Many of us grew up loving the autumn season, and the highlight of the season was Halloween. We loved the candy, and we loved bobbing for apples and playing other games. Many of us grew up making scarecrows by stuffing pants and shirts with straw and then tying the stuffed strawman to a stick driven in the ground. Cornfields and gardens didn’t need protection from crows, but scarecrows came with the season. And then there was the fun of Halloween. 

Halloween parties consisted of candles formed to look like skulls, dimly lit houses or barns, and bales of straw on which to sit. Of course, we had campfires, wiener roasts, hot chocolate, and ghost stories. My wife and I led a Jr. High class at church, and we put on a full-fledged haunted Halloween party in our garage for the kids. On another occasion, our young adult Sunday School class held a Halloween party in the church basement. I dressed up like a mummy to join in with all the other scary classmates and their costumes.

Going back to our teenage years, we visited a haunted house (fake, of course). It wasn’t difficult to find an old, deserted house in the neighborhood that was fun to sneak into late in October. At one point, as a young married adult, I dreamed of turning a vacant neighborhood house into a genuine Halloween haunted house, but autumn farm work presented a problem with that idea, so it remained a dream.

Most of all of us as kids loved the night of trick or treat. On that night, we’d dress up as monsters, ghosts, goblins, witches, vampires, and other scary creatures. We often visited my cousin in Mt. Cory, going door-to-door and ending up with a whole sack of sweet goodies

While all those years of this dark fun, we never dreamed of an evil aspect with Halloween. We were Christians. You know, children of God, so we kept the idea of the Holy Spirit separated from ghostly spirits. But that all came to an end when my wife’s sister told us of the evils of Halloween. Huh? NO!!! We/I refused to believe it. 

It took a while for the concept to sink in, that is, the wickedness of Halloween in opposition to God. Not that my sister-in-law made a big deal about it, but in a few words, she made sure we understood how the demonic aspect of Halloween didn't fit well with the Christ-like element of God, the Bible, and the Christian life. What a killjoy to one of my favorite holidays!  

That was years ago, and my attitude of Halloween has changed. Historians have traced the holiday back to the Celtics of perhaps 2,000 or more years ago. Some have said Halloween began as a day to remember saints and faithful martyrs, while others have said it originated for evil from the beginning. It's challenging to sort through the stories to discover the true origins of Halloween, but over time, the history of Halloween has lent itself to wickedness and demons. Even the tradition of trick or treat goes back to the pagan history of giving beggars a treat because they (or an evil spirit) would harm the resident of the house that refused to give a treat.     

Regardless of its beginnings, its journey through time, and to the present-day form, the Bible speaks clearly on Christians separating ourselves from the evil and wicked ways of the world. We, as Christ-like children of God, are to look different from the world. That certainly speaks of us not looking like the evil spirits of Halloween. 

We can discover several verses in the Bible that teach against entertaining ourselves with the likenesses of evil spirits, but let’s sight just a few.

¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 

- Ephesians 5:11-12 (NIV)

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

 - 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

-2 Corinthians 11:14 (NIV)

¹¹ Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 

- 3 John 1:11 (NIV)

How about a verse that tells us to live like Jesus?

¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

 - Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

In this verse from Matthew, we see that we are to avoid darkness and not only cling to the light of Jesus, but we are to be that light of Jesus to others. This passage stands in clear opposition to the evils that Halloween represents.

So, what do we do with Halloween? Well, parts of it are in a gray area, but we can celebrate it in a Christ-like way by staying far away from the evil aspects. If people can take a holy day as Christmas and Easter and turn them into paganism, we can take the pagan day of Halloween and use it to the glory of God. 

For example, the past several years we have had a trunk-or-treat day here in our parking lot. We encourage kids and adults to dress as non-scary characters. Little girls become princesses, and boys (and girls) often become superheroes. 

At home, we can make jack-o-lanterns that glow in the dark, not as evil, but as fun exhibits of smiling or toothless heads. While we don't see scarecrows anymore, they still fit nicely with the non-scary parts of the season. And parties? Certainly, but not as ghosts and goblins. 

My sister-in-law was correct about the evilness of Halloween, but there are plenty of ways Christians can celebrate the season without the wickedness of the day. Let’s keep our eyes focused on Jesus and make it a day of light. Let’s stay away from the dark and gray areas, and let’s lift Christ to honor Him. 

Love you & God Bless,

Kenny