It's Halloween, which means it is time for another Christian to try and make the case for celebrating the Satanic High Holy Day...

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https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/73654-halloween-what-s-the-balance-between-having-fun-and-discerning-evil

Leave it to the seeker friendly industrial complex. Every year for Halloween they send someone out to defend evil. A few years back Natalie Grant insisted that Halloween was cool because she wanted to dress her daughter up as a princess. Last year Darren Wilson, who can't tell the difference between the Holy Ghost and Casper the Friendly, decided he could better explain why partaking of Satanism's High Holy Day was the Christian thing to do. Because both are so horribly compromised with the world they could not see the sheer stupidity of their arguments in light of the bible. This year's contestant is named Erica Wiggenhorn and her article is linked above. Erica has apparently written a couple of books within the Christian machinery so someone deemed that made her qualified to make a fool of herself in this year's attempt to defend the indefensible. Let us reason together once more beloved:

'Handling Halloween as a Christian family is starting to get tricky at our house. With a middle school girl and boy at home, the Disney princess and Superhero costumes have lost their allure. What's left to choose from is either scary or frankly, a bit more seductive than I prefer. Ask Yourself Questions. Yesterday, an hour-long discourse--OK, let's be real--a battle ensued at the store as to what an "appropriate costume" looked like (sigh). In between the banter I began to ask myself, "How should we handle Halloween as a Christian family, anyway?" "As a Christian family trying to teach our kids biblical principles, should I just boycott Halloween altogether?" "Where is the balance between dressing up and having fun, yet teaching my kids to be discerning about evil?"' -- Erica Wiggenhorn

Thank you Erica for reminding us why the logic of Natalie Grant was so ridiculous. It does not matter if it is harmless in your eyes that your precious princess wants to dress like one. The point is what are you teaching them? What are you showing them is acceptable? Because the eight year old princess is not going to stay satisfied with that costume forever. So when she is 15 and wants to dress like a vampire or 18 and wants to dress like a harlot, remember it is YOU who taught her this. Wiggenhorn admits here that her middle school kids now want seductive and scary costumes. Middle school! You can imagine this argument in the store she refers to. Once she taught them that Halloween was no big deal it is too late to say "just kidding!" On October 31, there is no balance between dressing up and having fun for Christians -- none. If you want to have a costume party, have it in May. The fact that you insist to have it when everyone else celebrates the devil means that is exactly what you are doing as well. Beloved, I am not being hyperbolic. Halloween is considered a high holy day in Satan worship. To compromise with it at all is to teach your children that you cannot discern evil or do not care to. Erica continues:

Examine the Scripture. There's nothing specific about Halloween in the Bible, but what I do know is that in the city of Ephesus, people practiced sorcery and witchcraft daily. Also, in Ephesus, Paul strategically moved his ministry out of the selectivity of synagogues and the obscurity of homes right into the city square. In the original Halloween town, Paul positioned himself right in the center of evil. We are told that "all ... heard the word of the Lord" (Acts 19:10) in Ephesus. Also, many churches were planted in the surrounding cities as a result of Paul's ministry resulting in explosive kingdom growth. In the darkest city of all, Paul intentionally took the light of the gospel right into the center of it." -- Erica Wiggenhorn

The first claim is simply a cop out. Just because the word Halloween, which was not in existence at the time of Paul's writings, does not appear it does not mean the subject matter is somehow non-existent in the bible:

Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. -- Ephesians 5: 7-11 (ESV)

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." -- 1Peter 1:13-16 (ESV)

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. -- Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

There were literally dozens of more scripture choices I could have made. We are not supposed to take part in the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them! We are called to be holy as He is holy. We are supposed to focus on what is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. Halloween is none of those things and in fact is the polar opposite. So to say the bible does not address Halloween is to be disingenuous at best and willfully deceitful at worst. By claiming Halloween is not addressed in the bible, Erica now thinks she has free reign to misinterpret narrative tales found in scripture to support her pre-conceived position. Her assertion is that Paul strategically left the synagogues to take the Gospel into the heart of evil. Let's take Erica's advice and examine the scripture:

And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. -- Acts: 19: 8-10 (ESV)

So did Paul strategize to leave the synagogues to bring the Gospel to the center of evil? No. Not even close. He actually preached at the synagogues for three months as was his practice. It was only when the Jews remained stubborn and started maligning Christianity that he chose to leave and go to the Hall of Tyrannus, so that all might hear the Gospel. This is an important passage showing the primacy of the Gospel being preached over our delicate sensibilities. Unlike the Sons of Thunder who once wanted to call fire down from heaven on a Samaritan village for refusing Christ, Paul understood his affront meant nothing compared to the cause of Christ. Yes he planted churches and there was kingdom growth but the overarching point Erica is trying to make is that Paul somehow brought his message into the heart of evil. This is true everywhere because everywhere there was evil! This however smells like a rotten pretext"

"Make a Decision. Right then and there, I made a resolution: I'm taking back Halloween. No, I'm not boycotting it. I'm reframing it. I'm using it as an opportunity to teach my kids that evil is real and we're called to shine in the midst of it. How? We'll serve at our church's harvest festival. We don't live in a neighborhood that gets trick-or-treaters, but if we did, I'd set up tables right in my driveway and serve food. Maybe include a craft or games. Bring out my dogs. Anything to cause my neighbors to stop for a few moments so I could interact with them--or at least learn their names. But we'll also go out into the darkness. We'll see things that are scary. People who laugh at death and destruction. Children dressed as witches, devils and vampires. My children wear historical costumes that recount life rather than celebrate death. We'll introduce ourselves to others in our neighborhood and tell them where we live. We'll try and make connections and then pray for those whom we met." -- Erica Wiggenhorn

