Halloween

Halloween 

Oct. 27, 2020

Well its that time of year again, fall is here.  We even had a little snow on the ground this morning.  Along with the fall comes Halloween and the never ending question. Should Christians be a part of Halloween?  Well let’s break this question down and look at it.  The Bible does not talk about Halloween.  It says nothing about going Trick-or-Treating.  So then should we let our kids dress up and go door to door for candy.  

I see two parts to this question.  First the Bible is very clear that we are not to become involved in any occult practices. 

““Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.”

Leviticus 19:31 NLT

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions”

Galatians 5:19-20 NIV

So, you say, “yes, I understand that”. We are going to just dress up like a super hero for school.  Is that forbidden in the Bible?  No its not but I think we should look at I Cor. 8.

“So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.””

1 Corinthians 8:4 NIV

“So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.”

1 Corinthians 8:11-13 NIV

Here Paul is talking about eating of meat that has been offered to idols.  Paul is clear that doing so is not a sin.  He knows that the idols are nothing and we know that the Halloween customers are nothing.  Yet, Paul points out that to some who have come out of idol worship eating this meat would be a sin.  For this reason Paul says that he would not do it, so as to not cause a brother or sister to stumble.  For the same reason we should be careful.

So here are three Biblical reasons we should be careful around Halloween.  First, we are clearly commanded to stay away from the occult and Halloween is an occult holiday.  Second, even if we try to sanitize the holiday and call it a fall festival and wear innocuous costumes it could still cause some to stumble and in so doing sin.  Third just as Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife we should never try to see how close we can come to sin.  Let us flee from even the appearance of sin.

Let us not open a door to Satan.  If I dress up and others are dressed as ghost, witches and other assorted baddies am I not taking part even if I am just dressed as a super hero?  What message does this send to my kids?  I would never want to cause another to stumble and least of all I would not want to cause one of my own kids.  This is a great time for us to teach our kids why we are not like the world.  It’s also a great time for our kids to witness to there friends.  Let us be different and let the world see this difference.  That’s the whole point of Christians being in the world. Halloween is a great time for us to train up our children in the way they should go.  And an opportune time for us as Christian to shine the light in a dark world.