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THE STATE OF THE DEAD

“To the Christian, death is but is sleep, a moment

of silence and darkness.”

THE FIRST GREATEST LIE

It is Satan who formulated the lie about the state of the dead in the Garden of Eden (Gen31-5):
 “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in
the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing
good and evil.” Verses 2-5. He declared that they would become like God, possessing
greater wisdom than before and being capable of a higher state of existence.”

A. God had said, “... for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Gen217
 “God declared that as a penalty for his sin, man should return to the ground whence he was
taken: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Genesis 3:19.”

 “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23.”

 “Immortality had been promised on condition of obedience to the requirements of God.”

B. But Satan later said, “Ye shall not surely die ... ye shall be as gods...” Gen34-5

By claiming that “Ye shall not surely die ... ye shall be as gods” Satan had accepted that they would
die in some sense, but not surely. Instead of a sure death, Satan said human beings would die only
to be transformed to a superior status/level that is similar and close to that God, possessing super
powers similar to those attributed to God (e.g. omnipresence, etc). It is Satan who introduced this
false theory. God had clearly said, “Ye shall surely die.” Desiring to be like God in this sense, Eve
yielded to the idea to her own fall.

 “They [Adam and Eve] accepted the words of the serpent, that God did not mean what He said;
they distrusted their Creator, and imagined that He was restricting their liberty, and that they
might obtain great light and freedom by transgressing His law.”

 “By partaking of this tree, he [Satan] declared, they would attain to a more exalted sphere of
existence”

 “The first sermon ever preached upon the immortality of the soul was preached by the serpent
to Eve in Eden,—“Ye shall not surely die;” and this declaration, resting solely upon the
authority of Satan, is echoed from the pulpits of Christendom, and received by the majority of
mankind as readily as it was received by our first parents. The divine sentence, “The soul that
sinneth, it shall die,” (Ezekiel 18:20) is made to mean, The soul that sinneth, it shall not die,
but live eternally. We cannot but wonder at the strange infatuation which renders men so
credulous concerning the words of Satan, and so unbelieving in regard to the words of God.”

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 NB: Immortality is only possible after man, through Jesus Christ with obedience to the law of
God, gains access to the tree of life. Gen323-25; Rev2214; 118; Jn1125

WHAT IS DEATH?

Ps133 The psalmist calls death a sleep.

1Thes415 The dead are asleep.

Mt2752 They sleep in their graves.

Act1336 When David died he went to sleep.

1Cor1551 Paul calls death a sleep.

Eccl319-20 Man and animals have same form of death.

1Thes414 The righteous dead sleep in Jesus.

1Kin1143 More than twenty-five times the expression, “Slept with his fathers,” is used when
recording deaths of kings in the Old Testament. We give one sample text.

Jn1111-14 Jesus calls death a sleep.

Heb927 One death is appointed unto men.

Gen217; 322-24; Rom623 Death is the result of sin.

Jn844 Satan is the father of sin.

Heb214 He has the power of death.

2Tim110 Christ abolished death.

1Cor1522 This included all the dead.

Jn525-28 Christ has the power to awaken all from the sleep of death.

ARE THE DEAD CONSCIOUS?

Ps1464 “His breath goeth forth; . . . in that very day his thoughts perish.”

Job1412, 21 No knowledge of what happens on earth after death.

Isa3810, 11 Do not see the Lord or men on the earth.

Eccl95, 6 Do not know anything.

Ps11517 Praise not the Lord.

Ps65 No remembrance of God.

Ps8811, 12 Grave the land of forgetfulness.

Job1412 Remain in the grave till the heavens are no more.

Rev614-17 Heavens roll together when Christ returns to earth.

Job1923-27 Job knew he would wake at that time.

Jn529 Two classes in the resurrection.

1Thes416, 17 Righteous arise when Christ comes.

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 Rev205 Wicked raised 1,000 years later.

HOW ARE THE DEAD RAISED UP?

1Cor1535 “With what body do they come?

1Cor1536-38 The same individual will come from the grave that went into the grave as truly as
wheat comes from wheat sown in the earth.

1Cor1544 “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”

1Cor1520 Christ was the first-fruits, or sample.

1Thes414 Those that sleep in Jesus will be brought forth as He was.

Lk2439-43 Christ arose with the same body that hung on the cross.

Lk2430, 35 Recognized by His manner of breaking bread.

Jn2015, 16 Mary knew her Lord by His voice.

Jn203-8 John recognized Christ by his orderly habits.

Jn2026-28 Philip knew His by His personal appearance. As Jesus’ friends recognized Him, so we
will recognize our friends.

