The Dangers of Spiritualism
Chapter 1
Where are the Dead?
“And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?” Isa. 8:19
” ‘The spirits are here. I see them,’ says Ruth Berger, a self-described ‘intuitive counselor.’ Psychic, if you insist. Channelor, if you want to be trendy. ‘They have some wonderful messages for us. They want to talk to us as much as we want to talk to them.’
“On this crisp, clear, fall night in the library at St. Peter Catholic church in Skokie, Ill., Berger is leading 35 members of the North Short Chapter of Naim, a non-denominational support group for Christian widows and widowers, through what amounts to a class in basic ghost-calling . . .
“This is how it goes in the 1990s: A smiling and exceedingly normal-looking woman arrives at a church, meeting hall, private home or apartment and, in a very matter-of-fact fashion, summons into the room what she advertises as the spirits of the dead.” —The Morning News Tribune, November 14, 1990
The theory of the immortality of the soul is one of many false doctrines that Roman Catholicism borrowed from paganism and incorporated into the religion of Christ many centuries ago. Wouldn’t Protestants be surprised to learn that the great reformer Martin Luther did not believe this cunningly devised fable.
In the book titled The Problem of Immortality – pg. 255, Luther is quoted as classifying the doctrine of the immortality of the soul with the “monstrous fables that form part of the Roman dunghill of decretals.”
And commenting on the words of Solomon, Luther says: “Solomon judgeth that the dead are asleep, and feel nothing at all. For the dead lie there, accounting neither days nor years, but when they are awaked, they shall seem to have slept scarce one minute.” –Martin Luther, Exposition of Solomon’s Booke Called Ecclesiastes, pg. 152.
In this booklet we’re going to take a journey through God’s holy word to find out what the scriptures have to say concerning the spirits of the dead.
INSPIRATION SPEAKS
King David says that man is not conscious in death. In Psalm 146:3, 4 he says: “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”
The book of Genesis says, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. . . . In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Gen. 2:7, 3:19.
The testimony of Solomon in Eccl. 9:5, 6, 10 is: “The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, . . . Their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. . . . There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
You remember the story of King Hezekiah; how he got sick? Isaiah came to him with the word of the Lord and said: “Set your house in order: for you will die and not live.” Isa. 38:1. And Hezekiah wept before the Lord and begged Him to spare his life. And God did – he was granted another 15 years.
Why didn’t Hezekiah rejoice that he would soon be entering the presence of the Lord instead of turning his face to the wall in grief and disappointment? Let’s let Hezekiah himself tell us why. “For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day:” Isa. 38:18, 19.
The popular theology of today represents the righteous dead as enjoying the bliss of heavenly beings and praising God with an immortal tongue. But that’s not the way Hezekiah understood it. His testimony agrees with David in Psalm 6:5 “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?”
Also Psalm 115:17 “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.”
On the day of Pentecost, Peter, in Acts 2:34, said that the patriarch David had not yet ascended into heaven. And he had been dead and buried for nearly 1000 years! The fact that David remains in the grave until the resurrection proves that the righteous do not go to heaven at death. It’s only through the resurrection of the dead that David will at last enter in through the gates into the city of God.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION
Listen to what the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 15:16-18: “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”
The physical resurrection of the dead was the main theme of all the apostles’ preaching. It was closely related to the blessed hope of seeing Jesus once again. Over and over again they focused on the importance of the resurrection.
If all the righteous souls of the past have gone directly to heaven at death—why would Paul have said that if there is no resurrection: “They which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished?” No resurrection would be necessary!
The doctrine of a physical resurrection from the dead seems to have been far more important to the early Christians than for most Christians today. And we have to ask ourselves: Why is this? Has Satan been at work, wresting the scriptures from their true meaning?
What did Jesus tell His disciples when He was about to leave this world? “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3
And Paul tells us further – “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. 4:16-18
Is it becoming obvious to you that the Father of lies has pulled the wool over the eyes of millions of God’s professed followers today? What is Satan’s purpose in all this? What difference does it really make? We’ll get to the reason about why this false teaching is so dangerous later, but for now let me ask you another question. Is life the inheritance of the righteous or the wicked? Rom 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The death referred to in this verse is not the death that all men die – But the second death from which there is no resurrection. You can read about that in Rev. 21:8.
