Eph 5:11:"…have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”.
Amos 3:7 “…God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”
Why this post?
To provide Biblical evidence that:
There is no consciousness once we die until we are resurrected; and
No “familiar spirits” (dead ancestors) communicate with the living.
1. What happens when we die?
Herewith the main points:
The dead do not go immediately to Heaven but remain "asleep" until resurrected.
At death, a person's thoughts cease and they know nothing of what happens on earth.
There's no scriptural statement that the righteous receive their reward or the wicked their punishment immediately at death.
The dead experience no passage of time; they "sleep" until awakened by God at resurrection.
When resurrected, the dead will continue their thoughts from where they left off at death.
The dead are unconscious and unaware of earthly events or the experiences of their loved ones.
The concept of the soul's immortality was borrowed from pagan philosophy and incorporated into Christian faith during the "great apostasy."
The judgment of souls does not occur at death, but at a future time appointed by God. That’s the point of Jesus’s ascension is to prepare a place and commence the Judgement at the end of the 2300 day/year prophecy.
If the righteous went directly to heaven at death, there would be no need for a resurrection. Why would Jesus have a need to come again if his children is already with him? Where does the judgement occur?
The theory of the soul's immortality has obscured the biblical truth of resurrection.
Martin Luther classified the immortality of the soul as one of the "numberless prodigies of the Romish dunghill of decretals."
If the dead were in heaven or hell, there would be no need for a future judgment.
It contends that the belief in immediate reward or punishment at death has led to a widespread neglect of the Bible's teaching on resurrection.
The dead being in heaven would make Christ's promise of His second coming unnecessary.
Adam did not enter a "more exalted state of existence" as Satan had promised, but instead faced the penalty of returning to dust.
Immortality was conditional upon obedience to God, and was forfeited through sin. Thus, Adam could not transmit to his posterity what he did not possess.
The doctrine of natural immortality has led to the belief in eternal torment, which misrepresents God's character.
If man had been allowed access to the tree of life after sinning, sin would have been immortalized. Thus, death is presented as a mercy to prevent eternal sin.
Satan has used this belief to represent God as a vengeful tyrant, casting people into eternal hell.
If the righteous dead were in heaven, they would not need to be "comforted" at Christ's return, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
The belief in immediate heavenly reward has led some to take their own lives to escape earthly troubles.
This belief has made many skeptical of religion altogether, as they cannot reconcile a loving God with the idea of eternal torment.
If the dead were conscious, they would be aware of the sorrows of their loved ones on earth, which would mar their heavenly happiness.
This belief contradicts the biblical teaching of bodily resurrection, as there would be no need for it if souls were already in their final state.
Herewith the Bible verses that support the above:
Ecclesiastes 12:6 - Describes the cessation of thought at death.
Psalm 146:4 - "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."
1 Corinthians 15:16-18 - "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."
1 Thessalonians 4:14 - Describes the idea of death as sleep.
Job 14:10-12 - Describes the idea of death as sleep.
Job 14:21 - Shows the dead know nothing of earthly events.
1 Corinthians 15:52-55 - "For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.... So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
Acts 17:31 - "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 - Describes a future judgment day.
Revelation 20:12 - Describes a future judgment based on records in books.
Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also 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."
Ecclesiastes 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
Psalm 6:5 "For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?"
Psalm 115:17 "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence."
Psalm 13:3 "Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;"
Isaiah 38:18-19 "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: the father to the children shall make known thy truth."
Daniel 12:2 "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."
John 5:28-29 "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."
John 11:11-14 "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."
Where does this notion originate?
Origin of the concept:
Satan introduced this idea in the Garden of Eden as "the first sermon ever preached upon the immortality of the soul."
The specific claim:
Satan, through the serpent, told Eve: "Ye shall not surely die." (Genesis 3:4)
Purpose and consequences:
This was part of Satan's effort to deceive humanity, "the foundation of his work" in developing spiritualism.
The concept undermines God's warning about the consequences of sin.
Historical development:
The doctrine of natural immortality was "first borrowed from the pagan philosophy."
It was later "incorporated into the Christian faith" during the "the great apostasy."
Role of Rome (referring to the Roman Catholic Church):
Ministers "received it from Rome, as they received the false sabbath."