1Cor1551-54 Righteous dead raised immortal.

Phlp320, 21 Their bodies will be like Christ’s glorious body.

Mt171, 2 Their faces will shine as the sun, and raiment be white as the light.

Hos1314 Christ has pledged to redeem them from death.

Job1415 He will call, the saints will answer.

Isa2619 Christ will call, “Awake and sing.”

1Cor1554-57 The righteous spring forth with a song of victory.

TWO RESURRECTIONS AND THE SECOND DEATH

Jn528, 29 Two resurrections: – one to life and the other to damnation.

Rev205 One thousand years between the two resurrections.

Mt2430, 31 When the righteous arise Christ gathers them.

Rev205-9 When the wicked arise Satan gathers them.

Rev2013 Gathered from land and sea.

Rev206; 211 Righteous never die the second death.

Rev2014 Second death is the lake of fire.

Rev2015; Rom623 All whose names are not in the book of life, suffer the second death.

ETERNAL LIFE, THE GIFT OF GOD

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 1Tim615, 16 God only hath immortality.

Jn526 God gave Christ immortality.

1Jn511, 12 Eternal life given man through Christ. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that
hath not the Son hath not life.”

1Jn315 No wicked person hath eternal life.

2Tim110 Christ “brought life and immortality to light.”

Job417 Man is only mortal.

Rom26, 7 We are admonished to seek for immortality, eternal life. If we possessed it, we
would not need to seek for it.

1Cor1551-54 It will be given the righteous at Christ’s second coming.

LIFE ONLY THROUGH CHRIST, AS TAUGHT BY THE CITIES OF REFUGE

Num3511-14 The six cities of refuge were a constant reminder that eternal life was a gift and not
an inherent human inheritance

Dt192, 3 The roads leading to the cities were to be kept in good repair that the one fleeing
might not be hindered.

Num3515 The refuge was free to all; even the stranger and sojourner might flee thither.

Num3516-25 The regulations regarding these cities taught that there were degrees of crime. It
was possible to go so far in sin that the sinner was delivered over to the avenger
even at the gate of the city.

Heb64-6; Mt1231, 32 There is an unpardonable sin.

Heb1216, 17 Illustrated in the case of Esau.

Josh204 Confession was made at the gate before the one fleeing was received.

1Jn19 The sinner must confess.

Num3526-29 Inside the city was life; outside the city was death.

Prov1810; Ps912 Christ is a refuge.

1Jn511, 12; Jn154-7 Our safety is to abide in Christ.

Num3526-28 If one presumptuously went outside the city, his life could be taken.

Eze1824-26 The one that turns from the refuge of Christ dies the second death.

Josh206; Num3525 There were two important events to which the dweller in the city looked forward,–
the judgment and the death of the high priest. The judgment decided his destiny; the
death of the high priest restored him to freedom of the land. The decision in the
judgment decides our eternal destiny; and when our High Priest ceases to be high
priest, our adversary, the devil, has no power to take our life, and we come into
possession of our eternal inheritance.

Case Study 1: Creation of man

Gen27, 319 Man came from dust. Man is dust! He did not descend/come from heaven. God then
commanded man to live.
Soul = Living man
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 Soul = Dust + Spirit of life

Case Study 2: In what state do people go to heaven – as spirits or in physical/fleshy form?

a) Where was Jesus after He died, but before He was resurrected?

Jn2011-16, Mk169 Mary Magdalene at Jesus’ sepulchre.

Jn2017 Jesus says He had not yet ascended to the Father in heaven. This is evidence that
whilst dead, He was just asleep. This is the case for everyone.
Jn2017 Jesus stopped Mary from touching her. He said He was about to ascend to heaven
immediately after meeting Mary, then afterwards He would meet His disciples in
Galilee.

Why would He ascend to heaven at that moment? As He rose on the day when first
fruits were presented before God (Lev2310-11) in the sanctuary on the Festival of First
Fruits (after Passover), now as the High Priest, Jesus was to present the first fruits of
those who were resurrected after Him (on the same day of Festival of First Fruits,
after Passover) before the Father in heaven (Mt2752-53). So Jesus ascended into
heaven with them in physical form (or spiritually transformed, incorruptible
bodies), then immediately came back to meet His disciples in Galilee.