Being alive and conscious in the flames of hell for eternity would be eternal life, wouldn’t it? There’s only one kind of eternal life taught in the Bible. And living forever in the flames of hell is not the one.
The second death is more than eternal separation from God as some teach. It is the end of life. It is a “permanent cessation of all the vital functions.” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, 1973)
Life on the other hand is “The period between birth & death.” “The quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body.” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, 1973)
The only one who promises life immediately after death is the devil. He preached the first sermon on the immortality of the soul in the Garden of Eden when he said to Eve: “Ye shall not surely die.”
And that same sermon is being echoed from the pulpits of nearly all churches today. But not only that – it is being received today by the majority of people as readily as it was received by our first parents.
Who are we going to believe – God or Satan? Ezek. 18:20 says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” But Satan has turned that completely around to mean-the soul that sinneth, it shall not die, but live eternally. This is what spiritualism teaches, not the Bible!
WHAT DOES SPIRITUALISM TEACH?
Listen to what the National Spiritualist Association of the United States of America Year Book, 1946 has to say.
“Life here and life hereafter is all one life whose continuity of consciousness is unbroken by that mere change in form whose process we call death. . . Spiritualism is God’s message to mortals, declaring that there is no death. That all who have passed on still live. That there is hope in the life beyond for the most sinful.”
Here’s another interesting statement from Beware Familiar Spirits, p. 238. Copyright 1938
“Spiritualism will be the simplification of religion, the breaking down of the barriers between sects, and a universal creed which will combine the ethics of real Christianity with direct spiritual communication.”
It sounds as though Satan is using spiritualism to help bring about the same goal as the ecumenical movement.
The Truth About Spiritualism, pp. 18-22 describes a typical religious service of Spiritualists (paraphrased). “Those officiating at the meeting come to the platform. After a brief introduction they sing a hymn. After the song the chosen speaker offers prayer. Prayer is followed by a reading from the Bible. Then the speaker reads a list of church members who have requested prayer. Prayer is offered once again for these special requests. Another hymn is sung, during which an offering is taken. Then another prayer of thanks for the collection. This is followed by a short sermonette. Then the one chosen as the public clairvoyant or medium begins by relating to certain individuals in the congregation something the Lord has revealed about their lives – along with specific council. Then the platform chairman calls upon everyone to rejoice because of these spiritual manifestations and closes the meeting with prayer.”
When most people think of spiritualism, they think of someone in a dark room gazing into a crystal ball, but the devil is smarter than that. Today it has taken on a Christian guise and looks very similar to a charismatic church service.
ALL WILL BE RESURRECTED
It’s clear from the scriptures that every single person who has ever lived and died on this planet will live again. Everyone will come forth from their graves, but there is a distinction made between the two classes that are brought forth.
Acts 24:15 says, “There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.”
John 5:28, 29 says, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
Dan. 12:2 says, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
But it doesn’t say they will come forth at the same time, does it?
In Revelation 20 it tells us that the two resurrections are separated by 1000 years. The first one marks the beginning of the millenium. The second marks its close.
Rev. 20:4-6 says, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
Those who take part in the second resurrection are going to receive “the wages of sin” – which is eternal death. The fires of hell will be real – the wicked will suffer punishment varying in duration and intensity – “According to their works” as Jesus said in Matt. 16:27. But finally ending in the second death from which there will be no resurrection.
After the wicked are punished, they’re going to go to sleep and never wake up.
Mal. 4:1-3 – “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Psalm 37:9, 10 – “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.”
Obadiah 16 says that in the end the wicked “shall be as though they had not been.”
THERE WILL BE A JUDGMENT DAY
Christians from nearly all persuasions and from all time have and do believe in a great judgment day – and rightly so – it is taught in the Bible. But if the dead are already enjoying the bliss of heaven or being tortured in the flames of hell, what need of a future judgment? In fact, let’s take a look at a few of these texts that speak of a future judgment.
