I came across a site the other day that advertised some books with the theme of the modern church being entirely polluted by pagan practices. From the looks of the site, it seemed that these books were a call out of the modern traditional church and into - something else. The site was very vague about what the doctrine or beliefs of the creator actually is/was.

This isn't a new idea to me. In fact, I've spent the past few years hearing "pagan" this and "pagan" that over a wide variety of subjects. I agree that a lot of todays common practices do stem from pagan worship, but I think the main focus has been misapplied. G*d was very clear in Scripture that He doesn't want His children picking up the ways of the pagans and He didn't want His children worshiping Him with their ways. In fact, He set out specific holy days and festivals for His children to have community together, to teach the next generation, and to worship Him as He has prescribed - weekly, monthly, and seasonally. Beyond setting up specific holy days, He set out specific ways to worship. Because He has not changed, cannot change, I believe that these forms of worship and holy days are still the days He wants His children to keep.

So you'd think that my opinion of the site I mentioned first would be, "Yeah, right on!" right? Wrong. What I've seen so often over the years is how easy it is to focus on "pagan this" and "pagan that" and work on weeding these things out of our lives with such a passion that G*d is forgotten. I think it's good that when you learn of something that is other than what He prescribed to decide to cut it out of your life, I don't think that should be a driving force. But when the driving force is to remove something bad, is that the final goal? Is that honoring of the Holy One? Some decide not to worship at all. Some decide not to keep things worth celebrating, things we're instructed by Him to celebrate, because people find themselves with a paralyzing fear or concern that they will do something wrong so they opt not to do anything. What I've seen is that the focus on the "pagan hunt" rarely includes a "God hunt".

What I have seen in so many people I know is that the hunt for paganism becomes the overwhelming drive and the focus on G*d is lost. What I personally believe is best is to study His word and do what He said - period. As we learn and grow and discover what is pagan-centered worship, evaluate it and pray over it then do whatever you feel led to do about it. But don't let that become the focus of your life. The primary goal should not be rooting out all paganism. The primary goal should be learning and applying HIS WORD.

What benefit does a person have by studying paganism? Rather than study what isn't acceptable, study what is acceptable and apply that. Take the knowledge you have now and direct the passion into finding out what He wants, rather than what He doesn't want. Why study what other teachers and commentaries say about Scripture and what G*d wants? Why not study Scripture itself and find out for yourself? After all, Whose Word is eternal? Shouldn't that be the Word you study most?

Remember the children's song "Goin on a lion hunt.... I'm not afraid...."? Whenever I encounter someone who his on a pagan hunt, I sing this song to myself. Why not go on a G*d hunt? Why let the enemy of our souls sidetrack us on some silly tangent? Anything to take our focus away from the Holy One is good with him, and shouldn't be with us.

Posted by WalkInFaith

Excellent and extremely important point!