Act19-11 Jesus lastly ascended into heaven in physical form. He will appear again in physical
form to resurrect the saints who are in graves and transform the living saints’
physical bodies, and then ascend with them into heaven in physical form (1Cor1551-
54
).

b) Ascension of Enoch

Gen524, Heb115 Enoch did not see death. He was taken and ascended into heaven in physical form
(or spiritually transformed, incorruptible body).

c) Ascension of Moses
Jude9 After Moses died (Dt345-6), he was later resurrected (Jude9), taken and ascended into
heaven in physical form (or spiritually transformed, incorruptible body). At the
transfiguration of Jesus, he descended from heaven, not as a spirit, but in physical
state (as in ascension) alongside Elijah and talked with Jesus (Mk94, Mt173).

d) Ascension of Elijah
2Kin211 Elijah did not see death. He was taken and ascended into heaven in physical form (or
spiritually transformed, incorruptible body). At the transfiguration of Jesus, he
descended from heaven, not as a spirit, but in physical state (as in ascension)
alongside Moses and talked with Jesus (Mk94, Mt173).

Conclusion

Going to heaven is by ascension in physical form. It can never happen in form of spirit. A
person’s existence is in physical form. There are only two possibilities: (i) alive (physically
existing) or (ii) dead (not existing). At death, God just retrieves the life-giving power. It is a
misinterpretation to think that the “spirit” in question that goes back to God refers to the
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 person who would have died. Scripture points out that “the deceased returns to dust”
(Eccl127). All that go to heaven are those that have been saved: (i) if before seeing death,
ascend as Enoch and Elijah did or (ii) after seeing death, will ascend on the second coming of
Christ at the end of the world.

Case Study 3: Saul and the woman of Endor

1Sam287-19 Saul appears as if speaking to the dead prophet Samuel. Scriptures says Saul had
inquired for the one “with a familiar spirit”, not for the one “with Samuel”.

1Chr1013 Scriptures clarifies that it was not the dead Samuel, but a familiar spirit (a demon)
which masqueraded as (or pretended to be) Samuel and talked similar to Samuel.

NB:
 “These manifestations [of Spiritualism] will be more frequent, and developments of a more startling
character will appear as we near the close of time. The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words,
the tone, are reproduced with marvelous distinctness.... Many will be confronted by the spirits of devils
personating beloved relatives or friends and declaring the most dangerous heresies. These visitants will
appeal to our tenderest sympathies and will work miracles to sustain their pretensions.”

False teachings by the Catholic Church: (“Rest-In-Peace”; Purgatory)

The Catholic Church confirms that it originated the doctrine of Purgatory and this is its own tradition, not Scriptural.
The phrase “Rest-In-Peace” (or RIP) is paganism (not Christian), being of Catholic origin and suggests that after
death, the deceased may experience torment in hell if s/he was a sinner; so the living relatives/friends will “wish” the
deceased a peaceful rest in death, free from hell torment:
“The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from
the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the
Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture,
speaks of a cleansing fire”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 1, Section 2, Chapter 3, Article 12, Number 1031

“Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where
they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire." ”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 1, Section 2, Chapter 3, Article 12, Number 1035

 “Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the
people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a
bond of sympathy with Rome.”

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 2. SPIRITUALISM
Spiritualism is defined as follows:— "The belief that the spirits of the dead in various ways communicate with and
manifest their presence to men, usually through the agency of a person called a medium."—Standard Dictionary.

The Lord told Adam that the penalty for eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was death. Gen217.
Satan contradicted this statement, and said, "Ye shall not surely die." Gen34. But as a consequence of man's
transgression, death entered into the world (Rom512), and Satan's lie was unmasked. But Satan, to make appear
true his falsehood uttered in Eden, instilled into the mind of man the idea of inherent immortality and
consciousness in death.

Through a belief in his statement, he has caused it to be taught that what seems to be death is not death, but
merely transition; that the soul—the real thinking man—lives right on. Then, in the Spiritualistic séance, fallen
angels, transformed into angels of light, appear, and claim to be the spirits of the dead from the world of light,
and thus aid on the great deception.

When Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh by direction of the Lord, and with a special message, a miracle
working agency was brought forward to resist their work. The sorcerers and magicians (the spiritual mediums of
that time), two of whom were Jannes and Jambres, were called in, and by satanic agency wrought an apparent
miracle. This same miracle-working agency will appear in the earth in the last days to hinder the message of God.
Error ever seeks to entrench itself behind forms, and produces, as proof that it is right, some supernatural
manifestation. Truth sets forth as the credentials of its divine origin the plain statements of the Bible, and is ever
willing to trust alone in these.

