Don’t

The following is a false analogy to make a point: Capitalism is a false god, right? All of the meat we eat purchased from the store is sacrificed to that false god, right? To eat the meat of an animal that is sacrificed to a false god is to enter into that pagan ritual. It is to enter into the worship of a false god. So, therefore, we should not eat meat purchased from the store (Acts 15:29).

Do

The point: Eating meat is not morally wrong regardless of how it was killed. When we eat we should give thanks to God for our food regardless of where it came from. We should still not engage in sacrificing animals to false gods [moral] but we are free to eat the meat [non-moral] even if is obtained from someone who has sinned in its preparation (1 Cor 10:25-27). In this way, we should also live and therefore doing all things unto Christ we are free from observing or abstaining from non-moral traditions (2Cor 3:17) .

Free

We are to live our lives as unto the Lord. We should not engage in worship to false gods as that is a moral imperative but we are also free to live in everything as unto the Lord (Romans 14:5-10). I am pretty sure that covers dressing up like cinderella and going to trunk or treat. Neither of these things is a moral action. This is why it is ok to put an evergreen tree in your living room during Christmas. It was once a pagan act of worship on a pagan holiday but now it is a non-moral tradition we do to honor Christ’s birth. If we start down the path of abnegation based on its connection to abuse or misuse in history we will end up in a cell of legalism unable to move or breath (Luke 11:37-54). Instead, we are to live by faith without regard to the traditions or philosophy of man which are designed to take us captive to their lies (col 2:8). We are saved for freedom (2 Cor 3:17).

Pumpkin Spiced Love

The most important thing that the Word stresses over and over in these matters of conscience is that we should not judge each other (Rm 14:10). We are commanded to hold each other accountable as to moral behavior but not in each other’s value or intentions. If we chose to abstain from something amoral because it bothers us or we cannot divorce it in our minds from the pagan or sinful then that restriction applies only to ourselves. We should not cause others to stumble by requiring them to be governed by our conscience. We are not to serve as each other’s Holy Spirit in matters of intention. On the contrary, the word clearly states that instead of viewing ourselves more righteous for abstentions we are exhibiting the weaker faith (Romans 14:1-3). Nor should we who do not forbear tempt or mock those who do, lest we cause them to stumble and then the sin is on us (Rm 14:13-23). We are to love each other and sometimes do the really hard thing of keeping the fact that we love each other in mind.

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