims here on earth. Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things. That's their heretical doctrine. Relative to purgatory and praying for the dead, another Catholic website says this. The Roman Catholic teaching on purgatory reflects this understanding of the communion of saints. We are connected to the saints in heaven, the saints in waiting in purgatory, and other believers here on earth. Prayers for the deceased are not a means of buying their way out of purgatory. It says the Catholic Church is teaching about purgatory from Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1030. It says that all sin, unfortunately, has a life of its own and may have bad effects after the sinner repents. Sincere repentance includes a desire to repair the damage done by one's sins that may or may not be complete before the person dies. Another website says this about that. It says, along with the Feast of All Saints, develop the Feast of All Souls. The Church has consistently encouraged the offering of prayers and mass for the souls of the faithful departed in purgatory. At the time of their death, these souls are not perfectly cleansed of venial sin or have not atoned for past transgressions. and thereby are deprived of the beatific vision, this says. They are therefore deprived of the beatific vision. The faithful on earth can assist these souls in purgatory by attaining the beatific vision through their prayers, good works, and the offering of Mass. That's Catholic doctrine. Is that nuts or what? That's crazy. By the way, I thought the Bible said that Jesus died for my sins according to the Scriptures. I thought Jesus said He came to give His life for ransom for many, Matthew 20, verse 28. I thought Hebrews 9, 12 said, by His own blood He answered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Eternal redemption. I thought Hebrews 10, verse 14 says, for by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Finally, the same website also reveals Halloween's relatively recent birth in the US. It says the current custom of going door-to-door to collect treats actually started in Ireland hundreds of years ago, actually thousands of years ago. When an influx of Irish Catholic immigrants came to the United States in the 1800s, the custom of trick-or-treating came with them. It says, does your family carve a pumpkin to place on your porch for Halloween? If so, you can once again thank the Irish for the tradition. Actually, it says the custom began with a turnip. People would hollow out the turnips and place lighted candles inside to scare off the evil spirits. When the Irish came to America, they discovered the pumpkin is a larger substitute for the turnip. And so we now carve pumpkins instead of turnips for Halloween. That's from AmericanCatholic.org. Here's another whitewash about the Day of Death. It says, Halloween has strong roots in paganism and witchcraft. It began as a Druid festival of Samhain. The Celts considered November 1st a day of death because in the northern hemisphere this was the beginning of winter, the leaves were falling, it was getting darker and temperatures were dropping. They believed that their sun god was losing strength and Samhain, the lord of death, was overpowering the sun god. The Druids also taught that on 31 October, on the eve of the feast, Samhain assembled the spirits of all who had died during the previous year to return to their former home to visit the living. relative to human animal sacrifices. It says, on Halloween for thousands of years, Druid priests have conducted diabolical worship ceremonies in which cats, horses, sheep, oxen, human beings, and other offerings were rounded up, stuffed into wicked cages, and burned to death. These human and animal sacrifices were apparently required to appease Samhain and keep the spirits from harming them. So the history of trick-or-treat. To obtain these sacrifices, Druid priests would go from house to house asking for fatted calves, black sheep, and human beings. Those who gave were promised prosperity, and those who refused to give were threatened and cursed. This is the origin of trick-or-treat, says this one website. The modern custom of going door-to-door asking for candy goes back to the time of the Druids. They believed that sinful, lost souls were released upon the earth by Samhain for one night on October 31st while they awaited their judgment. They were thought to come to the houses of the living. People greatly feared these spirits and thought that the spirits would harm and even kill them Sacrifices they gave did not appease Samhain, et cetera, et cetera. They carved demonic faces into pumpkins, as are large turnips, placing a candle in them to keep the evil spirits away from their homes. The observance of All Hallows' Eve was banned, actually, in all the Protestant colonies of America. And it was not really popular in America until the 20th century or the late 19th century when it spread from the Irish Catholic settlements. And it was later, of course, re-energized by the Wiccans and the Satanists. It was preached against. What's that? It was preached against and they had laws against it. Absolutely, that's correct. It was preached against and they had laws against it. That's correct. This is from an article in Wikipedia about Samhain. It says, Samhain is believed to have Celtic pagan or Druid origins and there is evidence that it has been an important date since ancient times. It says, the Mound of the Hostages, a Neolithic passage tomb at the Irish Hill of Tara, is aligned with the Samhain sunrise. It is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and Many important events in Irish mythology happen or begin on Samhain. It was a time when cattle were brought back down from the summer pastures and when livestock were slaughtered for the winter. As at Beltane, special bonfires were lit. These were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers, and there were rituals involving them. Like Beltane, which is another satanic holiday, Samhain was seen as a liminal time, when the boundary between this world and the other