Samuel was dead and buried at Ramah (1Sam283), and, consequently, could not be present on this occasion.
That no heavenly being was present is clear from the fact that, because of his rebellious course, the Lord had
refused to answer Saul (verse 6), and with this dark séance of Satan he could have nothing to do. One of the
fallen angels, transformed into an angel of light, and appeared, personating the aged prophet. In modern
séances the same scenes are again enacted.

ANCIENT SPIRITUALISM

Ex711-13 Sorcerers (spiritualist mediums) influenced Pharaoh.

Lev1931; 206, 27; Ex2218; Dt1810-12 Spiritualist mediums, anciently called witches and wizards, were an
abomination.

 “God has expressly forbidden all pretended communication with departed spirits. In the
days of the Hebrews there was a class of people who claimed, as do the spiritualists of
today, to hold communication with the dead. But the “familiar spirits,” as these visitants
from other worlds were called, are declared by the Bible to be “the spirits of devils.”
(Compare Numbers 25:1-3; Psalm 106:28; 1 Corinthians 10:20; Revelation 16:14.)”

2Kin11-4 Consulted in case of sickness.

 “Though we do not pay homage to heathen gods, yet thousands are worshiping at Satan’s
shrine as verily as did the king of Israel. The very spirit of heathen idolatry is rife today,
though under the influence of science and education it has assumed a more refined and
attractive form.”

 “The prince of darkness has but appeared under a new guise. The mysteries of heathen
worship are replaced by the secret associations and séances, the obscurities and wonders,
of the sorcerers of our time. Their disclosures are eagerly received by thousands who
refuse to accept light from God’s word or from His Spirit. While they speak with scorn of

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 the magicians of old, the great deceiver laughs in triumph as they yield to his arts under a
different form.”

1Sam288, 11 Familiar spirits profess to be spirits of dead people.

1Chr1013 Saul’s crowning sin was consulting familiar spirits.

2Chr331-6 Manasseh dealt with familiar spirits.

2Kin1717, 18 Israel went into captivity because they “used divinations and enchantments.”

Dt189-14; 2Kin1715-18 The heathen nations were spiritualists; they dealt with familiar spirits.

2Kin1716, 17 Spiritualism always connected with Baal- or sun-worship.

Dt3217; Ps10637; Lev177 The heathen Baal-worship was devil-worship. This was the principal
adversary against the cause of God until about the sixth century.

Gen31-6 The first spiritualist medium was the serpent. The devil spoke directly through the
serpent.

Isa819, 20 When asked to consult with familiar spirits, turn to the law and to the testimony.

MODERN SPIRITUALISM

Rev1613-15 Unclean spirits will speak through great powers of earth in the last days.

Rev131-14 As the prophetic period of 1,260 years was closing, a nation was seen arising. The
United States arose at that time. Out of this nation a miracle-working power was to
arise. About 1848 modern spiritualism began to attract attention through the Fox
sisters of New York

Acts89; 136-10; Rev920, 21 Sorcery was an evil in New Testament times.

Rev182 Modern Babylon becomes “the hold of every foul spirit.”

1Cor1020 Gentiles worshiped devils.

Job1414, 20, 21; 78-10 The dead do not know what takes place after their death.

Ps1463, 4 Their power to think ceases.

Eccl95, 6 The dead do not know anything; hence, a spirit purporting to be a spirit of any dead
person, must be wicked spirit trying to deceive.

Rev1614; 1314 The devil can work miracles.

2Cor1113-15 The devil can appear as an angel of light; hence, can easily personate the dead.

 “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, the
prince of evil exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds. He has power to bring
before men the appearance of their departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect; the
familiar look, the words, 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.”

Rev1613-15 Spiritualism will be a bond uniting different earthly powers together for the “battle
of that great day of God Almighty.”

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  “When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the
Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when,
under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of
its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for
the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has
come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near.”

NB:
 “The doctrine of natural immortality has prepared the way for modern 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.”

 “The very name of witchcraft is now held in contempt. But Spiritualism, which numbers its converts by
hundreds of thousands, yea, by millions, which has made its way into scientific circles, which has invaded
churches and has found favor in legislative bodies, and even in the courts of kings—this mammoth
deception is but a revival in a new disguise of the witchcraft condemned and prohibited of old.”

 “To the self-indulgent, the pleasure-loving, the sensual, the grosser forms of Spiritualism are adapted;
and multitudes eagerly accept teachings that leave them at liberty to follow the inclinations of the carnal
heart.”

 “It is not difficult for the evil angels to represent both saints and sinners who have died, and make these
representations visible to human eyes. These manifestations will be more frequent; and developments of
a more startling character will appear as we near the close of time.”

 “Satan is not permitted to counterfeit the manner of Christ’s advent.”

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