As a church history professor, October 31st is one of my favorite holidays. That’s because it is Reformation Day; and this year will mark 498 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517. To be honest, I would much rather talk about Reformation Day than Halloween. But most of American society does not share my passion for church history. For them, October 31st is all about Halloween traditions and festivities. Due to its pervasive nature in American culture, Christians often wonder how they should respond to this October holiday. Is it permissible for believers to participate in certain activities related to Halloween, or should they try to avoid it completely? In answering …show more content…
The foremost of these principles might be stated in the form of three questions: A) Will participating in this activity dishonor Christ? In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul wrote, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” The implications of that statement are universal and all-encompassing. Stated negatively, Christians should not participate in anything that would bring dishonor or reproach on the name of Christ. Stated positively, believers should only do that which can be done for God’s glory. We should not merely attempt to avoid His disapproval, but should actively seek to please Him in all we do (2 Cor. 5:9). Consequently, as we think about how to approach Halloween or any other holiday, we ought to be looking for opportunities to serve Him and advance the truth of His gospel. B) Will participating in this activity violate my conscience? In these same chapters, Paul makes it clear that it is a sin to violate one’s conscience (cf. Rom. 14:22–23; 1 Cor. 8:7). So, if an activity—even one that some believers might find acceptable—violates a person’s conscience, that person should avoid