Is It Okay for Christians to Celebrate Halloween?
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When October arrives, we know that pumpkins and candy are coming out. Believers often debate and wrestle with the decision of whether or not to celebrate Halloween. Although costumes and carving pumpkins are fun, the origins of Halloween are dark.
Should we celebrate? Should we stay away? Should we rename our events? If is ok for Christians to participate in Halloween?
A Brief History of Halloween
Britannica tells the history of Halloween and shares, “During the Samhain festival the souls of those who had died were believed to return to visit their homes, and those who had died during the year were believed to journey to the otherworld… The Reformation essentially put an end to the religious holiday among Protestants, although in Britain especially Halloween continued to be celebrated as a secular holiday…When large numbers of immigrants, including the Irish, went to the United States beginning in the mid 19th century, they took their Halloween customs with them, and in the 20th century Halloween became one of the principal U.S. holidays, particularly among children.”
Knowing this information is both convicting and confusing. Halloween was originally a holiday celebrating the belief that dead souls revisited their homes. This is not a story for children. This is spiritually eerie and concerning.
Many believers celebrate Reformation Day which also falls on October 31st when Martin Luther placed the 95 theses on the door of the church. Stephen Nichols from Ligonier shares, “A single event on a single day changed the world. It was October 31, 1517.” This is the celebration that the protestant church broke off from the belief that works and payments could save you or forgive sins. Martin Luther knew the Bible and he shared the truth that it is only by grace that we are saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8).
What Should My Family Do about Halloween?
The Bible does not address Halloween directly. Or does it? In Deuteronomy 18:10-14, God clearly condemns witchcraft, sorcery, divination and those who "call up the dead." Read the account of Saul and the medium at En-dor in 1 Samuel 28 (trivia: What was the name of Samantha's mother on the TV show "Bewitched"?). Read both passages for context concerning God's revelation to man through His prophets. Who was behind the magic and powers with which Pharaoh's magicians opposed Moses in Exodus 7? In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul includes witchcraft in the list of deeds of the flesh and warns that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. From these and many other Biblical passages, we can be certain that God opposes these dark evils.
But what does this mean for Christians today? What if we just want to dress up in fun costumes? Is there harm in trick-or-treating? Let's look at a few options you can consider for you and your family.
1. Avoid Anything Demonic or Idol Worship
Just like a Christian who is living in a Hindu culture must decide if he should still participate in the festivals of his country, we must make a decision on Halloween. There is definitely a line that needs to be drawn if celebrating. We should never worship idols or elevate the devil or demonic works (Exodus 20:2).
Bible Verses Warning about Darkness:
Ephesians 5:11 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
Ephesians 4:27 “And give no opportunity to the devil.”
1 Corinthians 10:21 “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”
2. Consider Others
1 Corinthians 8:9 says, “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” We do need to acknowledge that people are watching us and our decisions. We need to be mindful when making choices that we are kind to others who might have different convictions. 1 Corinthians 10:23 says, “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything builds up.” Are my decisions beneficial to others?
Bible Verses on Being Considerate:
Philippians 4:5 “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.”
1 Corinthians 10:24 “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”
1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers."
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3. Follow the Holy Spirit
If you enjoy the fun of dressing up and candy and feel no conviction from the Holy Spirit, then go for it. If you feel that participating in any Halloween activity would be sinning, then steer clear of it. We are each responsible to the Lord individually. There are definitely sinful activities connected with Halloween, so anything that would be sin is wrong to be a part of; but in those more gray areas, we have freedom. Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Bible Verses about Following the Spirit:
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 “But test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
I believe that I cannot give an answer to this question for you personally. However, we can each examine the history and follow the conviction of the Spirit as we are making decisions. It all comes down to asking questions. Am I sinning by participating in a Halloween event? Am I causing others to sin by my choices? Can I confidently invite Jesus into what I am doing?
I think about Matthew 22:37-40 which tells us to love God and love people. Ask the question, can I love God and participate in this Halloween activity? Can I love others and be involved in this event? This is not necessarily a black and white issue. You might feel peace about being involved in one celebration, but convicted about another. We are called to test the spirits. We can each test and take every moment that we have to the Lord in prayer.
What is difficult is that there are holidays that we celebrate today in very different ways than their origins. If Halloween were being celebrated in the same way today as it was in the start of the holiday, we as believers, would absolutely not be participating. However, what makes these decisions challenging is that they are now commercialized, national holidays. I even think about Thanksgiving. Yes, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag shared meals together, but then shortly after, many of the tribe of Native Americans were killed by a disease that the Europeans brought over to America. Although the Pilgrims brought disease (likely unintentionally) onto the Native Americans, we still celebrate this holiday each year by eating a turkey meal.
We have to pose the question, has the meaning changed? What am I personally celebrating? Can I do so with a clear conscience? Whatever you decide, be on your guard from the enemy. Stand firm in your faith as you chose to participate or not. Avoid and flee from anything demonic, consider others, and ultimately follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
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Got more questions? Click here to read our Christians parent's guide to Halloween.
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