Matt. 12:36 – “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
Mark 6:11 – “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”
2 Peter 2:9; 3:7 – “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: . . . But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
Acts 17:29-31 – “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by [that] man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
Jude 6, 14, 15 – “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. . . . And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
Before God executes judgment there must first be an investigation, or an investigative judgment. In other words, before God carries out either punishment or reward He must first examine the case of each one to decide what they deserve.
GOD KEEPS ACCURATE RECORDS
From the following texts it is clear that God keeps a record of everything from which He meets out righteous judgment.
Rev. 20:11-15 – “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Mal. 3:16 – “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”
Psalm 56:8 – “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”
Eccl. 12:13, 14 – “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Matt. 25:31, 41, 46 – “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: . . . Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: . . . And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
These verses make absolutely no sense if the dead go immediately to their reward. How could Jesus say to the righteous when He comes, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” when they have already been dwelling in His presence, perhaps for hundreds or even thousands of years? How could the wicked be called from their torment to receive the sentence, “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire”! What a mockery that would be to the wisdom and justice of God.
DEATH IS LIKE A SLEEP
I don’t know of a more comforting doctrine than to know that the dead are sleeping in the grave, and peacefully waiting for the resurrection. No passing of time. No pain. No heartache. No sorrow. No temptation. Just sweet rest.
That’s why Paul told the Thessalonians in 1 Thess. 4:18, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
When the dead are finally called forth from their deep slumber they will begin to think just where they ceased. This is a good reason why we must bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:5
Do you know what everyone of the righteous will say as they come forth from their dusty beds? 1 Cor. 15:55 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
I don’t even want to think about what the thoughts of the wicked will be once they realize they are lost for all eternity – what a terrible thing!
You probably remember reading the Bible and coming across verses that refer to death as a sleep. I took the time to look up every one of those verses, and there are 73 of them. And so, this is something that is well-documented in God’s word. We don’t have space to list all of them, but I would like to consider just two.
John 11:11-14, 21-24, 39-44 – “These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. . . . Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. . . . Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”
Don’t you think it’s a little strange that Lazarus had nothing to say about his heavenly vacation of 4 days? Not one word! He didn’t say, Oh Jesus, why did you bring me back here? I was having such a good time in paradise. But no – the scriptures are silent.
In fact, there are at least 8 other instances in the Bible where people were raised from the dead and none of them and anything to say about their experience. Don’t you find that a little odd if there is consciousness after death?
Jairus’ daughter had nothing to say (Luke 8:49-56).
The son of the widow of Nain had nothing to say (Luke 7:11-17).
Eutychus had nothing to say (Acts 20:9, 10).
The son of the Shunamite woman had nothing to say (2 Kings 4:8-37).
The son of the widow of Zarephath had nothing to say (1 Kings 17:17-24).
The dead man who was thrown on top of the bones of Elisha and came back to life had nothing to say (2 Kings 13:21).
Not one of these people had any stories to tell about what it was like in heaven. And besides – wouldn’t it have been a dirty trick to bring them back to this sin-cursed earth to live again.
Matt. 27:50-53 – “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
None of these saints had anything at all to say about heaven. Even Jesus Himself didn’t go to heaven right after His crucifixion. Because after His resurrection He told Mary (John 20:17) that He had not yet ascended to His Father.
There are a few texts people try to use to prove that there is consciousness after death. But their interpretations do not harmonize with the weight of evidence that I have shared with you. We’ll take a look at those verses in the next chapter.
Just know that God’s plan for life after death comes only through the resurrection “at the last day.” And any teaching that is contrary to this truth is error that Satan can use to deceive and ensnare. The devil has a counterfeit for every truth and it’s up to us to study to show ourselves approved unto God and through the Holy Spirit to come to a knowledge of the truth for these last days.
