Human Consciousness: Not So Secret

Dan Brown’s novels have sold more than 250 million copies and are published in more than 50 languages, so when his latest novel, The Secret of Secrets, was released on September 9, 2025, millions of fans worldwide scurried to snap up the 688-page mystery thriller. The author of The Da Vinci Code, Brown explores the nature of human consciousness and the mystery of life after death in his latest sequel featuring the popular symbologist Robert Langdon.

In the storyline, intrigued by the phenomenon of out-of-body experiences, a powerful intelligence agency has hired neuroscientists to secretly experiment on living people in an attempt to weaponize human consciousness, which would create the ultimate tool for gathering intelligence.

The book’s main premise is that human consciousness is “non-local”—that it comes from outside the mind, rather than from the brain, creating an explanation for near-death experiences and suggesting that consciousness continues after death by entering a sort of universal consciousness.

The author evidently wants readers to consider this as a potential reality; in the preface to the book, he states: “All experiments, technologies and scientific results are true to life.” Considering that three of Brown’s books have been made into movies, and how powerfully people are influenced by fictional media, The Secret of Secrets could easily have an impact on countless millions. Some of them, no doubt, will be Christians.

Only One Truth

You’ve seen them advertised, perhaps even watched or read some of them: Dozens of blockbuster movies, books, series, and other media are based on various and often conflicting understandings of the afterlife and what happens when people die.

Even within Christianity, there are diverse interpretations.

So, why does it matter what a person believes? Simply because not every one of them can be correct. In fact, there can be only one true explanation about death and, ironically enough, it comes from the Creator of life.

This is what the Bible, God’s revelation to mankind, says about itself: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Let’s zero in on that word “doctrine”—that’s what a person believes, something they hold as truth. So, the Bible claims to be inspired by God and to be the perfect foundation for forming your belief system. If you accept this truth, the Bible has a lot to teach about death and the afterlife.

The Not-So-Secret Secret

Throughout history, human consciousness and the afterlife have remained a mystery to scientists, philosophers, and spiritual leaders. Yet, infinitely more advanced than any human theory on these topics are truths from the One who invented consciousness and the human soul in the first place. Let’s look at a few of these truths and the Scriptures that back them up:

The human soul is not immortal. In fact, the Bible teaches that we are souls rather than having souls. For example, when God formed the first man, He breathed into that body the “breath of life”; only then did the man become a “living soul” (Genesis 2:7 KJV). Scripture also tells us, “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). Furthermore, it reminds us that only God has immortality (1 Timothy 6:15, 16). Eventually, He will bestow immortality on those who are saved, but currently we are all mortal beings.

Humans have no consciousness after death. A passage written by wise King Solomon spells out the facts: “The living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun. … There is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10)

Jesus plainly taught that death is a sleep. “He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’ Then His disciples said, ‘Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.’ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead’” (John 11:11–14). He said the same about a dead girl that He later resurrected, calling her death a “sleep.”

Those who are on God’s side will receive immortality when Jesus returns. Here is His promise concerning the Second Coming: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51–53).

Our all-knowing, all-powerful God has not only given us the truth about the afterlife, but He has promised us a future world with none of the suffering we see in our world today. This will begin to unfold when Jesus returns to resurrect and receive those who have put their faith in Him and His salvation.

He says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Why would He do that for us? There’s only one explanation: He loves us.

Want to know more about what happens when a person dies? Read our Amazing Facts Study Guide, “Are the Dead Really Dead?”