Carnival

In this country, as well as in many other countries all over the world, the feast called ‘carnival’ is kept by many people. During this feast many people wear a carnival mask, many women dress up as Cinderella, as a witch, etc, and many men dress up as a woman, as a clown, Batman, Superman, etc.; many masked balls and many masquerade parades are held in many towns and villages. In relation to these events, many competitions are held during which the most beautiful mask and the most beautiful allegoric wagon, and so on, win a prize. In addition to this, the children of this age give themselves over to drunkenness and guzzlings, and to all kinds of jokes because they say: ‘When it’s carnival time, anything goes!’

The children of God must not keep the feast of carnival because it is an unfruitful work of darkness from which the children of light must abstain, as it is written: “Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord …. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them ….” (Ephesians 5:7-8, 11 - NKJV). Bear in mind that according to the Scripture everything that does not bear fruit to the glory of God and whose wages is death is an unfruitful work of darkness. Consider the feast of carnival. Can we say that by keeping the feast of carnival we perfect holiness? Or that by keeping it we are blessed? Or that by keeping it the name of God is glorified through us? Certainly not. That’s why we must abstain from carnival and we must expose it.

However, not all Christians abstain from carnival, for some dress up their children as clowns, Batman, Superman, etc., in order to please their children. They say: ‘We do it for our children’s sake and not for our sake!’. What does the Scripture say? It says: “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him” (Proverbs 22:15 – NKJV), therefore by letting their children wear carnival masks these Christians allow foolishness to remain bound up in the heart of their children, instead of driving it far from their children; that’s exactly what the devil wants them to do, so that their children may become rebellious and spoilt. Furthermore, the Scripture says: “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification” (Romans 15:2 – NKJV), and it does not say we have to please our neighbour for his bad also: that’s why at carnival we must not please children by dressing them up as Zorro, or Superman, or another television personage who is in fashion in those days. Know this, that if you allow your children to wear carnival clothes and carnival masks you will spoil your children, you will spend much money in vain, and you will cause unbelieving persons to blaspheme the doctrine of God.

In conclusion I want to remind you, brethren, that the devil uses children to bring corruption in the houses of believers; therefore we need to watch out, lest we fall into his traps. One example; many believers bought a TV for their children’s sake because they wanted to fulfil their desire and make them happy, and afterwards they themselves became slaves to television. They thought that by buying a television they would do good to their children, but as time went by they understood that they made much harm to them.

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