Chapter 2
Problem Texts Explained
From the last chapter we saw clearly that there is overwhelming evidence from the scriptures that the teaching of the immortality of the soul is a cunningly devised fable. That the Bible is consistent in its teaching that the dead know not anything—that they sleep in the grave until the elements of the earth are once again reunited with the breath of God, and that only through a physical resurrection of the dead, at the last day, will they regain consciousness.
In this chapter we are going to take a look at six Bible texts that people twist to try to prove that a person’s spirit lives on after the body dies. This false idea, by the way, is what spiritualism has been teaching ever since the serpent perched on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: “Ye shall not surely die,” even though the one who created life in the beginning said plainly, “Ye shall surely die.” (Gen. 3:3,4)
THE FIRST TEXT
1 Sam. 28:3-20: “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor. And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel:”
This spiritualistic séance has been cited as evidence for life after death – but let’s consider a few points many people overlook.
First of all, why does God discourage His people from making contact with the dead?
Is it because He is trying to withhold from us a reliable source of information that could benefit us in some way? NO!
Is it because He is afraid we will find out some important truth that He is hidings from us? NO!
Could it be that the Bible is not a sufficient guide? NO!
God tells us not to contact the dead because “the dead know not anything.” (Eccl. 9:5) Any attempt to communicate with the dead is an opening for Satan to deceive us because this contact is nothing more than “the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Rev. 16:14)
It is very clear from a reading of this story that God had departed from Saul and would not communicate with him in His appointed way. And so someone other than God had to be communicating with Him. Also, Samuel was supposedly “brought up” or was seen as “ascending out of the earth.”
Is this where the righteous dead are – down in the earth? Not even those who believe in the immortality of the soul believe that!
“Samuel” is described as “an old man covered with a mantle.”
Is this the way immortal souls appear?
Where did this soul get a body?
I thought the dead were disembodied spirits! Was there a resurrection?
Did God obey the beck and call of a witch, and raise up Samuel?
If not, does Satan have power to raise the dead?
The answer is NO to all of the above!
The apparition of Samuel told Saul, “Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me“ (verse 19). Where did Samuel dwell, if the wicked king was to go to the same place?
The Bible never does say that Saul actually saw Samuel, does it? Verse 14 says, “Saul perceived that it was Samuel.” From a second hand description of a witch, Saul concluded that it must be Samuel. But it wasn’t Samuel at all – it was an evil spirit.
Paul warned of this same thing in 1 Tim. 4:1 about “giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.”
How did Satan know that Saul and his sons would die the next day in battle? Did Satan know that God had departed from Saul? Yes! Did he know that without God Saul would lose the battle? Yes! Did he know that the Philistines would not allow Saul and his sons to live if defeated? Yes! Did he know that Israel would do battle with the Philistines the next day? Yes! That’s why Saul went to inquire of a witch as to the outcome of the battle. It was a last ditch effort on Saul’s part to get some encouragement and direction.
Satan is not stupid! He put all the information together and made a calculated guess and it came to pass.
ONE DOWN – FIVE TO GO
Luke 16:19-31 – “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”
Either this story is literally true or it is a parable. Those who believe in the immortality of the soul claim that it is a true story because Jesus uses the name of a specific person named Lazarus. And He doesn’t do that in any of His other parables. As we’ll see in a moment, there is a good reason why Jesus used the name Lazarus.
But first of all, let me give you some reasons why this story cannot be literally true. Does anyone believe that Abraham’s literal bosom is the place where the righteous dead go? (If it is, Abraham must have an awfully big chest.) Incidentally, the Bible does tell us that the angels do indeed have something to do with gathering the saints, as in this parable, but it takes place at the coming of Jesus – not at death! You can read about it in Matt. 24:30, 31.
Does anyone believe that the saved and the lost can converse with each other? Perhaps they have access to a cellular phone or ham radio!
Jesus said that the rich man was in hell with a physical body, because he lifted up his eyes, and he asked for a drop of water on his tongue. How did his body get into the fires of hell instead of the grave? How far would a drop of water go to cool someone who was burning in the flames? These things become ridiculous when taken literally.
