SPIRITUALISM

1. What is spiritualism? Spiritualism is the belief that the dead survive as spirits which can communicate with the living, and, any practice arising from this belief. Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary.

2. Can the spirits of the dead speak to us? Absolutely not! The Bible is very clear that: The dead know nothing. Eccl. 9:5, 6. They cannot visit their former habitations. Job 7:9, 10. "It is impossible to reconcile any portion of spiritualist beliefs and practices with the explicit, repeated teaching of Scripture that the soul sleeps at death until resurrected by Christ." D. Bertson, former psychic of California.

See "The Bible Says" on page 12 [of this magazine].

3. Do spirits exist who can speak to us? Yes! The Bible speaks of three types of spirits who can speak to us: the Holy Spirit, Acts 10:19; holy angels, Acts 10: 22; fallen angels, Mart. 4:5, 6.

4. Is there a way to tell the difference? Yes! in fact we are commanded to try [test] the spirits. 1 John 4:1. They must agree with God's law and testimony. Isa. 8:20. They must confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh [i.e., that Jesus' claim to Messiahship is true]. 1 John 4:2, 3.

5. What is the strategic aim of these fallen angels? They are trying to gain man's cooperation in their rebellion against God through: occult practices such as spell casting, witchcraft, fortune telling, astrology, etc., Deut. 18:9-12; paganism, idolatry. and sun worship in many parts of the world 2 Kings 17:15-17; devils and seducing spirits which teach deceptive doctrines accompanied with power, signs. and lying wonders. especially in these last days, 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; Rev. 12:12; Tim 4:1; Jer. 27:9, 10; the impersonation of dead relatives and apostles who undermine Bible truth with supposedly more advanced information, 2 Cor. 11:13, 14; Gal. 1:8, 9; Matt. 24:24; the mark of the beast, an apostate worship law that brings the world into open conflict with God's law, Rev. 13:11-17; Isa. 8:16; Ezek. 20:12, 20; Rev. 12:17.

6. How successful are they? They have deceived almost all of modern Christianity into accepting the idea that the dead (including Mary the mother of Christ) are conscious and able to communicate with us. The Bible identifies this union of "Christianity" and spiritualism as Babylon. Rev. 18:1-5. Nearly the whole world and its leaders will be seduced by spiritualism into accepting Satan's false gospel that exalts Christ's name, but not His nature or purposes as revealed in Scripture. Rev. 16:13-16; Rev. 13:14. "Visitants from the dead are lying spirits who for sinister reasons of their own are impersonating the deceased." D. Bertson former psychic of California

7. What will be the fate of all who cooperate in this rebellion against God? God will destroy them in the lake of fire. Mal 3:5; Isa. 47:13-15; Rev. 14:9; Rev. 20:11-15; Gal 5:20, 21.