All Hallows Eve

It is interesting watching the secular world "celebrate" halloween. People dress up as ghosts, demons, and various forms of the "undead" to elicit candy or shrieks of terror. The western world seems especially preoccupied with vampires and zombies. Both are undead, forever damned to walk the earth, and also with a craving for some living sustenance (blood or brains, ultimately the flesh itself). This preoccupation is very interesting because the secular world is pretty much the walking spiritually dead. If you could see their spiritual state, the amount of "zombie-fication" would be astounding and revolting. They would be staggering about, with the flesh obviously rotting, smelling horridly, muttering useless blather and seeking to satisfy one thing or another. One could also be able to see those who have faith, possibly scars on their bodies from sins prior to salvation, but otherwise remarkably "healthy." That is not to say they would necessarily be unmarred as we all sin daily. The difference would be in a healing wound versus a poisonous oozing sore. I won't add the demons or angels to this as either would be terrifying (the former for their appearance and demeanor, the latter for their power and capacity).

Why this gross and disgusting imagery? Because this is the reality. I suspect the secular world focuses on these things because they, deep down, suspect and fear this to be true of themselves. But when the Great Physician comes, they howl in pain and push Him away. They then go back to their stupor, looking to please the flesh and possibly wondering why things are such a mess. In the end, those who reject God are eternally damned, forever rotting in hell. Those who believe in Christ will be fully healed of the fatal disease of sin. Tonight is not the "Devil's Night." He had his a long time ago, and that ended with the raising of Jesus three days later and the start of the end of this nightmare of a spiritual world. Just beware of the world and the flesh- they seek to consume your soul.

Reformation

This Sunday is Reformation Sunday. The name of the day entitles that which Luther intended when he nailed the theses on the door. Reform. Repentance. Renewal. Instead the Roman Catholic church chose to ignore and punish. Luther was correct in pointing out the failings of the Roman Catholic church, and the Roman Catholic church was wrong to react the same way as the Jewish leaders 1500 years prior. Explaining the Truth (from Scripture) is sometimes hard to take, and sometimes harder to give. As the church year ends, take a few moments to reflect on Scripture. We all fail/have failed and it takes the hard edge of the law and the Word to trim off the excess, corruption and rot. Once you have reflected and repented of those things which are ungodly, also take a look around you and reform what is necessary- family life, entertainment, even your own church body (if it needs it). Recall that the path is narrow, and is not easy. Our sacrifices and toils are enough to refine us and to keep us on the narrow way. Christ is our strength and our hope. Without Him, reform isn't possible, or even beneficial.