More than a
Ghost StoryWritten by
Christopher Mentzer
At this time of year many people’s thoughts turn to pumpkins, goblins, ghosts and things that go "bump in the night". Children will put on costumes and go into the streets "scaring" up candy through trick or treat. Some of the local denominational churches however will promote haunted houses and Halloween parties for safer celebration of a pagan holiday. Their thoughts are As long as you are with other church members in the church building it’s okay.
The scriptures make no mention of haunted houses or parties within the assembly (Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 11:34; 2 John 9; Gal. 1:6-7). There is a ghost story of sorts in the book of Matthew. It’s more than a ghost story to scare people for it has a very profound meaning.
"50.And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. 51. And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent; 52. and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised; 53. and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and appeared unto many."(Matt. 27:50-53) The writer is not talking about spirits from the grave but living-breathing individuals brought back to life. He is talking about resurrection of the body in the same way Lazarus was raised (read John 11: 1-44) If these saints were merely spirits then it would defeat the hope of resurrection for all of us. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; 26. and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this?"(John 11:25-26)We don’t know what happened to the saints after they appeared to people. Either they lived out their lives and later died (1 Cor. 15:22; John 12:1-2) or perhaps they ascended into heaven. Either result we simply don’t know (Deut. 29:29). It doesn’t really matter. All that matters is that we have faith in God and His power over death (Rev. 1:18). And to look forward to the resurrection of the body (John 5:28-29). The Roman Centurion summed up the event in Matthew 27:54,
"Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."