To Trick or Treat or Not to Trick or Treat?

"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. Eat anything that is sold in the meat market, without asking questions for conscience' sake. For the earth is the Lord's, and all it contains. (1 Corinthians 10:23-26; NIV)

It's Halloween again very soon, my friends. And so I thought I might deal with the question of whether or not Christians should participate in costume parades and door-to-door trick-or-treating, etc. Without going into the history of Halloween, let me just say we can all agree there's much about this holiday's origins that isn't good. Therefore those who believe Christians should have nothing to do with Halloween have a very good point. And more power to them. But what about the other side of the coin (which I believe there is another side of the coin)? What about those who still choose to participate in Halloween despite it's origins? Do they have a leg to stand on? I submit to you they do based on the verses above. In them the Apostle Paul talks about the believer's freedom. The issue in Paul's day was whether or not a Christian could eat meat sacrificed to idols. Pagans used to do just that. They would dedicate meat to their so-called "gods." Then they'd sell the meat in the marketplace to anyone who would buy it. So the question was, "Could believers eat that kind of meat?" Paul's answer in the above verses was that it was okay to eat meat sold in the marketplace that had previously been sacrificed to idols ("Eat anything that is sold in the meat market"). It was not unlawful to do it. It was not a sin. (Is that a sigh of relief I hear from some followers of the Lord?) And yet I would go on to say to these believers who choose to participate in Halloween (this statement of mine also finds it's basis in the above passage), "Is it still the best thing to do even if it is permissible? Or might it be better to attend a church-sponsored alternative celebration and bring your unsaved friends and neighbors along with you?" Even if the church you're attending doesn't offer one, there are other churches in the area that do. Ultimately, the decision "to Trick or Treat or not to Trick or Treat" is yours, beloved, in this matter. Enjoy your freedom in Christ. "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)

Christ's Love For You

The "Luck" of Barabbas

Barabbas. Do you remember him? He was the guy when Jesus was before Pilate who was offering for someone to be let go - it was Barabbas who got to go. You talk about "luck." That's what many in our society would call it. While as believers--how many of you know we don't live life with that kind of "chance" mentality? Rather, we know things happen for a reason. We know there's a God behind it all that causes this and that to take place and allows this and that or disallows this and that. We, as believers, don't live thinking it's by chance that things happen. Barabbas wasn't chosen to be in the running for freedom in Pilate's court that day long ago by chance. Uh uh. Instead, it was by design. It was God's "design" that Barabbas was chosen. It was because God wanted Barabbas there that he was there. It was because God wanted Barabbas set free. ******* And isn't that what God's favor and grace is all about? "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). God's favor and grace. It's all about people being chosen for freedom (from sin) not based on who they are or what they've done in the past, but rather based on because God's love has decided for it to happen (Rom. 5:8). God had decided that Barabbas should go free though he was a "notorious prisoner" (Mt. 27:16) and though he had insurrection in his blood. (Barabbas had robbed and murdered the Bible says.) Despite Barabbas' wickedness, God decided that Jesus should be held and killed and Barabbas be let go (when it should have been the other way around). Isn't that amazing? And it's all the more amazing when you understand the story of Barabbas is really a story about you and a story about me. We are all prisoners of sin with no hope of release (just like Barabbas!). And yet God's design is that Jesus take our place and die that we might be set free. O the depths of the riches of God's favor and grace! It's enough to make a person shout, "Hallelujah!"

All You Need is Love - Part 2

In Part 1 of this blog post series I spoke of the Beatles' song: "All You Need is Love," and how many couples believe that's what it takes to stay together: l-o-v-e, love. Yet I suggested that the kind of l-o-v-e, love, that it takes to stay together is different than what many people understand. Many people's understanding of love is that it's based on feelings. And so when the feelings are gone, that's when they're ready to throw in the towel and give up. But the love that makes a marriage go the distance ('til death do us part!) is much different than a feelings-based kind of love. This other love is an unselfish kind. It's a love that's based aside from feelings. And so when the feelings are gone, this love remains. And this love, it says, "You know, I don't care if the toilet paper isn't put on the right way like mom used to do it. I don't care if the toothpaste tube is squeezed from the middle. I don't care if she only wears make-up in public and not around the house. I don't care if I have to search to find his other sock for the umpteenth time." This is the kind of love that enables a marriage to go the distance. It's the love of commitment to your spouse no matter how you feel. "And even if your health is failing. And even if I have to get you in and out of a wheelchair because you're getting older, I'll do it. I'll do it! Because my love for you, honey, has nothing to do with how I feel or if I'm inconvenienced or anything else." This is the kind of love that enables a marriage to go the distance. Those of you who've been married a while know it's true. And it's surprising when you love somebody aside from your feelings - it's surprising how, oftentimes, the feelings, if they've gone, they come back and they're much deeper than before. The Beatles were right. "All You Need is Love" is really all you need in a marriage. We husbands and wives just gotta make sure it's the right kind of love.

All You Need is Love - Part 1

"All You Need is Love." It's the Beatle's song long ago in the 60s. Wasn't it? - those of you who are getting old like me? (Yes, I was around in the 60s!) It's the Beatle's song: "All You Need is Love." And it's true in marriage. All you need is love. And men and women enter into marriage realizing how important love is to making marriage work. And these are "in love." And they know they're "in love." And how do they know they're "in love"? Well, they know it because they feel it. They feel "in love." And when you get around Mr. or Mrs. Right, isn't it true? There are all those goosebumps and chills and light-headedness for some and the hormones start running wild. Amen? And it's love. It's love. It really is! "And I just know it because I have these feelings of love." And then the wedding comes. And the honeymoon. And Hawaii or wherever you're going. And laying on the beach and snorkeling and candlelight dinners. And the Beatle's song, "All You Need is Love." And everything's just going so smoothly. And you're both getting along so well. But then, lo and behold, something happens that you didn't see coming. The first shoe drops, so to speak, as, how many of you know, it always seems to? And the first shoe drops. And you see it. What do you see? You see the toilet paper isn't put on the right way like how mom used to do it back at home when you were growing up. After all, it's supposed to be rolled and coming over the top - right? - and not from under. "Whoever does it from under? Doesn't my wife know anything?" And the feelings of love are fading just a bit after only 24 hours. It happens with some. (How long was it that Britney Spears' marriages have lasted?) But you get back on track despite the toilet paper thing and the feelings of love fading just a bit. You get back on track. And a little while longer passes by in your marriage. And you're living together. And it was the first shoe that dropped a long, long time ago. And now it's another shoe that drops. The difference with this one as opposed to the first one, is this shoe happens to now be the 12,876th shoe that drops. "And you know, I could put up with the previous 12,875 irritations," some husbands and wives have been known to say, "but this is where I draw the line." "And just what's such a big deal with him and - and squeezing the toothpaste tube from the middle? I mean, no one in their right mind ever does it like that." Right? Or ladies, maybe in your house - maybe in your house it's - it's the toilet seat your husband just can't seem to remember to put it down. And, quite frankly, that's the last time you're going for a swim (skinny dipping?), thank you. And the feelings of love again - they're all but gone now after 5 years or 10 or however long it is. "After all, I just don't feel like I'm 'in love' anymore," some husbands and wives have also been known to say. And it's what happens to many marriages that start out so promising and with high expectations. And the problem really isn't that love disappears in these marriages after the many shoes that inevitably drop. The problem, rather, I'm convinced, is that husbands and wives don't have it in mind the kind of love that enables a marriage to go the distance. I'll talk more about it in "All You Need is Love - Part 2" to come soon.