Verses that inspire - Halloween

As I write this post, it's almost Halloween! For many weeks, the stores have been filled with costumes for children and adults; the grocery stores have offered huge bags of candies; the neighborhoods that I drive past are sporting ghosts and goblins of all types in the yards.

Many Christians struggle with the holiday, and refer to it's roots in the past. They rightfully point to the occult practices and beliefs that accompanied Halloween's start, and they are determined to remain apart from the celebrations they feel are very wrong.

Others try to use the celebrations to point others to Christ, or offer "harvest" festivals as alternatives to the "trick or treating." 

Who's right? Who's wrong?

Let's look into this . . . . first of all, we believers should not respond to Halloween as if we were superstitious pagans. Evil spirits are always with us - they are no more sinister and active on Halloween than they are on any other day. Any day is a good day for Satan to prowl:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (I Peter 5:8)

But we have a Power to help us:

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (I John 4:4)

Both of those verses inspired my thoughts as I considered the Halloween activities.

Since the evil spirits are active every day of the year, it makes sense to exercise caution with the parties, festivals, and activities that our kids and our grandkids attend. I personally feel that Christian young people should stay away from secular Halloween parties because they are breeding grounds for trouble. Whether it's older kids that will be experimenting with alcohol and then driving, or younger ones that will see graphic images of the horror variety that are displayed "all in fun," we can protect our family's minds and hearts by setting some rules and guidelines.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

There's another way to consider Halloween. That is to respond with the compassion of the gospel message. The world that rejects Jesus Christ is a world that lives in perpetual fear of death. Witches and ghosts may not be all that scary, but God's wrath unleashed on arrogant, prideful sinners? Now that is terrifying! 

Christians can use Halloween and all it brings to our mind's eye as an opportunity to engage in conversation about the gospel of salvation. Believers who adopt a no-participation-at-all policy will find that they raise other people's eyebrows and that provides an opportunity to share the gospel with those who ask. (It's important, too, to explain our stand to the kids so that they are prepared for either questions or ridicule from other kids and even adults.) 

Other believers opt for Harvest Festivals or even Reformation Festivals, and these can be effective ways to reach children and families for Christ. Some even leave the church building behind and "treat" needy families with food baskets and candies, along with the gospel message. 

An alternative in recent years that is not so good is the idea of "Hell House" evangelism, where a church walks people through rooms that are almost like carnival horror-house setups. Each display is supposed to shock young people and scare them into being Christians. Here's the problem I see there: with all of the graphic images that young people see today in movies and shows, one must be extremely graphic and morbid to "shock" them. These exhibits of sin and its consequences are unnecessary since their minds are already inundated with them! 

Instead, what they need to see is someone whose life is transformed by the power of God. What they need to hear is the gospel presented in a straightforward way they can identify with and understand.

This year, a special issue is presented, since October 31 falls on a Sunday. I've seen some of the alternative offerings (festivals, trunk or treat, etc) that have been scheduled for Saturday, instead. 

At the end of the day, believers' participation in Halloween is a matter of conscience. It's between us and our Savior. It's a question of our honoring God in our daily lives. Our Bible says we are to keep ourselves separate from the world, but still show compassion and mercy to those who are perishing.  Maybe Halloween is a very good time for us to make a special effort to share the message of a holy but forgiving God!