Spiritualism

If the dead are admitted to the presence of God and holy angels, and privileged with knowledge far exceeding what they before possessed, why should they not return to the earth to enlighten and instruct the living? How can those who believe in man’s consciousness in death reject what comes to them as divine light communicated by glorified spirits? Here is a channel regarded as sacred, through which Satan works for the accomplishment of his purposes. The fallen angels who do his bidding appear as messengers from the spirit world. While professing to bring the living into communication with the dead, Satan exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds. 

He has power even to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words, and the tone are reproduced with marvelous distinctness. Many are comforted with the assurance that their loved ones are enjoying the bliss of heaven, and without suspicion of danger, they give ear to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. 

When they have been led to believe that the dead actually returns to communicate with them, Satan causes those to appear who went into the grave unprepared. They claim to be happy in heaven, and even to occupy exalted positions there; thus the error is widely taught that no difference is made between the righteous and the wicked. The pretended visitants from the world of spirits sometimes utter cautions and warnings which prove to be correct. Then, as confidence is gained, they present doctrines that directly undermine faith in the Scriptures. With an appearance of deep interest in the well-being of their friends on earth, they insinuate the most dangerous errors.

The fact that they state some truths, and are able at times to foretell future events, gives to their statements an appearance of reliability; and their false teachings are accepted by the multitudes as readily, and believed as implicitly as if they were the most sacred truths of the Bible. The law of God is set aside, the Spirit of grace despised, and the blood of the covenant counted an unholy thing. The spirits deny the divinity of Christ and place even the Creator on a level with themselves. Thus under a new disguise, the great rebel still carries forward his warfare against God, which began in heaven and for nearly six thousand years continued upon the earth.  

Many endeavors to account for spiritual manifestations by attributing them wholly to fraud and sleight of hand on the part of the medium. While it is true that the results of trickery have often been palmed off as genuine manifestations, there have been, also, marked exhibitions of supernatural power. The mysterious rapping with which modern Spiritualism began was not the result of human trickery or cunning, but the direct work of evil angels, who thus introduced one of the most successful of soul-destroying delusions. Many will be ensnared through the belief that Spiritualism is a merely human imposture; when brought face to face with manifestations that they can but regard as supernatural, they will be deceived and will be led to accept them as the great power of God. { SR 394.1} 

These persons overlook the testimony of the Scriptures concerning the wonders wrought by Satan and his agents. It was by Satanic aid that Pharaoh’s magicians were enabled to counterfeit the work of God. The apostle John, describing the miracle-working power that will be manifested in the last days, declares: “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.” Revelation 13:13, 14. No mere impostures are here brought to view. Men are deceived by the miracles that Satan’s agents have the power to do, not what they pretend to do. (The Story of Redemption; E.G.White.)

This is what the Bible clearly teaches happens at death:

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish, Psalms 146:4.

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, Ecclesiastes 9:5.   

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence, Psalms 115:17.  

For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?Psalms:6:5.