I’ve noticed in the last few years that each time we get close to October 31st there’s a firestorm on the internet among Christians regarding the right or wrong of participating in that day’s popular activities. I feel more strongly about the whole thing than I used to so I’m going to throw in my two cents.
I love October 31st, and I think there is every reason to celebrate on this day. For almost five hundred years now, Christians have had abundant reason to look back on this day in history and thank God for His intervening hand. Long before Christians were arguing about whether on not they were justified in teaching their children to dress up and ask the neighbors for candy on this night, they would celebrate that on this day in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis on the door of the castle church in Wittenburg, Germany. Although Luther had no idea how influential his actions would be, this was the event that is generally considered to have initiated the Protestant Reformation. He wrote his 95 Thesis primarily to speak out against the selling of indulgences by the Roman Catholic clergy.
I'd like few things more than to be proven wrong on this point, but it seems to me that a great many Christians today don’t even understand the significance of the Reformation as a whole, let alone remember smaller details such as dates and the people involved. I’ve only started learning about this stuff myself in the last few years. I would encourage everyone to read up on the whole era for themselves, but broadly speaking, it was during the Reformation that the Biblical truth of a believer's justification by God's grace alone through faith alone in the work of Christ alone was loudly proclaimed throughout Europe. These truths stood in sharp opposition to the Catholic doctrine of salvation being the result of God's grace, our faith, and Christ’s work without those all-important “alones” in there, lethally adding our own merits to the mix. This was easily one of the most significant eras in all of world history. Those of us who have ourselves been forgiven and justified by faith in Christ alone surely must recognize this.
So I wonder a question to myself and I give a challenge to anyone who reads this: how did it come to pass that, for God’s people, the remembering and celebrating of such an incredible time in history has been jettisoned in favor of some costumes and junk food and cultural traditions that are, at best, empty of spiritual significance for the Christian family (and at worst, a celebration of everything Christ died to free us from)? And yes, I understand parents and children alike are making memories together dressing up and knocking on neighbors’ doors, etc., but can’t joyful memories be made learning about the impact God has made in the world through godly (not perfect) men and women who were willing to stand on the truth of Scripture? Can’t memories be made worshiping God as a family? One of my aunts once mentioned that some of her favorite memories from her childhood were memories of their family’s evening worship times at home. That’s how I want my children to look back at their childhoods. Anyway, here’s my challenge to Christian parents: whether you take your little ones out on October 31st or not, spend time teaching them the history of the day and the era that followed. Teach them that the day marked the beginning of a time when God brought (and is still bringing) multitudes of people out of spiritual darkness and ignorance through His Word clearly and authoritatively proclaimed. Make learning it fun, at their level! Read stories about it, watch videos if you can find some. But teach it to them so thoroughly over the years that when they grow up and hear mention of “October 31st,” the first word that pops into their head is “Reformation!” instead of “Halloween!” I know you won’t regret it.
HAPPY REFORMATION DAY!!!
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