Introduction
As the world celebrates Halloween, many decorate their homes with ghosts, skeletons, and images of the dead supposedly roaming the earth. Some Christians even join in, unaware that this celebration traces back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain—a time when people believed spirits of the dead returned to visit the living. Over time, these pagan beliefs blended with religious traditions, reinforcing the idea that the dead are conscious and can communicate with the living.
But what does the Bible really say about the state of the dead? Can the soul truly live apart from the body? Are those who have died watching over us—or are they at peace, awaiting the resurrection?
Let’s discover the truth from God’s Word.
1. Can a soul die?
Ezekiel 18:20
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
The Bible clearly states that the soul is not immortal by nature. Contrary to popular belief, the soul can die. God alone possesses immortality.
2. Where did the idea of an immortal soul first come from?
Genesis 3:1–5
[1]Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
[2]And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
[3]But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
[4]And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
[5]For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
The serpent’s lie in Eden—“You will not surely die”—was the first teaching of natural immortality. This falsehood became the foundation for many pagan and spiritualistic beliefs that continue even today.
3. What warning did God give Adam and Eve?
Genesis 2:17
“For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Death was the direct result of sin. God made it clear from the beginning that life is conditional upon obedience to Him.
4. What is the wages of sin?
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Sin leads to death, not eternal torment or endless life in another form. Eternal life is a gift, not an inherent possession.
5. How did God create human beings?
Genesis 2:7
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
DUST + BREATH = LIVING SOUL
Notice that man became a living soul; he was not given one. A soul is the whole person—a combination of body and breath.
When one element is missing, life ceases.
6. What process is reversed when we die?
Psalm 104:29; Job 34:14–15
“Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.”
LIVING SOUL – BREATH = DUST
At death, the breath returns to God, and the body returns to dust. There is no consciousness in the grave.
7. Can a dead person return and appear to those who knew him?
Job 7:8–10
“He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.”
Scripture denies the idea that the dead can visit or communicate with the living. Any such appearances or “voices of the dead” are deceptive spirits, not the departed loved ones.
8. What happens to a person's knowledge and feelings when he or she dies?
Ecclesiastes 9:5–6
“The dead know not anything… neither have they any more a portion forever in any thing that is done under the sun.”
The dead are not conscious. Their emotions, thoughts, and awareness have ceased until the resurrection.
9. Can the dead give thanks or praise God?
Psalm 6:5; Psalm 115:17
“The dead praise not the Lord.”
If the dead were alive in heaven, surely they would be praising God! But Scripture says they cannot—because they are asleep in the grave.
10. When a person dies, will he go immediately to heaven? How about David?
Acts 2:29, 34
“David is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day… For David is not ascended into the heavens.”
Even David, “a man after God’s own heart,” is still resting in the grave, awaiting the resurrection.
11. How did Jesus describe the death of Lazarus?
John 11:11–14
“Our friend Lazarus sleeps; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.”
Jesus called death a sleep—a temporary state until He returns to awaken His people.
12. Who alone has natural immortality?
1 Timothy 6:15–16
“Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.”
Only God is naturally immortal. Humanity is mortal and dependent upon God for life and resurrection.
13. How does one receive immortality or eternal life?
2 Timothy 1:10; Romans 6:23
"Has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News." 2 Timothy 1:10.
"...the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23.
Immortality is a gift revealed through Jesus Christ—not through human nature or mystical belief.
14. When will believers experience immortality?
1 Corinthians 15:51–53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17
"Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.
"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17.
At the second coming of Christ, believers will be transformed and clothed with immortality. Until then, the righteous rest in the grave, awaiting the trumpet call of God.
15. What shall we do to have this promise of eternal life?
John 6:40
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Faith in/of Christ is the key to eternal life. Salvation and immortality come only through Him.
The Origin of Halloween and Its Connection to the Dead
Halloween’s roots trace back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated around November 1. The Celts believed the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred on that night, allowing spirits to roam freely. People offered food, wore costumes, and lit fires to ward off wandering ghosts.
When Christianity spread through Europe, these pagan customs blended with church traditions—eventually becoming what we now know as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, followed by Halloween (“All Hallows’ Eve”).
Despite its modern appearance as fun and harmless, Halloween’s origins are deeply connected to the false belief in the immortality of the soul—the same lie first spoken by the serpent in Eden.
Conclusion
The Bible offers a clear and comforting picture of death—not as a haunting or endless wandering, but as a peaceful sleep in Christ until the resurrection morning. The dead are not talking. They rest in silence, awaiting the voice of the Life-Giver.
As the world celebrates Halloween, let us remember that truth and hope are found in Jesus, not in ancient myths or modern traditions.
The real victory over death is not found in pretending the dead still walk among us—but in the resurrection promise of Christ, who declared:
believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” — John 11:25
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think so many people, including Christians, believe that the dead can communicate with the living?
- How does the Bible’s teaching about the state of the dead bring peace and hope instead of fear?
- What are some dangers of believing that souls are immortal apart from God’s gift of life?
- How does the story of Lazarus (John 11) help us understand what really happens after death?
- What lessons can we learn from the serpent’s first lie, “You shall not surely die”?
- How should knowing the truth about death and resurrection influence the way we view Halloween and other customs about the dead?
- In what way does the promise of resurrection at Christ’s second coming give us assurance about our loved ones who have died?
- How can we lovingly share this truth with others who find comfort in the idea that their departed loved ones are “watching over them”?
- What does it mean that immortality is a “gift” and not something we naturally possess?
- How can understanding this truth help us strengthen our faith in Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life?
5 Key Discussion Questions
- What does the Bible teach about the state of the dead compared to common beliefs today?
- How does the truth about death bring peace instead of fear?
- Why is believing in natural immortality dangerous to our faith?
- How should Christians respond to traditions like Halloween that honor the dead?
- How can we share this truth lovingly with others who think their loved ones are watching over them?
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