We will finish part 3 of the “Christian and Halloween” but a parenthesis is necessary to express a truth.
Many Christians state that they believe that the Bible alone is the source of all faith and practice. Yet the growing lack of true Biblical knowledge and a defense of personal practice based upon personal feelings reveal otherwise. It is alarming to me how often a professing Christian is willing to defend a practice completely while being unwilling to even examine Biblical and/or historical evidence regarding the subject. Concerning the celebration of Halloween, I am more concerned that many Christians are unwilling to think through their practice, examine facts, search the Scripture diligently for Biblical principles, and then come up with a decision on whether they should or should no participate than I am concerned about what their actual decision is. It is what appears to be an unwillingness to do Biblical thinking and honest evaluation of any practice that clashes with tradition, comfort, pleasure, or entertainment that is the real problem. Before we examine the final installment of this series. Be willing to be like the Bereans and to “Search the Scriptures daily to see if these things be so.” Follow the advice of Solomon in Proverbs and “Incline your heart to wisdom.”
Dr. Albert Mohler, one whom I don’t always agree with, but I respect due to his insistence on thinking through Christian practice honestly and Biblically, recently wrote an article about the Christian and yoga. It is pretty straightforward stuff. But the torrent of responses he received from professing Christians bashing his article and defending yoga is appalling. Not just that professing Christians defended yoga (which by the mouth of the unsaved themselves is a religious practice, not just exercise) but it seems that not one response came with a Biblical perspective or even a Scriptural quote or reference. The defense by these Christians who enjoyed yoga was completely filled with acceptance of yoga simply because “it really helped me spiritually,” and “I prayed about it,” and one of the most intriguing, “I get much more out of yoga and meditation than I ever get out of a sermon in church.” These types of responses places a persons feelings, motives, and intentions on a higher plane than Scripture. And that is dangerous because we can rationalize any and all sorts of practices if we really set our minds to it. It is pragmatism, doing something not based on a moral absolute, but based upon the fact that it appears to work or do something good. Pragmatism is dangerous because a lot of practices could do good or work, but that doesn’t make them right. As the old saying goes, “The road to hell is lined with good intentions.” A good example of this is false religions, they may do good things for society (feed the poor, help the homeless, educate the simple) but that doesn’t make them right or holy.
What does this have to do with the Christian and Halloween? As we look at the final installment of the article, I implore you, dear reader(s) to have an open mind and heart. Be willing to take any practice and faithfully search the Scriptures, diligently seeking to understand Biblical principles, and then apply them to your practice. Be thoroughly Biblical, and if you come to a different conclusion than I do based upon good thinking in the Scripture and proper interpretation, that is just fine. My plea is not for people to do what I do, or believe what I believe, but for professing Christians to be willing to think intelligently and logically through an issue with the Bible truly as the foundation of any and all practices.
Here is a link to Dr. Mohler’s article on yoga link here
Here is a link to Dr. Mohler’s follow up article where he talks about the various responses he received link here
HT: Mark Farnham
Be First to Comment