world could more easily be crossed. That's what this website says. This meant that the SC, which in other words the druid name for the evil spirits or the fairies that were feared by the druids, actually called the Sith by pagans in Scotland. Notably, by the way, the term also used in Star Wars of the evil enemies of the Jedi. This says, Salon was seen as a liminal time when the boundary between this world and the other world could be more easily crossed. This meant that the Sith, I'll use that word, that could more easily come into our world. Most scholars see the Sith as remnants of the pagan gods and nature spirits. In other words, by the way, these are the devils that Paul said the pagans offer their sacrifices to. In 1 Corinthians 10, 19-22, Paul says, what say I then? That the idol is anything? Or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? He says, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice They sacrifice to devils and not to God. And I would not that you should have fellowship with devils. He says verse 21 of 1 Corinthians 10. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? At Samhain, back to this article from Wikipedia, at Samhain it was believed that the Sith needed to be propitiated to ensure that the people and their livestock survived the winter. Offerings of food and drink were left outside for them. The souls of the dead were also thought to revisit their home seeking hospitality. Feasts were had at which the souls of the dead kin were beckoned to attend in a place set at the table for them. It says mumming and guising were part of the festival and involved people going door to door in costume or in disguise, often reciting verses in exchange for food. The costumes may have been a way of imitating and disguising oneself from the Sith, or the SC. Divination rituals and games were also part of the big festival, and often involved bobbing for apples, which was a method of divination added by the Romans, actually, when they invaded Ireland in 43 AD. The article says, some tales suggest that offerings of sacrifices were made at Samhain, including human sacrifices, and the Book of Invasions Each Samhain, the people of Nemed had to give two-thirds of their children, their corn and their milk to the monstrous Formorians. The Formorians seem to represent the harmful or destructive powers of nature, personifications of chaos, darkness, death, blight, and drought. This tribute paid by Nemed's people may represent a sacrifice offered at the beginning of winter when the powers of darkness and blight are in the ascendant." According to the Annals of the Four Masters, which actually was written, the article says, by Christian monks. It was actually by Catholic monks, the Annals of the Four Masters. These monks said Samhain in ancient Ireland was associated with a god or idol called Crom-Croc. The text claimed that a firstborn child would be sacrificed at the stone idol of Crom-Croc. They say that King Tigermas and 3 4th of his people died while worshiping Crom-Croc there when Samhain. So the Catholic All Souls Day. just as Samhain is the day of the dead when the ancient Druids would offer human sacrifices to their Lord the dead. There is obviously much common ground between Catholics and modern pagans just as there is between Catholics and ancient pagans and that's especially true concerning the dead. While Catholics are busy praying both for and to dead people on Samhain or Halloween, pagans are likewise doing the same thing with their dead ancestors, while some more serious satanic groups still practice the ancient Druid human-animal sacrifice. Tom Sangman, a former high priest in Wicca, has said that the modern holiday that we call Halloween has its origins in the full moon closest to November 1st, the witch's new year. It's a time when the spirits of the demons are supposed to be at their peak power and revisiting planet Earth. and one pagan witch describes the importance of Halloween for communicating with the dead, just as with, by the way, the Catholic practice. There is a recognition of our close ties with our ancestors, says the Satanist, and a recognition that the veils between the worlds are thin at this time of year, as that article also said in Wikipedia. I want to add here at this point that these doctrines of demons that we're reading about here are not gospel truth. I'm quoting this material for the sole purpose of showing the evil and the pagan history of Halloween, the Catholic and the Pagan's Day of the Dead, and how it glorifies pagan ritual idolatry and doctrines of demons. However, these are doctrines of demons that are not to be taken as gospel truth. I've heard out-of-whack preachers and self-appointed Internet watchmen on the Internet, trying to sound like spiritual gurus, quoting from these doctrines as though it's Bible truth. One preacher recently, I heard quoting this almost verbatim, saying, well, we know that the veils between the worlds are thin at this time of year, so that's why we see more demonic activity and October surprises at this time of year. Well, show me that in the Bible. That's not taught in the Bible. So don't be teaching that as gospel truth. We're not to get our spiritual insight from pagan witches. Regarding necromancy, which is seeking spiritual insight from the dead, seeking spiritual insight from the dead. Isaiah says in Isaiah 8, 19-20, And when I shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that mutter. Should not a people seek to their God? Isaiah says, For the living to the dead. In other words, are you going to make inquiry from the dead on behalf of the living? Isaiah says, To the law and to the testimony. If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Back to the quote from this pagan witch on the importance of Halloween for communicating with the dead. She said, there is a recognition of our close ties with our ancestors and a recognition that the veils between the worlds are thin at this time of the year. On Halloween, pagans will usually prepare a meal and set plates for dead relatives, just as the Druids did, by the