Today is ALL SAINTS' DAY in which the Christians who lived as martyrs and died as martyrs --- and who , because of their dedication to The LORD JESUS , caused others to give THANKS TO THE LORD --- were remembered and honored.
Glory be to The LORD JESUS CHRIST.
This day --- November 1 --- used to be called "All Hallows' Day" , hallow meaning holy (ones).
The EVE or EVENing or abbreviated, e'en --- before ALL HALLOWS DAY --- thus was abbreviated even more into “hallowe’en” or as we know it, halloween.
Starting in the 4th Century, the martyrs were originally remembered in a church service around the Easter or Pentecost seasons.
In the 9th century, Believers in the British Isles seemed to have changed to November 1 to remember the martyred Christian saints. Some say it coincided with their ancient cultural day of Samhain, a remembrance of the dead. That connection is debated by some; ancient records exist but are missing enough information to be unconvincing to some.
For centuries, church groups in a variety of locations across the globe remembered the martyred Christians on one day or another during the Christian calendar.
That remembrance was to BUILD the faith, to EDIFY the members of Body of CHRIST , to stand for CHRIST JESUS no matter what might happen to them.
It became the custom to start the ALL HALLOWS’ DAY the evening before with a solemn church service and that remembrance continued for TWO days:
· the first day commemorated the Christian martyrs
· the second day commemorated the Believers ( in that particular locale ) who had died in the Faith
However, during the profane 19th Century, it became fashionable to MOCK the remembrance of the Christian martyrs.
It was the devil's mockery of all the saints --- the Believers in CHRIST JESUS --- that he ( the devil ) was permitted to put to death, to his eternal damnation and to their eternal glory !
The satan excited the unholy, ungodly public to join him in mocking the death of the Christian martyrs on the evening BEFORE the Holy Christian church HONORED the remembrance of the saints ( the Hallowed ones --- the holy ones ) for their martyrdom.
Nowadays, few remember to honor or remember the martyrs of The LORD on November 1 . . . or any time during the Christian Calendar . Few read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs or the Martyrs’ Mirror or other books recounting the exploits of those
who STOOD FOR CHRIST JESUS,
for HIS+ HOLY WORD,
or for HIS+ TRUTH. . . .
who loved not their lives,
even unto death.
Even fewer remember WHY halloween even came about.
To the public, it is just a fun day to dress goofy, act crazy, eat candy, and do pranks. Pumpkin faces and skeletons and ghosts . . . the ungodly and un-redeemed public and the unsanctified and worldly church knows not why they even decorate with these items.
Worse, the acceptable public culture teaches school children to do the same.
Neither the public nor the school children have any idea what they are mocking or whom they are following ( the satan ).
Churches with their “alternative” halloween parties forsake the teaching of truth, compromising TRUTH and submitting it to their motive to “draw children” to come to a “fun-filled” church.
More’s the pity. Does the END justify the means ?
If the Christians feel no conviction when they compromise the Truth, then what do they have to give the children they are drawing ?
It would be far better FOR THE CHILDREN to hear a few stories of those dear Christian martyrs who died for JESUS, both past and present. A few selected, true stores along with a simple slide show would etch on the children what it means to follow JESUS with your whole heart.
Children, like us all, are drawn to STRENGTH; that is why they are drawn to strong athletes. Let us implant examples of TRUE STRENGTH in the children.
Yes, ALL SAINTS’ DAY is simply a tradition of the church, albeit an early one. If used correctly it will EDIFY the church.
However, if Christians make “alternative” Halloween celebrations into yet another cultural play-time like Easter and Christmas, we have compromised our calling and MISSED the opportunity to strengthen the Flock and to redeem the strangers that are drawn into our midst.
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