Bible Studies

Part 7

Communicating and otherwise attempting to interact with departed souls is prohibited (Lev. 19: 31), and was punishable by physical death during the Old Testament dispensation . There is nothing I find in New Testament Scripture indicating that God has changed His mind.

Never-the-less, such things continue to be a popular belief and practice among many different cultures, some who claim to be followers of Christ.

For instance, in many cultures past and present, the lighting of candles, the playing of bagpipes before battle, ritual dances, beating of drums, was to summon the presence and or intervention of the departed human souls, and as the means to worship the false gods (Psalms 96: 5 ) that are no more than the creation of Man, supported by the teachings of demons,

Many Roman Catholics believe in wearing medals of graven images, and or praying for the intervention of departed human beings that the Roman Church acknowledges as “saints.” Many Protestants take the position that all departed born-again believers are saints. 

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or ANY LIKENESS of what (or who) is in Heaven, or on the Earth beneath, or in the water under the Earth (Exodus 20: 4 parenthesis mine).”

A “graven image” is any tangible object that attempts to portray anything (or anyone) in Heaven, or any false (non-existing) god, to which one pays spiritual homage. To pay homage means to show deep respect or admiration to something or someone.

Regardless of denomination or non-denominational affiliation, all born-again believers have the Spirit of God indwelling within them (1Cor. 3: 16), and the divine assurance (Phil. 4: 19) of being provided with everything they need, when they need it, to fulfill the plan of God.

Advancing disciples have a Biblically-edified soul structure (Matt. 7: 24-27). For me, it would be a lack of faith to go to any other source of for support, guidance, intervention, or edification.

Pause, and think about it. 

What is it that any other source of power or being (outside of the Trinity) will do for a born-again believer (concerning spiritual issues) that God wouldn’t do, if it was His will for such things to take place? I say nothing.

Now consider that, to the extent that God allows, Satan has the power (Luke 4: 6) to grant the desires of anyone, and will gladly do so, when such prosperity would deny God the glory and or lead the recipients away from the plan of God. Desiring anything that is not in line with God’s timing or will, I what opens the door of opportunity for the devil to step in and lead one astray. 

The devil , along with his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil can do nothing to cause a born-again believer to lose his salvation (Rom.8: 1). But through deception and or distraction, he can do much to lead a born-again believer away from the post-salvation spiritual life, denying God the glory that He would have otherwise received, and causing the forfeiture (1Cor. 3: 14) of the additional rewards and privileges that an advancing disciple would have otherwise received in Heaven.

Our bodily remains may be buried side by side with the bodily remains of family or comrades in the cemetery, but the souls are NOT there, nor have they necessarily all gone to the same place (Matt. 7: 13, 14).

The present and future locations and experience of any given departed soul was determined on the battlefield of spiritual combat during his or her time here on Earth.

The only one you can save for certain is the one you see in the mirror when you are presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16,18. As an advancing disciple, you can be used by God to present others with the same opportunity, but the choice is theirs to make.

If you are a “follower” of Christ, you have been called up to duty to be trained and equipped (Eph. 4: 11, 12), to participate in the “marching orders” that the Lord gave His church when He issued the Matt. 28: 19, 20 Great Commission.

“Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations…(Matt. 28: 19, 20).”

Very few are called to be full-time evangelists or pastor-teachers, but EVERY born-again believer has an assigned place on the battlefield, that being where they are 24/7, be it at home, out on the road, work, school, or play.

Many so-called Christians have never responded to the call for basic training, let alone being trained for the more difficult missions that only advancing disciples can handle. Others have gone A.W.O.L (absent without official leave). Some have become deserters, fleeing from the battlefield with no intentions of returning, having concluded that the cost of discipleship was not what they had signed up for.

The devil is well-pleased with “unproductive” Christians who choose not to participate in the Great Commission. Such “Christians” bring no glory to God, and pose no threat to the devil’s agenda. Their own negativity can spread like cancer among other would-be, advancing disciples. If one is not a part of the solution, he or she is a part of the problem.

It is much easier to just “do enough” to quiet one’s conscience and feelings of obligation and insecurity, by checking in once a week, maybe do a little Bible reading here and there, contribute some financial support (to avail oneself of funeral services that have NO impact on where the departed soul has ALREADY gone), and to do a good deed here and there, etc., than it is to grow in the knowledge (2Pet.3: 18 ) and in the application (James 1: 22) of His Word, and to participate in the spiritual combat associated with promoting the Great Commission.

All born-again believers will have a resurrected body in Heaven, but rather or not you, as an individual born-again believer, will enter and experience the eternal state as a decorated (rewarded) veteran of spiritual combat, is a choice you make!  

End of Part Seven

End of Series