way, thousands of years ago. Just as the favorite foods of deceased relatives are prepared, the meal is usually consumed in total silence. They're still doing this today. After the meal, the food that was set out for the deceased is poured out in the woods as an offering to spirits. Another awakened high priestess, calling herself a high priestess, Marsha Smith, describes in like manner the importance of Halloween for communion with departed spirits, saying, it's a time to celebrate our ancestors and to communicate with the other side through meditation or trio cards or by inviting the spirits to possess us, she said. We believe souls are reincarnated and our loved ones come back to be with us again. That's from Los Angeles Daily News. Alright, so what does the Bible say about these things? Deuteronomy 18 verse 9 to 14. It says, When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do of the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, that means offered like to Molech, or that uses divination, which is fortune-telling, practice of seeking knowledge of future of the unknown through spiritual means, like poem reading or psychic readings or fortune cookies, whatever. Divination. There shall not be one that uses divination or observer of times, like astrologers or an enchanter or a witch or a charmer or a consulter with familiar spirits, meaning with demons, or a wizard, probably a reference to a male witch, or a necromancer, one who consults the dead. 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. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. For these nations which thou shalt possess hearken unto observing of times, observers of times, not to diviners. But as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee to do so. Leviticus 19, verse 31 says, Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 20, verse 6 says, And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. God says All these things that Halloween is observed to glorify and to celebrate and to revel in are abominations to him. And so, the liberal or the antinomian or the compromiser says, well that's the Old Testament. The law also says eating pork and shrimp and lobster and catfish, fish without scales, is also an abomination. Well, that's true. But the New Testament says that we have been freed from the dietary laws, not so with these idolatrous acts that boil down to the worship of demons. These things are all forbidden in the New Testament as well. That's why we read this of the pagans at Ephesus in Acts chapter 19. Who repented of their idolatry and believed on the Lord Jesus. We read Acts 19 verse 17. And this was known to all the Jews and the Greeks dwelling also at Ephesus. And fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified." A lot of people are getting saved here in Ephesus. Acts 19. Verse 18, we read, "...and many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds, and confessed their former sins." Verse 19, "...many of them also, which used curious arts, brought their books together, and burned them before all men. And they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver." That's a lot of magic books. A lot of books. They came and burned them. That's what Christians are to do when they repent and trust Christ as their Savior. Amen. Peter commanded, we know, Simon the sorcerer, in Acts chapter 8, to repent of this thy wickedness. In 1 Timothy 4, verse 1 to 2, we read, Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies and hypocrisy, and having their conscience seared with a hot iron." Many Christians today have their conscience seared with a hot iron and think it's okay for us to glory in this stuff. Romans 13 verse 12 says, "...the night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." Paul says, as we know in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14, "...be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?" And what communion hath light with darkness? What concord hath Christ with Belial? What part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 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. Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. I'll be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord." Turn please to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. I found an article by a man who claims to be a former Satanist, but who now serves as an alleged Christian counselor with Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel. By the way, as a fountainhead for all kinds of emergent church heresy and apostasy in our day, including that of Chuck Missler, who hails from that church, and others affiliated with Calvary Chapel. Actually, Brother Reg has a very well documented on his YouTube channel ministry, Rescuing the Church. By the way, I really encourage you guys, if you haven't done so, to take advantage of it. Brother Reg has posted almost 100 videos so far, some very brief, but exposing and refuting many heresies of our time. You guys really need to check out Reg's channel. Here's what this alleged Christian counselor from Calvary Chapel says. after describing some of his experiences in Satanism, and he explains earlier in this article why Goofy is his favorite Disney character, and why he plans to dress up as Goofy for Halloween, Christian counselor allegedly. He says, I'm not to be dominated by darkness. That's true. Especially in my mindset, he says. Satan is no more active on Halloween than any other day of the year. Now that's true. Yet so many of us allow ourselves to be dominated by fear. for no reason. Enjoy Halloween, he says. How? By being free. I know that the theme of death surrounds the celebration of Halloween. I know that the activities of Halloween had pagan beginnings. I know that there are even criminally minded occultists that do very evil things on Halloween. Yeah, like child ritual sacrifice. What's that? He's giving all the arguments against it, he sure is. He said, but that doesn't nullify the reality that we are not to be dominated by all this. So we can participate in it. Don't let it dominate you, just revel