Reformation Day, October 31st

 

Why would a Baptist Church participate in an event that is replacement for Halloween – a day with many unbiblical themes?  Well, first, October 31^st is Reformation Day, a very important day to the modern believer in Christ.  Can you imagine if you came to worship God at the closest house of worship and found an iron fence between you and the front of the building?  What if you were not allowed to sing or speak, the service was conducted in a foreign language, and your only role was that of a spectator?  What if it was against the law to have an English Bible in your house and the only person who could take the Lord’s Supper was the preacher?  What if some of your relatives were put to death because they were caught with a Bible in their everyday language in their possession?  Would you consider it a problem if the only Bible in town was chained to a pulpit behind the iron fence?  How would you like it if street preachers sold little paper tickets to heaven for money so that one could buy salvation for himself or herself or someone else?  Such was the case in Europe when God saved a monk named Martin Luther from sin and hell. 

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 questions for the Roman Catholic Church on the door of the church’s building in Wittenberg, Germany.  The door served as the public bulletin board.  Even though there were many little ones prior to it, this one event sparked the reformation fire that swept across Europe and later to America.  We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to that courageous monk and his pen, hammer, and nail.  To not celebrate Reformation Day is to forget our past, our heritage, and our roots.  Martin Luther was the first one that we know of in 2000 years of church history to write about the priesthood of believers.  He would not submit to outside ecclesiastical authority when they contradicted the Bible and was very unflattering to the one-man ruler of the church of his day. 

Besides clear teaching on the priesthood of believers, the other war cries of the Reformation were:

Faith Alone: Works cannot save, add to salvation, or maintain salvation.  Justification is by faith alone, not faith plus works.  Yet, saving faith will never be alone.

Christ Alone: Jesus is the only Mediator between God and men; no one else will do.

Glory Alone: The glory for all things must go to God alone, not man.  The highest goal of a person’s life should be to glorify God in everything.

Scripture Alone: The Bible is the chief authority for the believer, not a pope, council, or a document from a council, especially one’s that contradict the Bible.

Grace Alone: Man is sinful, radically depraved and spiritually dead. But God gives believers an undeserved gift of love, not based on any human merit, not by human works, but by a free and loving gift from God Himself to those who deserve His wrath.

So while some Christians surrender this day to the enemy and his forces, I am encouraging you to take time each year to celebrate Reformation Day.  Yes, it is true, some families sit in the dark in the back of their houses on this night, muting their TV each time there is a knock on their door.  Others are more pro-active and limit their children’s costumes to themes that are associated with good things, while a parent drops a tract and candy bar in each bag of the children that come to the house.  However, there is another option.  Many churches do just like we do.  They celebrate Reformation Day, under many different names with a time of fun and offering safe candy to the children, while seizing the day to spread the gospel.  A Reformation day celebration is just for that purpose. 

Yes, it is wrong for Christians to take part in occult activities and it may not be wise to make a joke out of serious and dangerous things.  But remember, God’s “don’t” always has a “do.”  When God says, “Do not commit murder,” He wants us to understand the positive command, “You shall preserve life.”  In Colossians 3:5-17, Paul gives a list of things we are to stop doing.  In each case he gives us a replacement.  This principal is so important that he also includes a put-off list and then a put-on-in-its-place list in the book of Ephesians.  Paul writes, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; {23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds; {24} and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. {25} Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. {26} "In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, {27} and do not give the devil a foothold. {28} He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. {29} Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. {30} And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. {31} Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. {32} Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Eph 4:22-32 NIV).

If we take our Bible’s seriously, then it is always a mistake to give a list of restrictions and “do not’s” without replacing them with something that is godly and far better in every respect.  Thus, should it not be our goal on the next school day after October 31^st for the conversations between the children of Christian families and the unchurched children to reveal that our children had more fun and received more and totally safe treats?  Likewise, should we not desire for the seeds planted by the gospel to produce fruit in all who attend? We should also encourage our people to use this time to impact their neighborhood for Christ by staying home and giving tracts along with the candy to the many lost folks that come to their doors. Church care groups can help by offering warm drinks, Bibles, and gospel conversations to the adults accompanying the children by placing a table and chairs by the road manned with loving witnesses for Christ. Don't hide from this day and let the darkness cover it. Stand up and shine the light bright on this night.