Ability of the Dead to Communicate

Ability of the Dead to Communicate

Steven Dubee

Most people have a family member or close friend who has passed away. We loved these people and we will remember them forever. A problem develops when the longing does not subside for some people or when they feel guilty about something that happened between them and the deceased. This is when people call upon mediums to help them making contact with the deceased. I had a short discussion on this in the previous post (http://salty-earth.blogspot.co.za/2015/10/may-we-make-contact-with-dead.html?m=1), but is it possible? What does The
Bible say about the ability of the dead to communicate?

Rev 1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying to me, Do not fear, I am the First and the Last,
Rev 1:18 and the Living One, and I became dead, and behold, I am alive for ever and ever, Amen. And I have the keys of hell and of death.
Jesus appeared to John and gave him the vision which is now called The Revelations of Jesus Christ. He declared that He has power over hell and death.
Now that we know this, let us start from the beginning.

Gen 2:7 And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Man did not become a living soul after Jehovah God formed his body of the dust of the ground. It only happened when God breathed the breath of life into his nostrils. A living soul cannot exist without a body or breath.

Ecc 12:6 or ever the silver cord is not loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern;
Ecc 12:7 then the dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.
This "spirit" that is referred to is the breath of life that God breathed into man's nostrils. What happens when somebody dies and the breath leaves the body? Remember, a living soul cannot exists without a body or breath.

Joh 5:28 Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice,
Joh 5:29 and shall come forth, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil to the resurrection of condemnation.
These two verses refers to the second coming of Jesus. There is resurrection for us, but the kind of life we live now will be a factor as to which resurrection we will experience.

We have now determined, according to The Bible, that a living soul cannot exist without a body or breath and that everybody will be resurrected. What happens in between? Back to the Word of God.

Psa 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, nor in the son of man in whom there is no salvation.
Psa 146:4 His breath goes forth; he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
It does not matter; king or president, their thoughts perish when they die.

Psa 115:17 The dead do not praise Jehovah, nor do any who go down into silence.
The dead cannot praise God, saved or unsaved.

Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know anything, nor do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten.
Ecc 9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; nor do they any longer have a part forever in all that is done under the sun.
According to The Bible, the dead knows nothing, there is no reward for them and they have no memory. There are no feelings of love, hate, envy etc. They have no part to whatever is happening on earth.

Ecc 9:10  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go.
Do want you have to do now because you cannot do anything after death.

Job 14:10 But man dies and is cut off; and man expires, and where is he?
Job 14:11 As the waters fail from the sea, and a river falls away and dries up,
Job 14:12 so man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be awakened out of their sleep.
The dead does not have any power. He will stay in his grave until Jesus' second coming.

1Co 15:51 Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed;
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"
There will be living people when Jesus comes. At that moment the saved and the dead who served the Lord will be clothed with immortality. This is how and when we will receive eternal life and overcome death.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope.
1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.
1Th 4:15 For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first.
1Th 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
There is hope. Our loved ones who served the Lord before they died will rise up at the sound of God's trumpet. Together we will meet Christ on the clouds in the air. We will see them again if we keep on serving God.

What about Luke 16:19-31. This is the story about the rich man and Lazarus. It is a parable. We cannot use parables in teachings. Jesus used parables to convey "the moral of the story".

Summary:
1. Jesus has overcome death and has power over it.
2. A living soul cannot exist without a body and breath.
3. The dead cannot think.
4. They cannot praise God.
5. They know nothing and have no feelings.
6. The dead are powerless and cannot do anything.
7. They will stay in their graves till the second coming of Jesus.
8. The living saved and the dead who served God will receive the gift of eternal life when Jesus comes.
9. Take comfort, we will see them again.

The Bible tells us that the dead knows nothing, cannot do anything, and is powerless, cannot think and have no feelings. There is no mention of restless spirits or ghosts. Who do the mediums speak to when they call up spirits? Remember, Satan also knew your loved ones, so it would be easy to call up their memories.

Resurrection Victory by the Grace of God

Resurrection Victory by the Grace of God

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Co_15:56-57)

1 Corinthians 15 is the great resurrection chapter of the scriptures. In verse 56, we see two of the enormous problems that the resurrection of Jesus Christ overcomes. "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law." The sting that brings physical and spiritual death to the family of man is sin. "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom_6:23).

Adam sinned and immediately died spiritually. Eventually, he died physically. "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Rom_5:12).

We sinned in Adam, our leader. Also, we personally walked in sin and spiritual death until we came to Christ. The strength that sin exerts over lives is the law. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Rom_3:19). There is no way that man by his own strength can remove the guilt of sin which God's law holds powerfully over him.
The righteous power of the law holds sinful humanity fully accountable before the Lord. The resurrection of Jesus Christ validates His sacrifice for sin, removing sin's sting. "O Death, where is your sting?" (1Co_15:55). Eternal life replaces sin's sting for all who believe in the Lord Jesus. "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom_6:23).