This story is obviously a parable, and as such teaches spiritual lessons. The rich man represented the Jews, because only a Jew would pray to “Father Abraham.” And the beggar represented the Gentiles who were looked upon as unworthy to receive the truth. Jesus illustrated this beautifully in Matt. 15:21-28.
Why did Jesus choose the name Lazarus in this parable? Verse 31 gives the answer. “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Jesus used the name of Lazarus because later on He would actually raise Lazarus from the dead. And as it all played out, the Jews didn’t believe even though one named Lazarus was raised up right before their eyes.
In this parable Christ was meeting the people on their own ground. The doctrine of a conscious state of existence between death and the resurrection was held by many of those who were listening to Christ’s words. The Saviour knew of their ideas, and He framed His parable so as to teach important truths through these preconceived opinions. He held up before His hearers a mirror wherein they might see themselves in their true relation to God. He used the prevailing opinion to convey the idea He wished to make prominent to all-that no man is valued for his possessions; for all he has belongs to him only as lent by the Lord. A misuse of these gifts will place him below the poorest and most afflicted man who loves God and trusts in Him.
Christ desires His hearers to understand that it is impossible for men to secure the salvation of the soul after death. Thus Christ represented the hopelessness of looking for a second probation. This life is the only time given to man in which to prepare for eternity.
TWO DOWN – FOUR TO GO
Luke 23:43 – “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Many people have assumed from this verse that souls go to their reward immediately after death. But let’s notice a few things that are wrong with this assumption.
First of all, even though the reading of this verse seems to support the idea of the immortality of the soul, it cannot be so, because Jesus Himself didn’t go to paradise that day. Three days after giving the thief this promise He told Mary “touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father.” (John 20:17)
There’s another good reason why the thief could not have been with Jesus in paradise the same day.
John 19:30-33 – “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:”
Jesus died on the preparation day – And the thieves died either during the Sabbath hours or possibly into the beginning of the next week.
Then there is the punctuation. The words of the Bible are inspired but not the punctuation. If you place the comma after the word “To day” instead of before, the meaning becomes obvious that Jesus was only promising the thief that day that he would be with Him.
And notice one more thing. The thief himself wasn’t expecting to go to paradise that day. Listen to what he said in Luke 23:42, “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” What will happen when Jesus comes into, or receives His kingdom? He will come back to this earth to pick up His subjects. Hopefully that’s you and me.
THREE DOWN – THREE TO GO
2 Cor. 5:1-9 – We will see as we read these verses that Paul is simply contrasting this present mortal life with the future immortal life in heaven. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.” Notice-Paul does not say “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” He was simply saying that he would rather be with the Lord in heaven than to be here on earth. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want the same?
The naked or unclothed state is not mortality or immortality but death and the grave. Paul did not teach that a person passes instantly from being clothed with this tabernacle to being clothed with our house from heaven. He taught that death and the grave came in between!
In 1 Cor. 15:51-53 Paul tells exactly when immortality takes place and it isn’t at death! “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
FOUR DOWN – TWO TO GO
Phil. 1:21-24 – “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.”
Now, these verses say many things, but sometimes it’s good to think about what they do not say. Paul does not say that he will go to be with Christ when he dies. Many would say that he implied it, but if he did he would be contradicting himself in other places. First of all Paul says, “For me to live is Christ.” Paul’s very existence was completely wrapped up in Christ. All his plans and hopes were centered in Christ. His only thought was to please God. Whether he lived or died didn’t matter as long as Christ could be glorified thereby.
Rom. 14:7, 8 – “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”
In other words, if the Lord sees fit for us to live – Praise His name! But if He sees fit that we should die – Praise His name also!
With a true understanding of the state of the dead, it becomes obvious that there is no passing of time in death. There’s no difference in being dead for 6,000 years or 6 days! One moment you fall asleep, the next you wake up.
That being the case – if the Lord sees fit for us to die we have nothing worthwhile to lose by dying, but much to gain. By dying we lose temptation to sin. We lose all our trials. We lose all pain. And we lose all sorrow.
