Spiritualism - The Church

Our need for Jesus and the Holy Spirit's power rises daily. Unfortunately, we are satisfied with the weak Biblical foundation that we have. We have simply spent too little time reading God’s word. The enemy has a weapon which we need to take very seriously. Some believe that Spiritualism is simply the immortality of the soul but it's broader than that and will be the tool that opens the door of the church to deceive those who are not devoted to God. Consider an incident found in Scripture concerning some people who professed to know Jesus:

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. *1

The reply of this evil spirit, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" reminds me of the text:

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." *2

The only way we can distinguish between what is false and what is true is to know Jesus who is truth. I cannot emphasize enough the need to rely on Him. We come to know Jesus through prayer and the study of His Word. The servant of the Lord gives us a serious warning about this:

As spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal Christianity of the day, it has greater power to deceive and ensnare. Satan himself is converted, after the modern order of things. He will appear in the character of an angel of light. Through the agency of spiritualism, miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power.

The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church members love what the world loves and are ready to join with them, and Satan determines to unite them in one body and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of spiritualism. Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium.

Through spiritualism, Satan appears as a benefactor of the race, healing the diseases of the people, and professing to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith; but at the same time he works as a destroyer. His temptations are leading multitudes to ruin. Intemperance dethrones reason; sensual indulgence, strife, and bloodshed follow. Satan delights in war, for it excites the worst passions of the soul and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another, for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God. * 3

Spiritualism is a tool that captures, that hypnotizes. Through the miracles and wonders the enemy will try to deceive if possible even the elect. Do not play with the enemy nor venture into his territory. Let us seek Jesus in prayer every day and we will overcome all. Our Lord Jesus should always be in our hearts and our minds.

JESUS IS COMING!

1 * Acts 19:11-20
2 * Matthew 7:21-23
3 * "The Impending Conflict," "The Great Controversy, Ellen G. White.
4 * Image - http://www.stsvartanantz.com/