Apostate Christianity, known as Babylon in Scripture, teaches the immortality of the soul to millions of its faithful members who desire to do God’s will. In Rev. 18:4, God calls these faithful believers to come out of Babylon. For good reason! Babylon is doomed to destruction.
Many in the apostate churches today desire to follow God’s Word, but their ministers and priests have misled them into believing a lie that comes directly from paganism. If people listen to these spiritual leaders instead of to the Word of God, they will be led astray in the perilous times that lie just ahead. They will be seduced by foul spirits and worship a false Christ.
Paul warned against the false apostles in his day. He notes that it is “no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:13-14). We can say the same thing today. After two thousand years of both advance and decline in Christianity, it is no wonder that apostasy reigns when the Church rejects the plainest statements of the Bible. In doing so, the churches risk worshiping Satan himself.
The teaching that the human soul is immortal and somehow exists separate from the body dominates the Christian world today. Millions believe that grandma is in heaven, looking down on her children. However, the Bible knows nothing of this teaching. The Scripture never calls the soul immortal and clearly teaches that the dead rest in their graves until the last day.
Revelation 14 contains the last warning message for the world. This message is the gospel itself because after the message of the third angel, the Bible says, “Here is a call for the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Rev. 14:12). These believers stand in opposition to apostate Christianity because they obey all ten of God’s commandments through faith in Jesus.
The next verse says, “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on. ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them’” (Rev. 14:13).
The experience of the dead at the end of time is no different than that of the prophet Daniel, who was told near the end of his work, “But as for you, go on your way until the end. You will rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days” (Dan. 12:13).
Belief in immortal souls leads directly to Spiritualism. Despite their stated objections to the world of the occult, apostate churches accept at least some of the tenets of Spiritualism.
An article in the New York Times (Jan. 7, 2026) expresses the connection between the occult and apostate Christianity. Entitled “My Long Weekend with 700 People Touched by Death,” reporter Jessica Grose describes her experience at the annual conference of the International Association for Near-Death Studies.
I asked ChatGPT to summarize this article:
The article recounts Jessica Grose’s experience attending the annual conference of the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) near Chicago, where more than 700 people gathered to explore near-death experiences, grief, and spirituality outside traditional religion.
Grose describes a joyful, communal atmosphere—symbolized by ecstatic dancing—especially among people who have survived near-death experiences, whom she identifies by their calm demeanor and openness.
The conference draws three main groups: scientists studying near-death phenomena, people who have personally had near-death experiences, and grieving individuals seeking comfort after the loss of loved ones. Many attendees feel alienated from organized religion but still desire spiritual meaning and community. IANDS offers a space to share extraordinary experiences—such as visions, synchronicities, or perceived communication with the dead—without rigid doctrine or judgment.
Grose situates the movement within broader social trends: declining participation in organized religion, growing belief in life after death, and rising interest in spiritual experiences that blend science, psychology, and mysticism. She notes historical parallels to 19th-century spiritualism and highlights ongoing tensions within IANDS between scientific rigor and New Age practices.
While acknowledging the emotional support IANDS provides—especially for the bereaved—Grose remains skeptical of claims about post-death consciousness and worries about potential exploitation, pseudoscience, and ethical blind spots.
Ultimately, the article concludes that IANDS offers real comfort and community for some, but it remains uncertain whether it can evolve into a durable, ethically grounded spiritual alternative capable of replacing traditional religious institutions.
Since apostate churches hold the same view of life after death as do Spiritualists, it would be no wonder that traditional churches would be susceptible to the deceptions inherent in the occult. If dead relatives were to appear to average Christians today, there is little doubt that they would be deceived by such apparitions.
The apostate churches are in a state of confusion because they reject the plain teachings of Scripture in at least some areas. They mix truth and error. If you are in one of these churches, go to your Bible and study the Word of God for yourself! Do not be deceived by anyone, whether friend or family member, whether pastor or priest. The Word of God will keep you safe from the great deceptions that are coming on the earth. God calls you to “come out of her.”