in it. This is a Christian counselor. We're not to be dominated by all this. We can celebrate life instead of death. We can participate in activities without compromising our Christian faith. Let me explain this one. Bobbing for apples may have been used as a means of divination. But when I bob, I'm not dividing anything. I'm simply attempting to get an apple out of the water without drowning. I'm playing and enjoying myself, free from the pagan practice. No, you're doing the pagan practice. Oh my goodness. He says, and since there may be criminally minded occultists out there doing very evil things on Halloween, I, as a Holy Spirit filled Christian, should be out there doing very godly things. So these are very godly. This is what this guy says. This Christian counselor from Calvary Chapel. These may sound to some like fine-sounding arguments. They don't to me. To me, they sound like doctrines of demons. I would, however, point out that dressing up in a goofy costume and going out trick-or-treating is not being out there doing very godly things, as he says. It is, in fact, participating in a pagan practice that goes back to the Druids. And that, by the way, underscores the type of poison that comes out of Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel. How does Paul answer this argument? Such a mature Christian who fully understands the liberty that he has in Christ. This guy is a mature Christian, right? Understands the liberty he has in Christ, or he thinks he does. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10, verse 19, What say I then? That the idol is anything? Or that which is offered and sacrificed to idols is anything? But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. I would that you should not have fellowship with devils." He says, you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of devils. He says, do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? He says, all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Paul says, I know the idol is nothing. He says, I know that the candy and the Halloween costume and the trunk or treat party and the ghost and the goblins are nothing. He says, I know that. But Paul says, look what is behind it. Look what they're doing. These things all glorify the devil. And if you want to glorify these things, then it's probably because you want to glorify your father, the devil, rather than the Lord Jesus. And Paul says, yes, we have liberty in Christ, but we have no liberty to flirt with or to enjoy ourselves in pagan practices designed to glorify Satanism, witchcraft, and the Lord of the dead." To the contrary, Paul says, 1 Corinthians 10, verse 31, "...whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all for the glory of God." It says in Colossians 3, 17, "...or whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." And I submit that a church cannot and a Christian cannot observe, celebrate, or even recognize Satan's Day of the Dead in the name of the Lord Jesus or to the glory of God. It can't be done. I'd also submit that this alleged Christian counselor needs to look for another line of work. Yes, there are debatable practices that some believe are sin that may not be sin at all. where there is liberty in the privacy of one's home, where he's not going to weaken the conscience of the weaker brother and flaunt his liberty in this man's face. This Paul makes very clear in 1 Corinthians 8, which we should do a message on. Paul also says in that context, 1 Corinthians 8, verse 9, But take heed, lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak. And by the way, that is especially true when it comes to the weak consciences of little children, some of whose consciences, basically, are being seared by their own parents, for which one day they will give an account. Revelation, we read that even until the day Jesus comes, there will be those who refuse to repent of their magic arts, that they might be saved. Revelation 9, verse 20. It says, "...and the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." There is no way, there's absolutely no need to attempt to whitewash and Christianize the grossly evil nature of this purely satanic holiday. The proper Christian response to Halloween is to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them, prove them wrong. And therefore, the best way for a church, again, to make a statement to the community for Christ on this issue is to say we have nothing to do with this satanic holiday. The best thing for Christian parents to do at this time is to teach their children that as Christians We have been called to come out from among the pagans and the heathen and be separate. We've been called to holiness and to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to reprove them. But Halloween is just harmless fun. It's just a harmless way to have fun, let the kids go out and get some candy. Question for you. What does it teach your children? To train them it's okay to follow the abominable practices of the heathen to have fun. What does it teach children when we train them that it's OK for Christians to imitate pagan fun? How long will it be until your children realize that the world can outdo Christians on pagan fun? The Bible says, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. But we're spiritually mature and we have liberty in this area. How spiritually mature are your children? The Bible says in Matthew 18, verse 6, but whoso shall offend, that means, by the way, to seduce or to cause to sin. Whoso shall offend or seduce one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, that he were drowned in the depths of the sea. Paul says, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. He said in Romans 14 verse 22, Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. Y'all know I preached about it before. I hate legalism. I hate Phariseeism. What we're talking about here today is participation in an observance of a completely satanic holiday. I do not believe that Christians are at any liberty to celebrate the devil's holiday. And if parents teach their children that Halloween