If we define a ghost as a dead person who has come back to life to communicate with the living, the answer is no. A person is made up of a body and the breath of life – the “spark” that only God can make. These two parts make up what we call a “soul.” If we take either part away, the soul dies – meaning, the person dies…life completely ends. (SEE OUR VIDEO, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?) https://youtu.be/6gP6ulUspuM
Think of a computer with a battery. The computer is like the body and the battery is like the spark of life. If the battery runs out, the computer shuts down. Programs, files and apps do not suddenly escape from the computer after the battery has run out. Neither does a person’s soul escape from the body of a deceased person. Nothing is happening when a person is in the grave. Ecclesiates (9:10 NLT) says, “Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”
There are, however, evil spirits, or fallen angels, who work with Satan (SEE OUR VIDEO, WHO IS SATAN? https://youtu.be/ZeZgRyBUYG8 ) trying to encourage mankind to do evil things. The Bible warns us about trying to communicate with them through mediums, or psychics, who falsely claim they can speak to dead people and invisible spirits.
Deut (18:10-14 NLT) says, “… And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, … or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD…”
People who claim to see or hear ghosts are either being tricked, or worse – fallen angels are pretending to be a person who has died.
So, are ghosts real? Not in the sense of a dead person’s soul escaping their body and communicating with humans, because that’s not what the Scriptures teach us happens to a person after they die. However, the Bible does warn us about fallen angels or evil spirits like Satan that may wish to influence us to turn away from God. We can prove we are not interested by keeping close to God and Jesus through prayer, Christian fellowship and Bible study. Remember what James (4:7 NIV) says: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you!”
This video is from Christian Questions Podcast. For more information please go to https://christianquestions.com