One way to keep from being deceived is to remember that Spiritualism makes no difference between righteousness and wickedness. Spiritualism seems to say that righteousness and wickedness are the same. Spiritualism makes no difference between the pure, noble apostles of Jesus and the most corrupt servants of Satan. Spiritualism represents the most evil men as being in heaven and honored there. This says to the world: "It does not matter how sinful you are; nor whether you believe or do not believe in God and the Bible. Live as you please. Heaven is your home."SRme 1.1738

Evil spirits pretending to be the apostles of Jesus appear to people. These evil spirits say exactly the opposite of what the apostles wrote in the Bible. The Holy Spirit told the apostles what to write. These evil spirits deny that the Bible is God's holy Word. The evil spirits try to destroy the foundation of the Christian's hope. They try to keep people from knowing how to get to heaven.SRme 1.1739

Satan is making the world believe the Bible is only an imaginary story. He wants people to believe the Bible was written only for people who lived long ago. Satan says the Bible is now out of date and not to be read seriously. To take the place of the Word of God, Satan creates the channel of Spiritualism, which is completely controlled by him. In this way Satan can tell people whatever he wants them to believe.SRme 1.1740

The Holy Bible is to judge Satan, but Satan tries to make people think the Bible is just an ordinary book. Satan also makes people think the Saviour of theSRme 1.1741

world is only a common man. The Roman guard who watched the grave of Jesus gave a lying report that Jesus had not been resurrected. So also people who believe in Spiritualism try to make it appear that there were no miracles in Jesus' birth, life, and resurrection. People who believe in Spiritualism try to put Jesus in the background and call attention to their own "miracles." These people say their miracles are greater than the works of Jesus.SRme 1.1742

The prophet Isaiah wrote: "When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa 8:19, 20).SRme 1.1743

The Bible teaches that the dead know nothing. But many people are not willing to believe that dead people know nothing. If people believed the Bible, they would see Satan working in Spiritualism with power, signs, and lying wonders. But because people love sin and do not want to obey God, they close their eyes to the truth and pay no attention to God's warnings.SRme 1.1744

Satan deceives these people with lies, and soon these people become Satan's slaves. "They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved" (2 Thess. 2:10). Because the people did not welcome and love truth, they will believe lies.SRme 1.1745

God's people who oppose the teachings of Spiritualism are fighting not only human beings but Satan and his angels. People who hate Spiritualism are involved in a war against wicked men and evil spirits. Satan can be defeated only by the power of heavenly angels.SRme 1.1746

God's people must be ready to fight against Satan, as did our Saviour, with the words, "It is written." Satan can repeat verses of Scripture now as he did in the days of Christ. Satan uses the Scriptures in a clever way to try to prove his teachings are true. People who would be faithful to God in these closing years of earth's history must know the Scriptures and how to use them in the battle against error and evil.SRme 1.1747

People must understand what the Bible teaches about the nature of human beings and what happens to people when they die. This is important because in the near future many people will be brought face to face with evil spirits. These evil spirits will look the same as relatives or friends they loved. These evil spirits tell lies and present false teachings. These spirit beings will appeal to peoples' tender sympathies, and will work miracles to try to prove they are dead relatives or friends. We must be prepared to stand against evil spirits with the Bible truth that the dead know nothing. With God's Word we can prove that these evil spirits are spirits of the devil.SRme 1.1748

For a long time Satan has been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. Satan began his work on earth when he told his first lie to Eve in Eden, "You will not die. . .when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad" (Gen 3:4, 5).SRme 1.1749

Little by little Satan has prepared the way for Spiritualism, which is his masterpiece of deception. Satan has not fully accomplished his plans. But Satan will accomplish his plans in the last moments of time. Satan is tricking his followers into a feeling of safety until they will be awakened by the wrath of God. People who are kept by the power of God through faith in His Word will not be deceived.SRme 1.1750

WITCHCRAFT IN MODERN FORM

Chapter 58 — THE LOUD CRY