Reformation Day is celebrated each October 31st, reminding us of the year 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses at All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg. Theologians believe that Luther chose this day, bearing in mind that many people would attend the church on All-Hallows’ Day (November 1st). In the Western church, the celebration of All-Saints’ Day dates back to the 4th century and commemorates all the saints and martyrs of the church. In North America and most of Europe, October 31st is also the day that Halloween is observed. The term ‘Halloween’ is an English contraction of All-Hallows’ Eve. Despite its name being rooted in All-Saints’ Day, Halloween is considered to be a secular celebration. The American adoption of Halloween as we know it today goes back to the 19th century.
The way mainstream society currently observes Halloween –highlighting ghost-theme activities, witches’ emancipation, spooky decorations, and darkness celebration/exaltation, to mention some examples–little resembles the traditional All-Hallows’ Day. This aspect causes me to reflect about a topic not usually discussed in the church: how did the Reformers understand the Devil and the Powers? Studying the Devil/the Powers in the classical Reformed tradition is challenging because the image that modern Christianity has portrayed of them may not resemble at all the superstitious and popular images of the Devil in the 16th century. However, the way the Heidelberg Catechism–one of our doctrinal Standards–presents the Devil and the Powers is noteworthy and deserves more attention.
There are few references to the Devil in the Heidelberg Catechism, which give us a glimpse of how the writers of the Catechism understood the figure of the Devil/the Powers and their work in the world.
The Devil as Oppressor
In Q&A 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism, where the author talks about our only comfort in life and death, we are told that Jesus Christ “has set [us] free from the tyranny of the devil.” This is the first reference that exists in the Catechism regarding the Devil, who is presented as an oppressor (or tyrant) by having unfair power over humanity. Because of this oppression, Jesus Christ was sent to free us from such power, as the Scriptures state in 1 John 3:8b, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” In Hebrews 2:14-15, the author also states: “Since the children have flesh and blood, [we] too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
Part of Q&A 34 of the Catechism resembles Q&A 1 regarding the Devil’s figure when it is affirmed that our Lord Jesus Christ “he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own.” This is in accordance with Colossians 1:13, which puts it this way: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” The fallen humanity did not have any hope to be freed, except by Christ’s rescue plan because the Devil’s oppression not only had consequences in the created order but also in the spiritual realm.
The Devil as Instigator
Similar to the image of an oppressor, the Devil is also presented as an instigator–someone who incites people to revolt. The Catechism affirms this: “…God created human beings with the ability to keep the law. They, however, provoked by the devil, in willful disobedience, robbed themselves and all their descendants of these gifts” (Q&A 9). This image is based on Genesis 3:13, which presents the Serpent–a figure of the Devil in the Old Testament–as a deceiver.
The Catechism explains here why humanity has fallen and has gotten into misery. Such misery was the result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, which brought spiritual and physical consequences to humanity, such as the experience of suffering and hardship/toil, the introduction of death, and the separation from God’s presence. Our first parents had the ability to obey God’s commandments, but they were instigated and deceived by the Devil to do the opposite of God’s will. Being aware not only of their fault but also of the Devil’s deceit, God decreed a punishment for our first parents and cursed the Serpent. One should note that God did punish Adam and Eve for their sin, but did not curse them. Instead, God cursed the ground (cf. Gen. 3:17). In that regard, the Devil’s instigation caused the corruption of human nature, affecting the created order. But it did not succeed in making Adam and Eve to be cursed by God.
The Devil as an Enemy
At the end of the Catechism, another image is presented to us: the Devil as an enemy. Explaining the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, where we ask God not to bring us to the time of trial and rescue us from the evil one, the Catechism claims: “…our sworn enemies–the devil, the world, and our own flesh–never stop attacking us” (Q&A 127). The authors of the Catechism differentiate between these three enemies. We should note that ‘the world’ does not refer to the Earth or the universe, but to the system of corruption that the Devil has developed to oppress and attack humanity. Similarly, ‘our flesh’ does not refer to the human body but to the fallen nature.
Other references to the Devil or the Powers are found in Q&A 32, where we are told that as members of the church we are enabled to fight against the Devil: “[We are] anointed to confess his name, to present [ourselves] to him as a living sacrifice of thanks, to strive with a free conscience against sin and the devil in this life.” We are also told to “avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are the very devices the devil uses” (Q&A 112), and pray God to “[d]estroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against you and every conspiracy against your holy Word” (Q&A 123).
Noteworthy is how the Catechism presents Christians as anointed people in Q&A 32. As members of the body of Christ, we share Christ’s anointing, which enables us to live by the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:16-17), stand against the wiles of the Devil (cf. Eph. 6:11), and fight the good fight having faith and good conscience (cf. 1 Tim. 1:18-29). After urging us to be aware of the Devil’s mechanisms against Christians in Q&A 112, the Catechism explains in Q&A 123 the meaning of the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer where we ask for God’s kingdom to come. For the authors of the Catechism, this petition means that as Christians, we ask God that He rules us in such a way that more people surrender to Him, the church to be preserved and grows, and the Devil’s work to be destroyed.
The Personalization of the Devil
These primary images–tyrant or oppressor, instigator, and enemy–that the Heidelberg Catechism presents of the Devil have royal meanings. First, a tyrant is usually understood as a king or governor who has used his power to oppress his people. Second, an instigator is a figure of power that makes people revolt against established authority. And third, an enemy is an entity that opposes completely against another entity that holds authority.
From the examples given, we observe that the Heidelberg Catechism personalizes the figure of the Devil, and by extrapolation, the Powers as well. They are presented as irreconcilable and sworn enemies of God and humanity. In this respect, John Calvin’s understanding of the Powers also agrees with the Catechism: the Devil is a “formidable foe” (Institutes 1.14.13), a perpetual enemy of humankind (Institutes 1.14.15), and a depraved creature (Institutes 1.14.16). Calvin refers to the Devil as “he,” personalizing him. He also identifies the Devil as the ruler or governor of this world who actively opposes God and Christ’s kingdom.
Although the topic of the Devil and the Powers was popular in 16th-century Europe, the Reformers briefly discussed the Devil and the origin of evil. Despite the limited discussion, I appreciate the Reformation’s emphasis in presenting the Devil and the Powers as personal beings, whom God initially created good but later got corrupted.
One of the implications of such an emphasis is noteworthy for modern Christians: the Devil and the Powers are still working in the world. I see the work of the Devil when people are forced to embrace systems of oppression based on lies and deceit, when people are incited to promote the Devil’s works rather than God’s, and when people are provoked to attack the truth of the gospel.
As Christians living in a postmodern society, it is necessary that we should be aware of the Devil’s work and cultivate awareness of it. One way to cultivate such an awareness is learning more about what’s currently happening both surrounding us and in the world so we may pray to God and take action accordingly. A second way is paying heed to our everyday actions: do our actions glorify God, or do they inadvertently help promote the Devil’s work in the world?
In light of this reflection, I invite readers to remember on Reformation Day the role that the Reformers played in clarifying the figure of the Devil and the Powers, putting aside the popular myths and legends. The authors of the Catechism remind us that the Devil and the Powers are real and personal entities, but they were also defeated by Christ on the cross. As members of the body of the church, we follow Christ’s lead in word and deed, living our lives consistently according to the faith we have received.
*All references to The Heidelberg Catechism are taken from the English version approved by Synod 2011 of the Christian Reformed Church.
**All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. 2011.
***Originally published in Kerux, Calvin Theological Seminary. 10/18/2025. https://kerux.calvinseminary.edu/a-personal-devil-another-legacy-of-the-reformation/. All rights reserved by the publisher. Used by permission.