Such victorious grace stirs gratitude in the hearts of the redeemed. "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Notice the language of grace used to describe that which is provided through the resurrection. "The gift of God is eternal life . . . thanks be to God, who gives us the victory." These two terms ("gift" and "gives") are the language of grace. Eternal life comes to us as a gift, an undeserved generosity from God. The victory that we receive through the resurrection is established through Jesus Christ. Then, this victory is given to us, not earned or achieved by us. Thereafter, our Lord desires to guide us daily in His resurrection victory of grace. "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ" (2Co_2:14).

O Righteous Father, I confess that I sinned against You, just as Adam did. Lord, I struggled under the spiritual deadness that sin brought. Your holy law, O God, rightly locked me under guilt and condemnation. I could do nothing myself to bring relief. Then, You gave me eternal life, as I trusted in Your Son. By Your grace, You gave me victory. Thank You, Thank You! Now, Lord, please lead me in that victory, Amen.

Grace and Spiritual Fruit

Grace and Spiritual Fruit

The word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. (Col_1:5-6) The Lord wants His children to have significant measures of spiritual fruit developing in their lives. "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit" (Joh_15:8). Fruit is described in the scriptures in various ways. It includes godly character qualities. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace . . . " (Gal_5:22).
Also, it involves worship offered to God. "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Heb_13:15).
Additionally, it encompasses lives being touched by our ministry to them. "I often planned to come to you . . . that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles" (Rom_1:13).
Such spiritual fruit is a consequence of God's grace at work in and through our lives. Col_1:5-6 addresses this fact. "The word of the truth of the gospel,which has come to you . . . is bringing forth fruit." The good news of Jesus Christ not only brings forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life, it also produces fruit in those who believe. All of this is grace operating in trusting hearts.
"Since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth." Rom_7:4 describes this same glorious process, using different terms. "Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, even to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God."
In order to bear fruit unto the Lord, we had to first be released from our dead relationship to the law. We could not perform effectively under that demanding standard. Thus, our lives were spiritually fruitless before God. Next, we needed to be joined in a new, living relationship with the risen Christ, that we might partake of His grace resources for living. We have experienced both through faith in the Lord Jesus. Now the risen Christ works by His grace in and through our lives, as we humbly depend upon Him. Yes, the grace of God is His designated dynamic for producing spiritual fruit in our every day lives.

Lord God of my salvation, thank You for the glorious message of the gospel. What good news it is to have forgiveness, eternal life, and daily transformation through Your grace. I embrace Your will that I bear much fruit . Lord Jesus, I rejoice that You have taken me out from under the law. I now look to You, the risen Lord, to bring forth spiritual fruit in and through my life, in Your exalted name, Amen.

Living by Grace: Humility and Faith

Living by Grace: Humility and Faith

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble . . . through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. (Jam_4:6 and Rom_5:2) How does a believer in Jesus Christ access the ongoing, sanctifying grace of God for daily godliness? It is accessed the same way that the initial, justifying grace of God was acquired - - by humility and faith. We were justified, declared righteous in God's sight, when we humbly trusted in the Lord Jesus. We humbly agreed with the Lord's account of our guilty condition. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . . For the wages of sin is death" (Rom_3:23; Rom_6:23). We also put our trust in Christ concerning His offer of life (based upon His death and resurrection on our behalf). "But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom_6:23). Thereby we partook of the justifying grace of God, through humility and faith.This is how the Lord wants us to continue to relate to Him for sanctifying grace. Our God wants us to walk in humility, because grace is what we need for growth in godly living. Remember this great truth of grace: "But grow in the grace . . . of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2Pe_3:18). If we are unwilling to walk in humility, we will not enjoy this wondrous sanctifying impact of grace, because "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." When we live by self-sufficiency, God's resists us. When we function in humility, God gives us grace for living. Our God also wants us to walk in faith, because faith accesses grace. "Through whom [Christ] also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand." We now stand in a kingdom that offers "grace upon grace" (Joh_1:16). Abundant grace is available for every step we are to take. This grace is partaken of by faith. Whenever we trust in the Lord Jesus concerning any issue of life, we are reaching by faith into God's unlimited resources of grace, by which we are enabled to live effectively. Hereby we see that living by grace involves two relational realities: humility and faith. We do not produce either. Neither are a work. Humility admits we cannot do the work (of being holy, loving, perfect). Faith relies upon the work of another, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are both relational realities, since they become real in our lives through a growing relationship with the Lord. The more we get to know the Lord Jesus Christ, to that degree humility and faith will become realities in our lives.

O Lord, You are my salvation, from justification throughout a lifetime of sanctification. Forgive me for underestimating my need for You. Forgive me concerning the self-sufficient, self-confident ways by which I have often lived. I humble myself before You. I want to live by trust and confidence in You. I long to live by Your grace, not by my best efforts. Help me to know You, that humility and faith might develop in my life, Amen.