Some members of the Christian community are hesitant to communicate with mediums in order to connect with the afterlife due to their belief that such contact may involve demonic entities. They maintain that the Bible prohibits communication with such beings and that the deceased are currently in a state of suspended animation until the return of Jesus Christ. Additionally, they assert that those who accept Jesus Christ will be resurrected and will dwell in a heavenly abode on Earth, while those who reject him will be cast into a fiery underworld known as “hell.” However, there is no evidence to support the belief that the deceased are in a state of suspended animation, and the notion of “hell” as a physical location is not supported. This explanation reveals the fallacy of these claims.
Many Teachings the Church Asserts Did not come from Jesus
These teachings the church asserts did not come from Jesus.
- Jesus never spoke about a distant heaven. Instead, he referred to the Kingdom of God (also known as the Kingdom of Heaven) as being present within us. The concept of a far-off heaven, purgatory, and limbos were inventions of the church.
- Jesus never spoke against communicating with loved ones who have passed on to the next life, nor did he mention mediums in this context.
- According to one account, while on the cross, Jesus told the thief next to him that they would be together in paradise that very day, without any delay upon their passing.
- Biblical scholars agree that the writer of Luke added another account to Jesus’ teachings, which probably did not originate from Jesus himself but was added by first-century Christians. However, this account indicates that early Christians did not believe in the concept of individuals being in a state of storage, waiting for the rapture, after their physical bodies died. Instead, they believed that people who passed away were immediately met and guided by loved ones and guides on the other side. In Luke 16:22, the writer describes a dying beggar who is carried by angels to Abraham’s side upon death. The beggar is alive and with Abraham as a living person. If the early Christians had believed in the notion of sleeping for eons, this passage would not have been written or would not have been included in the text when circulated.
- In the same account, Jesus spoke of going to be with God the Father and being available for communication with his disciples. He told them that they could ask him to do things, and he would fulfill their requests on the other side of life. This indicates that Jesus had a clear understanding that his existence would continue and that he would be accessible to communicate with his disciples, even though they would not be able to physically see him. This description aligns with the concept of the next plane of life, where individuals can walk among us and see us, while we are unable to see them.
Those on the Next Plane of Life Have Great Reverence for Jesus
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. Jesus in Mark 3:24-26To suggest that our loved ones in the afterlife are communicating with us to aid our spiritual growth, rather than being demonic entities, is strongly supported by their profound respect for Jesus. Although they may express criticism towards the church for failing to accurately represent Jesus’ spiritual teachings, those who communicate through mediums are often highly regarded religious figures, such as theologians, bishops, priests, ministers, and deans. All underscore the significance of Jesus’ teachings for humankind and encourage us to emulate his example. Through communicating with mediums, they strive to help humanity grow spiritually and to understand and follow Jesus’ model, emphasizing the significance of universal love, brotherhood, and peace among all people, regardless of their race or creed. In the Gospel of John, teachers of the law visited the Galilee to observe Jesus’ miracles, and upon witnessing them, accused him of being possessed by Satan. However, Jesus refuted their claims, arguing that his works were against evil and for good, and hence, could not possibly come from an evil source. Those who have passed onto the next plane of life display greater support for Jesus and his teachings than many earthly churches. Their reverence for Jesus and their desire to assist humankind in becoming more like him are incompatible with any evil force or being that seeks to divide humans from God or from each other. Those in the afterlife are genuine individuals who are more dedicated to God, Jesus, and our spiritual growth than ever before.
The Old Testament and Mediums
The people who demonize speaking to people in the afterlife cite mandates from the Torah against mediums. Three passages deal with mediums and communicating with the dead:
- Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Deut 18:10 (NIV)
- When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Isaiah 8:19 (NIV)
- Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord: he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. 1 Chronicles 10:13 (NIV)
Did Jesus Say We Should Not Talk to Mediums?
The words of Jesus and writers in both the Jewish and Christian canons show that our loved ones are close by and accessible to us, just not within our sight. And Jesus simply did not prohibit people from communicating with their deceased loved ones. Demons aren’t pretending to be someone’s loved one; Jesus didn’t say anything like that, and besides, that would be a house divided against itself because those on the other side have great reverence for Jesus and seek to help people follow his teachings. The three verses in the Old Testament had a clear context that doesn’t apply to today’s followers of Jesus, who are not orthodox Jews following the 613 Mitzvahs of the Torah. In other words, there is nothing about communicating with a deceased loved one that is prohibited by Christian theology.
