Spiritism: An Ungodly Philosophy of Communicating with the Dead

Spiritism is the belief and practice of making contact with the spirits of the deceased. Though it often presents itself as enlightenment, comfort or hidden knowledge, Scripture identifies it as a dangerous doorway into the realm of dark, evil forces that God expressly forbids His people to enter.

What Is Spiritism?

Both spiritualism and spiritism attempt to communicate with the deceased and receive revelations from the afterlife (beyond death). Through trances, séances and mediums who possess physic ability, adherents supposedly make contact with the spirit world via black magic, evil spirits and trickery. Satan is the motivating force behind such happenings. Those who dabble in such practices do not always understand the considerable spiritual risks they are taking, as they actually open the door for demonic contact, harassment and even possession.

The two terms are closely related but not identical. Spiritualism is the more formal expression of the practice: structured into churches, services and organised congregations, with mediums who claim to relay messages from departed loved ones. Spiritism is the broader term — the overall practice of consulting the dead, whether through a recognised movement or through an individual, one-off consultation with a medium. In practice both seek contact with the spirit world, and Scripture addresses them alike.

Modern spiritism dresses itself in respectable language — “spirit guides”, “energy healing”, “channelled wisdom” — yet its source and its authority are not of God. Practices such as necromancy, divination, fortune telling and consulting the dead are consistently placed by the Bible in the same category as the occult, and are incompatible with a life of faith in Jesus Christ.

Biblical Warnings Against Spiritism

The Bible has stern warnings about such activities which, although “having a form of godliness” deny its power, and so are not compatible with Christianity (Lev 19:31, 20:6; Deut 18:9-13; 1 Sam 15:23; 2 Tim 3:1-5). The Old Testament explicitly condemns mediumship in multiple passages. Leviticus 20:27 pronounces judgment on both mediums and spiritists – those who consult the dead and those who claim occult knowledge through a familiar spirit.

God forbids any involvment with such practices

King Saul’s tragic end came after he sought direction from a medium at Endor instead of waiting on the Lord, and the chronicler lists that unfaithfulness among the very reasons for his death. Scripture treats such practices not as harmless curiosity but as unfaithfulness to God Himself (1 Sam 28:3-19; 1 Chr 10:13-14).

Satanic Deception and Spiritual Danger

The apostles cast a spirit of divination out of a person (Act 16:16-18). Satan is a deceiver and endeavours to have people rely on spirit guides who lead them away from the sound doctrines of the Bible (Jn 8:44; 1 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 5:8). Spirits claiming to be departed loved ones cannot be trusted: what appears as comfort is frequently a counterfeit designed to draw people away from the one true God.

Do not be enticed with the devil’s schemes, rather “test the spirits” and reject anything that is not consistent with the Bible (1 Jn 4:1). Believers are called to bring every spiritual experience under the authority of Scripture, to refuse every channel of occult contact, and to rest in Christ, who has disarmed and defeated every demonic power.

Look to your Father in heaven for sound guidance, not clairvoyants

Reflection and Application:

Seek guidance from God through prayer and His Word, never from mediums, psychics or clairvoyants.
Avoid séances, Ouija boards, tarot and other entertainments that open the door to occult influence.
“Test the spirits”: measure every spiritual claim and experience against the teaching of the Bible.
Lovingly point anyone caught in spiritism to Christ, who alone has power over every evil spirit.