Yeah Erica, you are not "taking back" Halloween with this scheme -- you are participating in it! You do not get to reframe the high holy day of Satanism. If you want to teach your kids how to shine in the midst of an evil world why not start by refusing to be a part of their evil! Oh, because that's too hard. That would require sacrifice. No costumes for the kiddies, even if they are "historical." No candy. No crafts and games. Churches that have harvest festivals or trunk and treats are no better. They teach their congregations that even the greatest day of mayhem, mischief and evil is too much to give up. Too much to ask the church to behave like the church is supposed to behave. Let October 31 pass by like any other day. Pay it zero special attention whatsoever. Wiggenhorn acts like getting to know her neighbor is such an act of grace but she waits until she can satiate her children's desires for Halloween to accomplish it. Why not make food, have crafts and games, introduce yourself to others, make connections and pray for others in September? Or June? Why wait until the day everyone else is celebrating the greatest day of evil in this country and then pretend your joining in is somehow righteous? It is not Erica -- it is transparent and once again -- what are you teaching your kids? For that matter what are you teaching your neighbors? That it is ok to celebrate Halloween as long as you pretend you are not. When those middle schoolers get to high school and want to dress like their favorite walking dead character or some other demonic force remember that you taught it to them. This is the same tired "I am going to redeem Halloween" argument. Like the devil cares what you think you are doing.

"Create Conversation. After loading up with candy, our family will share this conversation: 1. God has given us a costume to wear every day. "So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it" (Col. 3:12-14, MSG)" -- Erica Wiggenhorn

First of all, if you are going to celebrate Halloween why not use the demonically influenced Message paraphrase! More importantly, this is simply stupid. After you give in to the world, dress them up as "historical" characters, and teach them that Christians compromise THEN you are going to have the conversation about clothing themselves in God's wardrobe? Yeah, it doesn't work like that. Why not create the conversation surrounding why you refuse to participate in the evil instead of partaking of it and then wrapping it up with a pious bow? I might add here that these things God has said we should clothe ourselves with is not a costume. A costume implies that you disguise who you really are with it. It implies that you will take it off at some point. These things God wants from us is who we are supposed to be -- every day.

"2. We are not made for the darkness, but for light. We have been rescued from the darkness."Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns" (Phil. 2:15)." -- Erica Wiggenhorn

This is what happens when you use the bible to try and prove your point instead of hearing what God is actually saying. The light that we bring into the darkness is the Gospel. We are not the light. The only light in us is Christ. If Erica was suggesting doing street evangelism on Halloween and preaching the Gospel that would be different. I would probably advise her not to without proper training but at least she would not be hypocritical. Paul did not go into the center of evil and partake of their evil. He did not try to reframe their evil. He did not try and take back their evil. He preached the Gospel. This is the point she keeps missing. Nowhere does God say go and partake of the evil of this world so that you may show light. He just says show your light. You can do so without dressing your kids up and pretending you are somehow not celebrating Halloween.

"3. Evil may be celebrating now, but God has already won. "The Devil who deceived them will be hurled into Lake Fire and Brimstone, joining the Beast and False Prophet, the three in torment around the clock for ages without end" (Rev. 20:10)." -- Erica Wiggenhorn

Completely irrelevant to this discussion. Is Wiggenhorn suggesting that because we know God wins that we do not have to worry about partaking of evil? The reality is that now there are unsaved multitudes that need the Gospel and a church that is willing to stand for what God stands for. Yes most will think we are foolish but the world is supposed to look at us and see a peculiar people. A people set apart who refuses to compromise. Then when their lives are in crises they will want the peace we have and the conviction to stand for something.

"Handling Halloween. I could boycott Halloween. I could try and shelter my children from the sights and sounds of this annual holiday. Or I could take this opportunity and use it for good. I will remind them that we are not of this world. Our God overcame the world and brought light into the darkness. Will we hide our light away or go out and shine in that darkness?" -- Erica Wiggenhorn

I am sure the devil loves that you think you are using his high holy day for "good." If you truly wanted to show your kids that they are not of this world then this was your perfect opportunity. Lastly, stop with the silly strawmen arguments. By refusing to dress your children up you are shining your light! By participating you are not. No one is suggesting boycotts. Have your kids hand out the candy and say "Jesus loves you" to each child. Teach them to give on a day the world takes. You can reward them later if you want. Listen beloved I know this is difficult in a fallen world but we are called to be set apart. Halloween offers Christians a chance to take a righteous stand. What do you tell your kids? That you do not celebrate that day. Just like you tell them when they have off for Jewish holidays but do not celebrate. A huge part of the problem is that you have been taught that Christianity is easy. That everything is puppies and pancakes; and love never-ending. No one has probably preached to you the importance of carrying your cross daily. Of dying to self. Of being a royal priesthood set apart from the world. This world is indeed evil but on October 31 they recognize it. They revel in it. They openly and unashamedly celebrate it. Is it too much to ask those who call themselves Christians to not join that celebration?

Reverend Anthony Wade -- October 18, 2018

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.