is just for fun, they're teaching them that witchcraft and paganism itself is just for fun. There's nothing cute or fun about witchcraft or Satanism. I think time spent with your kids would have far more value and quality if you want to spend some quality time with them, but if it's spent teaching them, why we don't celebrate Halloween. Especially in this late day, by the way, when thousands of teenagers across, I mean millions of teenagers are rejecting the Bible, flirting with the devil, and literally turning to darkness and to witchcraft. Turn back to Ephesians chapter 5. I don't think that Paul had Halloween in mind when he penned this passage in Ephesians chapter 5. This is clearly, I think, one of the most appropriate of Paul's exhortations in the New Testament to apply directly to the pagan observance of the satanic holiday of Halloween, the Catholic Day of the Dead, and the pagan glorification of the Lord of the Dead on sowing. In Ephesians chapter 5, verse 13, we read this. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light. Whatsoever doth make manifest is light, Wherefore, he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, for in Christ shall I give thee light. First Paul says here, Awake thou that sleepest. Somewhat reminiscent, by the way, of Proverbs 6, verse 9. It says, How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Paul says here, Awake thou that sleepest. And I have to say that Christian parents that think it's okay for their kids to celebrate Halloween are definitely asleep at the switch. And as those young children grow into their teen years, having been taught to compromise and to allow participation in the darkness of this culture's paganism, they will then be far more open to rejecting the Christian faith altogether and falling headlong into the devil's many other allurements he has waiting for them. Personally, I've seen it happen, and it's very painful. First Paul says in verse 14 of Ephesians 5, Wake thou that sleepest. And then he says, Arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. I asked myself the same question Jay did. Jay covered this first hour. Why is Paul telling Christians to rise from the dead? If that's what he's saying here to Christians. If he's saying that to Christians. Didn't they do that when they were born again? Jay covered that first hour. He said it was a reference to Isaiah chapter 60 verse 1. And it only applies as a command for the unbeliever to be born again. I think that verse 14 here does certainly harmonize very well with that verse in Isaiah 60 that Jay brought up, and that Paul may well have even had that passage in view, and he was applying it here to unbelievers and to make-believers. I would also like to offer another explanation, or at least maybe another application, since the passage as a whole pretty much applies to Christians, although he does make reference there also to unbelievers. I would suggest that Paul may be saying here that to Christians, you're living like an unbeliever. Wake up! You used to be in darkness, verse 8, but you're not supposed to go back into that darkness now. For you were sometimes darkness, verse 8, but now are ye a light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. And in verse 11 he says, And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Ephesians 5, 14, he says, Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. And though born-again believers obviously have been resurrected from spiritual death, Sometimes the way that they're living may well lead others to conclude that they're not saved. So I think Paul may well be talking here to those who have wandered out of the way of understanding and are acting like unbelievers, possibly. Proverbs 21 verse 16 says, Paul may be saying here to Christians who act like pagans, you've wandered out of the way of understanding. You're trying to fellowship with those who are remaining in the congregation of the dead, the unsaved. Repent of your pagan practices and mindset. Come back out from among the congregation of the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. I do see that as a possible interpretation or perhaps an application of that verse. Halloween is a time that pagans, including Catholics, Catholic pagans, set aside to glorify death and evil. Halloween is a time that pagans go to haunted houses to glorify and revel in fear and horror. But Christians have not been given a spirit of fear. the power of love and of a sound mind. Halloween is a time that pagans put on their costumes to look like witches and wizards and zombies and other evil characters. Christians are commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5.22 to abstain from all appearances of evil. So Paul says, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee life. Verse 15, he says, See then that ye walk circumspectly, meaning examining yourself. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11.31, where it says, if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. In other words, we would not be chastised for our compromise. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. There are much better things Christian parents can do with their time than to take their children trunk-retreating, like staying at home, put your porch light on, and hand out tracts to trick-or-treaters that need to hear the gospel. and train your children that we've been called to holiness rather than to compromise. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. The conclusion of the matter here, I believe, is summed up in Ephesians 5.11. It says, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Let's go ahead and pray. Father in heaven, Lord, I do thank you for your word. I thank you for the expectations it gives us. I thank you, Lord, for those gathered here that want to obey it. And I pray, Lord, that you'd help us all to be wise as parents and as grandparents and to train up our children in the way that they should go, so when they're old, they won't depart out of it. Give us wisdom and courage to do the right thing here, Lord. In Jesus' name, we do pray. Amen.