Trick or Treat?

History teaches us that Halloween was not always the innocent, fun loving, event that we observe today. When we think of Halloween we think of children dressed up in cute costumes and knocking on doors with orange plastic pumpkins and white pillow cases stretched forth to receive fists full of candy as they timidly proclaim, “Trick or Treat!” But, that has not always been the case.

At one time Halloween was a time of such fear and dread that people would board up windows and doors and stand guard over their properties with loaded shotguns in anticipation of the wandering packs of youth that would terrorize their communities unleashing devastation and destruction in their wake. From city to city, all across our great land, gangs of young men would go on the rampage, throwing rocks through windows, burning down fields, barns and homes, chasing off livestock and performing every imaginable prank against unsuspecting victims. These individuals would justify their behavior out of hunger, anger, revenge, or just plain “fun”.

Often times the tricksters would wear masks, costumes and disguises to prevent other people from identifying them. Sadly, this only made matters worse as people would blame their avowed enemies and reciprocate… Catholics against Protestants, Protestants against Catholics, rich against poor, poor against rich, white against black, black against white… People were traumatized, people were injured, and people died.

Around the turn of the last century, some civic-minded individuals came up with a novel idea. They would end the horror of Halloween hoodlums and tame the night of terror by offering treats to the tricksters. In response, the tricksters would go from house to house and give potential victims an option and say… Trick or Treat? Subsequently, candies, cookies and cakes began to flow like water from households all across America and the tide of Halloween terrorism was turned.

Yet, there is a lesson to be learned here about human nature. For it would seem that there is no limit to the destructive and hostile temperament of people once that tendency has been unleashed. Moreover, this tendency is not restricted to rebellious teenagers. For even good people, who would otherwise appear to be outstanding members of our communities, have not just the potential to do harm to others but the unmistakable habit of engaging in the most dastardly and shameful behavior from time to time.

Nowhere is this glaring contradiction of human behavior more obvious than in the lives of some people who claim to be Christians. On Sunday, they will put on their Christian masks, sing their Christian songs and pray their Christian prayers. However, by Monday they are tricksters… lying, stealing, cheating and even cursing the very God they claim to worship. They are like tornados ripping through the lives of others. And, like the tricksters of Halloween, these “Christians” justify their behavior out of hunger, anger, revenge, or just plain “fun”.

Yet, isn’t it obvious to most other people that these “Christians” are behaving no differently than the heathen? Isn’t it crystal clear to nonbelievers that these “Christians” are hell bound hypocrites? Isn’t it evident to everyone around them that these “Christians” aren’t tricking anyone but themselves?

Many have concluded that “Christian” tricksters are giving Christianity a bad name. In fact, many people are repulsed at Christianity and have rejected Christ for this very reason. But… the problem is not with Christianity or with Jesus Christ, the problem is with human nature… with people.

The Bible teaches that human nature is depraved. In other words, people are broken. We have lots of good ideas and intentions, but we fail at consistently living up to them. The Apostle Paul remarked on this human tendency in Romans 7:15 when he said…

I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.

We don’t want to be tricksters, we don’t want to sin… but we do. The Apostle Paul understood the confusion and frustration of this problem. In fact he goes on to tell us in Romans 7:24 (NLT)…

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?”

Have you ever felt that way? You want to quit sinning but you can’t. You want to be a good Christian but you’re not. You want to be honest and real but you’re wearing a mask that you are all well and wonderful when deep down inside you feel like a failure. And you just want to shout out… “Who will free me from this life?”

Interestingly, the Apostle Paul gives us the answer in his next statements in Romans 7:25a when he says…

Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

You see, just like the Apostle Paul, Jesus understood our frustration. He understood our struggle with sin. He knew that we wanted to do the right things but often failed. Regarding this, in Mark 14:38, Jesus said…

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.

The spirit is willing, but the body is weak!

In your spirit, you want to do the right thing, but your flesh keeps doing the wrong thing.

In your spirit, you want to tell the truth but with your mouth you lie.

In your spirit, you don’t want to steal, but with your hands you take that which is not yours.

In your spirit, you want to love other people, but with your actions you strike out against them.

In your spirit, you want to quit drinking or using, but your body craves the drug and gives in to temptation.

We want to stop all of these things… but we can’t. It seems impossible!

We can’t be good enough to impress God… He’s perfect! We don’t become better by singing more hymns. We don’t become more righteous by going to church every Sunday. We don’t become sinless by reading the Bible. When we believe any of these things somehow make us better we are only tricking ourselves. We are like tricksters wearing costumes, playing the role and the part, but deep down inside we know we are sinners.

Each of us must come to a point in our life when we realize that it is impossible for us to be the person that God wants us to be. We fall short. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. It is impossible for us to act righteously… we’ll never get it ALL right. So, what do we do?

1. We Must Take Off the Mask and Put On Christ

The first thing we need to understand is that we must take off the mask of the old man and put on the new man in Christ. In Colossians 3:8-10 the Apostle Paul tells us…

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.

We don’t have to be phony Christians. We don’t have to put on masks in church. We don’t have to be tricksters. In Romans 13:13-14 Paul tells us…

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

2. We Must Understand that Nothing is Impossible with God

The second thing we need to understand is that NOTHING is impossible with God. God can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We can’t change our sinful nature, but God can! In Luke 18:27, Jesus said…

“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Again, in Luke 1:37, the Bible tells us… “Nothing is impossible with God.

God can and will deliver us from lying.

God can and will deliver us from cheating.

God can and will deliver us from stealing.

God can and will deliver us from addiction.

3. We Must Have Faith In God

 

Hebrews 11:6 tells us…

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

When we understand this concept then we can stop acting like we are better than we really are. We can come to Him in faith and take off our masks, and confess our sins, knowing that He will reward us. What kinds of treats does God have in store for us? Fruit! In Galatians 5:22 the Apostle Paul tells us…

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Now, that sounds like a sweet reward! Which would you rather have… Trick or Treat?