I must confess the celebration of Halloween still puzzles me.

I know something about its historical origin.

Perimeter-wise, I know it has much to do with demons, darkness, death, epitaphs and evil.

I am also aware of its faint connection with its ‘cousin,’ the next-day event, All Hallows Eve, practised by some denominations.

But I am thinking more about the season’s significance and its utilitarian value.

I am a wimp when it comes to scary sights or movies, though I rejoice in the traditional victory of good over evil.

Unnatural and untimely death and the dying also disturb me a lot.

Halloween, of course, is a big deal for many merchants, surpassed perhaps only by Christmas in terms of economic activity.

Similarly, it’s perhaps the second most-important party night in North America.

The custom of wearing costumes imitating evil spirits is rooted in the Celtic pagan culture.

In fact, most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to the old pagan rites and superstitions.

Halloween’s ancient roots evoke melodramatic and dark themes transforming into the language of shadow and light in movies.

As a child, I braved watching some mildly horror movies, at times covering my face with my hands and peeking through the fingers.

The most grotesque scene in many of these identical films was when blood and body fluids spewed from the belly of the disgusting monsters.

Since then, I have realized the Bible teaches we are all inherently evil, with the capacity to do good when Christ is the Lord over our lives.

Halloween-induced philosophy might lull some into thinking that people are basically good with some capacity for evil.

The Bible says just the opposite

(Romans 7:18).

The Christian life is a battle against our great enemy, Satan, a.k.a., the devil.

By virtue of the fall of man we became the devil’s possession and his pawn.

Many today do not believe in a personal devil, recognizing only the evil tendencies or vices as human weaknesses.

Jesus personalized him when he drew a connection between the attackers of His teaching and the one instigating the attacks (John 8:44).

He labelled them as offspring of their father, the devil.

He must be a person to be a father.

The devil is a thief as well. He steals the Word of God from the hearts of the hearers (Matt.13:19).

Satan’s kingdom is not merely an uncoordinated move, but is revealed as a highly systematized empire of evil, elaborately organized.

The annual return of Halloween is a good time for believers to remember that evil spirits are real and that they will seize every opportunity to trumpet their own celebrity status.

Perhaps the best response to the devil is that offered by Martin Luther, the Reformer, who said: “The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him for he cannot bear scorn.”

There is monstrous evil to be fought in

our world.

It’s up to Christ’s followers to lead the way.