But what will we gain at the resurrection? Immortality. A personal interview with Jesus. A reunion with loved ones never more to part. We’ll see God face to face. We’ll inherit the earth made new. In that sense we have much to gain by dying and waking up to the joys of heaven.
Let’s reread Phil. 1:23, 24 – “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.”
Paul wasn’t talking about committing suicide here. He was referring to the time when he would soon have to appear before the wicked Roman Emperor Nero. It didn’t matter to Paul whether he was allowed to live to carry on his work or whether he was martyred and found himself in the presence of God when he woke up. In fact Paul knew full well that the sleep of death is what intervened between this life and the second coming of Christ.
When writing to Timothy, he said, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Tim. 4:6-8
FIVE DOWN – ONE TO GO
1 Peter 3:18-20 – “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”
There are those who believe that while Christ’s body was in the tomb His spirit descended into the lower regions of the earth to preach to lost souls that were in purgatory our some kind of limbo.
Let’s take it point by point to see what these verses really teach. First of all, it says that Christ preached to these spirits in prison and that He did it by the (capital “S”) Spirit. That means the Holy Spirit.
Now, when was this preaching done? Verse 20 – “When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing.”
And so, the preaching was done while the ark was being built. Not during the time Christ’s body lay in the tomb.
And to whom was the preaching being done? “To the spirits in prison.”
The word spirit (small “s”) has several meanings, one of which is: “The (human) rational soul.” It also means: “a current of air,” or “breath.” In other words, spirits here simply mean human beings who are breathing. Or people who were living during Noah’s day.
The prison they were in was the prison house of sin. They were captives of Satan.
What Peter is telling us here is that Christ, through the Holy Spirit, was present while Noah preached, bringing conviction to their hearts and appealing to them to come into the ark of safety. Nothing here at all about preaching to disembodied spirits of the dead.
SIX DOWN – ZERO TO GO
In Chapter 3 we’ll wrap this up by speaking of the dangers of spiritualism. In the meantime let’s make sure that “for us to live is Christ.”! That our very existence is completely wrapped up in Christ. That all our plans and hopes are centered in Christ. And that our only thought is to please Him in all things. That we might be able to say with the apostle Paul: “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” Rom. 14:8
Chapter 3
The Dangers of Spiritualism
The ministry of the holy angels in our behalf, as presented in the Bible is one of the most comforting truths we can find in God’s holy word. But the teaching on this point has been perverted by popular theology. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul, which was borrowed from pagan philosophy—and incorporated into the Christian faith—has taken the place of the truth so plainly taught in the scripture-that “the dead know not anything” (Eccl. 9:5).
Many people today have come to believe that it is the spirits of the dead, rather than the holy angels, who are the “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Heb. 1:14).
And besides – didn’t the heavenly angels minister to mankind, before the death of a human being?
The doctrine of man’s consciousness in death, is what has prepared the way for modern spiritualism. If the dead are brought into contact with God and holy angels and privileged with knowledge that can be helpful to the living, why shouldn’t they be allowed to return to earth to give us instruction and warning and comfort?
And how can those who believe this reject what comes to them as divine light communicated by glorified spirits? In reality, this is the channel through which Satan works.
GOD’S CHANNEL
What should our channel be? Isa. 8:19, 20 says, “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
Satan has the power to bring before us the appearance of our departed family and friends. And the counterfeit is perfect. He can reproduce their looks, their voice, and their very expressions with exact distinctness. And when this happens, most will give ear to “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”
Let’s consider some of the specific dangers of spiritualism. What impression would it give to those who believe that the dead can actually return to communicate with them if their dead friends or loved ones went into the grave without having accepted Christ or without bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit in their lives? But at the same time claim that they are happy in heaven? It would give them the impression that there is no difference between the righteous and the wicked – or between good and evil. That “I’m every bit as good as they were, and if they are in heaven, surely I will get there too!”
And so, the standard of righteousness would be lowered to accommodate their sinful lifestyle. They would have a false security that would cause them to lose eternal life.