Modern impact:
This belief is said to have "prepared the way for modern Spiritualism."
It obscures and perverts the Bible's teaching on death and the ministration of angels.
Theological implications:
This belief contradicts clear Biblical teachings about death and resurrection.
It's a "false doctrine" that constitutes part of the "wine of the abominations of Babylon" (referencing Revelation).
2. What happens when we die?
Herewith the main points:
Spiritualism is a channel through which Satan works to accomplish his purposes.
Satan has the power to make the appearance of departed friends seem real.
These manifestations sometimes utter true warnings to gain trust, then present dangerous errors.
Many attribute spiritual manifestations to fraud, but there are genuine supernatural occurrences.
Spiritualism is not merely human imposture, but involves real demonic activity.
Satan adapts his temptations to different classes of people, presenting a more refined version to the educated.
Spiritualism flatters human pride and promotes self-exaltation.
It degrades God's law and denies the consequences of sin.
Spiritualism is changing its form, now claiming to accept Christ and the Bible, but interpreting them in a way that nullifies their true meaning.
Herewith the Bible verses that support the above:
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 - "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..."
Revelation 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..."
James 3:15 - "This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish."
Isaiah 8:19-20 - "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."
Revelation 3:10 - "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
Verses condemning necromancy:
Leviticus 19:31 - "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God."
Leviticus 20:6 - "And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people."
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 - "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee."
Exodus 22:18 - "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."
1 Samuel 28:3-20 - King Saul consulted the witch of Endor to communicate with the dead prophet Samuel. This act was strongly condemned.
2 Kings 21:6 (about King Manasseh) - "And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger."
Chronicles 33:6 (also about Manasseh) - "And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger."
Isaiah 8:19-20 - "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."
2 Kings 23:24 (about King Josiah's reforms) - "Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord."
Where does this notion originate?
Satan originated the idea of communicating with the dead.
This concept was first introduced in the Garden of Eden with the serpent's lie: "Ye shall not surely die."
It’s Satan's "master-piece of deception."
The development of Spiritualism is a gradual process orchestrated by Satan over time.
The belief in communication with the dead is linked to the earlier introduced concept of the immortality of the soul.
Modern Spiritualism is presented as a revival of ancient practices like witchcraft and communication with "familiar spirits," which were condemned in the Old Testament.
This deception will reach its full development in the last days, becoming a powerful tool to deceive the world.
What is hell then?
Today, hell is articulated to be a place of continuous punishment, but when one digs deeper into the original words and syntax, you realise it’s a state.
In the Old Testament
The first occurrence of this term is in “Deuteronomy 32:22 – "For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains."
The verse with Hebrew reference:
The meaning of lowest:
The meaning of sheh-ole:
It then seems a more accurate translation would be lowest or deepest part of the pit or grave, OR maybe in the womb/middle of that state of where the dead are which is in death. Given the rational above, the dead is in that state where there is no return, or where they do not have the ability to praise, or where the wicked is sent for punishment which is complete death, the complete and final state.
In this case, it does not make sense to write: the lowest part of hell if hell is a place. Are there levels? Really?
The next occurrence is in 2 Samuel 22:6 – "The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me." where it’s the same Hebrew word and the third in Job 11:8.
This pattern continues.
If we take Psalm 16:10 - "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." and we compare it to what was used in the original Geneva Bible:
The word GRAVE.
In the New Testament
Let’s move to the New Testament. The first is in Matthew 5:22 – "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."
Here is what is meant with “fire”:
We know that the Bible noted in Revelation 20:14-15 (KJV): "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." where the wicked are finally done away with through the final fire.
Then the word “hell” or Gehenna:
Here it refers to the final state, which aligns with Revelation 20:15 where the final state through fire is complete death.
If you consider ChatGPT’s interpretation, it again refers to a state rather than a place. The final condition of the punished is in the realm of the dead, which is death itself and not a place of eternal continuous punishment but rather the outcome of final punishment which is complete termination of life.
whydoneit?
These two false doctrines are to deceive the nations. Plain and simple. If we don’t die, there is no reason to make amends and no purpose to Jesus’ sacrifice.