Another danger of spiritualism is that these evil communications might be accurate and truthful at first. Then as confidence is gained Satan and his agents begin to introduce subtle errors that undermine the truths of the Bible. At first they may have an appearance of deep interest in the well being of their friends on earth and then begin to insinuate errors that are a deadly poison to the soul. And isn’t that the way Satan came to Eve in the Garden? As a benefactor of the race? But he turned out to be the great destroyer, didn’t he?
I’ve heard lots of similar stories over the years about men coming to unsuspecting women. Putting their best foot forward at first until they get what they want and then dump them in favor of their next victim. They are agents of Satan to corrupt the purity and happiness that God purposed should exist in their lives.
Through spiritualism the law of God is set aside, the Spirit of grace despised, and the blood of Christ counted an unholy thing. That is the ultimate purpose of Satan through spiritualism. And it is a big part of his effort to carry on his warfare against God in these last days.
TWO SUPERNATURAL FORCES
Today, for the most part, people believe that everything supernatural must be of God. And the few who understand that there are two supernatural forces operating in this world don’t know how to tell the difference between the two, which leaves them in a very vulnerable position to be taken in the snare of the enemy.
Wasn’t it by satanic aid that Pharaoh’s magicians were able to counterfeit the work of God? (Exod. 7:11) Yes! Satan can’t originate anything – he is a counterfeiter. That’s his work, and he’s very good at it.
The apostle Paul warns that before Jesus returns there will be similar manifestations of Satanic power. 2 Thess. 2:9-12: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Notice that there is a connection here between spiritualism and having pleasure in unrighteousness – and unrighteousness is sin! Everyone who continues to live in sin will be sent strong delusion. In the final analysis they will be fooled by spiritualism – regardless of whether or not they once knew the truth.
To have a “love of the truth” is to live it. If we don’t live it we don’t love it. In other words – every professed Christian who continues in sin will in the end deny the pillar of our faith that teaches – “The dead know not anything.”
When the miracle working power of Satan is made manifest to our five senses we will reject all truth unless we experience victory over all sin in our lives. All because we continue to have pleasure in unrighteousness.
The effects of sin are terrible. It cost Jesus His life. And it will cost us ours as well if we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to victory.
SATAN CAN PERFORM MIRACLES
The apostle John also warns us of the miracle working power that will be manifest in the last days. Rev. 13:13, 14: “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”
Men and women are going to be deceived by what Satan’s agents have “power to do” – not what they pretend to do. Through television, movies, and fictitious novels, the world is ripe for the strong delusions of spiritualism.
Here in Revelation we are told of a time when Satan will counterfeit a supernatural act that God has used in the past to show His approval and acceptance. This will be a false sign to the wicked that God is with them and that He is pleased with what they are doing. Even when they issue a death decree to rid the earth of the righteous (Rev. 13:15) they will think they are doing God’s service. (John 16:2)
Let’s take a look at a few more texts that warn about Satan’s last day deception through spiritualism.
1 Tim. 4:1: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
The word “expressly” indicates that God has a message to be delivered without delay, by special messenger as it were. That it will travel at high speed with no stops along the way. God is telling us that He has a distinct message that’s coming by special delivery, because it’s extremely important. He wants us, who are willing in the latter days, to get the warning in time.
Some, it says, “shall depart from the faith.” You can’t depart from the faith unless you first had the faith! And so, here is a warning that God’s professed people in the last days would become involved with spiritualism. “Giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” That the time would come when Christ’s church would turn their backs on Christ and serve another master – the prince of darkness.
So, beware! Spiritualism will be promoted through Christianity. And we see it in the teaching of the immortality of the soul.
1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
Rev. 12:12 – “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”
The devil is about to pull out all the stops and the time is just around the corner when he will put forth supernatural power to deceive the world.
STUDY FOR YOURSELF
As God’s saints, we must have a thorough understanding of present truth, for we will be obliged to maintain it from the Scriptures. We must understand the state of the dead; for the spirits of devils will yet appear to us, professing to be beloved relatives or friends, who will declare unscriptural doctrines. These evil spirits will do all in their power to excite sympathy and will work miracles before us to confirm what they declare. We must be prepared to withstand these spirits with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything, and that they who thus appear are the spirits of devils.
We must examine well the foundation of our hope; for we shall have to give a reason for it from the Scriptures. This delusion will spread, and we shall have to contend with it face to face; and unless we are prepared for it, we shall be ensnared and overcome. But if we do what we can on our part to be ready for the conflict that is just before us, God will do His part, and His all-powerful arm will protect us. He would sooner send every angel out of glory to make a hedge about faithful souls, than have them deceived and led away by the lying wonders of Satan.
FAMILIAR SPIRITS
In the days of the Old Testament there was a class of people who claimed to hold communications with the dead. They contacted what they called “familiar spirits” or people they had known well before they died. But the Bible calls them the “spirits of devils.”
Rev. 16:13, 14 – “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
As I was sitting at my desk preparing this booklet, I had an interesting experience. I called a mechanic to have my daughter’s car fixed and they put me on hold. While on hold the music over the phone was a familiar rock song from my past.
“Prepare yourself, you know it’s a must,
got to have a friend in Jesus –
“So you know that when you die.
They’re going to take you up to
the spirit in the sky.”
“Going to take you up to the spirit in the sky,
That’s where you’re going to go when you die.
“When you die and they lay you to rest
You’re going to go up to the place
that’s the best.”
It was like the devil was thumbing his nose at me as I was seeking to expose the dangers of spiritualism.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND SPIRITUALISM
And of course we know that many government officials are involved in spiritualism in this professed Christian country. Who can forget the article that came out in “The Morning News Tribune” Friday, March 16, 1990. “Astrologer Joan Quigley said Thursday that the star-gazing advise she gave Nancy Reagan during Ronald Reagan’s presidency influenced the course of history in big ways and small.”
U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 5, 1988 – “It turns out that Nancy Reagan has plenty of good company . . . there is extensive interest in psychic phenomena (called psi) in Washington. ‘At any given time, about one fourth of the members of Congress are actively interested in psi, be that healing, prophecy, remote viewing or physical manifestation of psychic powers [such as bending spoons or erasing computer tapes],’ according to Representative Charlie Rose (D-N.C.). . . who founded the Congressional Clearinghouse on the Future, a forum that has given some psychics a platform in the capital. . . . sources say that the capital’s many psi aficionados satisfy their curiosity in the Eerie Zone by privately consulting with seers and discussing the subject with like-minded colleagues. . . . The U.S. military and CIA have occasionally used psychics to spy on Soviet weaponry and Gen. Manuel Noriega. . . . In addition to seeking help in this world, some legislators, congressional aides and government officials have sought spiritual guidance. Senator Claiborn Pell, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, . . . notes that he has . . . sought to communicate with dead relatives.”
The Denver Post, Nov. 16, 1986 – “The migrants say they were motivated by the apocalyptic teachings of long-dead, reincarnated spirits who, speaking through human beings that the believers refer to as ‘channels,’ advised them that the Pacific Northwest would be the safest place in a future filled with earthquakes, tidal waves, atmospheric pollution and polluted soil and water.”
I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH
What is Satan really trying to accomplish through spiritualism? He is seeking to put Jesus in the background and call attention to his own miracles, declaring that these far exceed the works of Christ.
Does that remind you of something Lucifer said in Isa. 14:12-14? “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
Remember what he wanted Jesus to do during His wilderness temptations? “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Matt. 4:9.
To receive worship is what drives Satan. And ALL who are not daily spending quality time worshipping God will prostrate themselves before the great deceiver before the great controversy is over.
Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden: “Ye shall not surely die.” “In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4, 5. Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time. Except those who are kept by the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God.
Dear friend, don’t allow anything to come between your soul and your Saviour. Not your work, school, spouse, friends, or the cares of this life. Don’t be thinking that there will be plenty of time in the future to get right with God. It won’t happen! Today is the day of salvation – Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.