What Should the Christian Make of Near Death Experiences (NDEs)?
- When Colton Burpo was four
- he died and went to heaven, where
- he met his grandparents and a sister
- who had been still born.
- he met his grandparents and a sister
- His story was made popular by
- both a book (“Heaven is for Real”), and
- a movie by the same name.
- Colton (now 20) had knowledge about his grandparents, and stillborn sister
- that could only have come to him supernaturally,
- that is through an NDE.
- he died and went to heaven, where
- Recently also, my wife and I saw a documentary called ‘Afterlife‘ by Paul Perry,
- which details the stories of people who experienced NDEs.
- Perry clearly sees NDEs as proof of the ‘life after life’ and
- the experience led us to examine Biblical teaching about the after life and
- how that aligns with what is known about NDEs.
- If you are interested, the International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS) website
- contains a large collection of stories and information about NDEs;
- the stories sometimes differ in the particulars; but
- they also share strong similarities:
- Out of body experience
- Moving towards an unconditional loving light
- Heightened senses, consciousness, peace and harmony
- with the universe
- Self-awareness – People experiencing NDEs
- were aware of who they were as individuals
- But there are others who believe that the experience is
- part of the dying process,
- a chemical phenomenon of a dying brain
- similar to the effects of hallucinatory drugs.
- Some even think the whole phenomena could be a hoax
- (and not without reason).
- contains a large collection of stories and information about NDEs;
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- Some descriptions of NDEs sound like
- the product of vivid imagination and dreams, or of
- delirium, such as when a person is experiences very high fever
- caused by malaria and other illnesses,
- (an experience common to many people in the tropics
- including me, my wife, and I am sure, many others); or
- hallucination caused by certain types of restricted drugs.
- Some texts in the Bible appear to relate to NDEs:
- Paul (2 Corinthians 12) was caught up into the third heavens
- he said he could not say whether he was
- “in the body or out of the body” (verse 3 ESV);
- he also saw and heard wonderful things he could not describe.
- Could this have been and NDE
- after he was beaten up and left for dead
- at Lystra (Acts 14.19-20)?
- Or could this have been after one of the many beatings he had suffered
- as seen in 2 Corinthians 6.2-10?
- after he was beaten up and left for dead
- Could this have been and NDE
- he said he could not say whether he was
- John the Beloved experienced visions
- detailed in the book of revelation while fasting.
- Could this also qualify as an NDE?
- Please see Revelation 1.9 -20.
- detailed in the book of revelation while fasting.
- Many other prophets in the Bible received visions
- Daniel (10.2 ff); Peter (Acts 10.10 ff; ), Stephen (Acts 7.55 ff) etc.
- Were these NDEs? Are NDEs the same, similar to
- what is called a ‘vision’ and a ‘trance’ in the Bible?
- Jesus spoke about Lazarus and the Rich Man in the afterlife
- (the story does not appear to be a mere parable
- but a description of historical events );
- how similar are the details of this story
- to the common elements of NDEs?
- (the story does not appear to be a mere parable
- Paul (2 Corinthians 12) was caught up into the third heavens
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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
SO WHAT THEN?
- At the minimum, I believe NDEs confirm
- what the Bible clearly teaches:
- that Human existence goes beyond the physical realm.
- In fact humanity generally and instinctively believes this
- hence the universal prevalence of religion
- one way or another, all societies ‘pray;‘
- although some (atheists, and skeptics, and naturalists etc.)
- reject this possibility.
- that Human existence goes beyond the physical realm.
- what the Bible clearly teaches:
- But NDEs are not the source of our hope; rather
- the Bible’s teaching of the Resurrection is the source of our hope.
- We must be careful not to develop doctrines
- about the afterlife
- based on NDEs, about,
- who gets saved, how they are saved etc., or about
- who God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is;
- The Bible is our source of doctrine for all things Christian
- (Jude 4; Galatians 1.7-9; 2 Timothy 3.16,17)
- The Bible is our source of doctrine for all things Christian
- about the afterlife
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- God wants us to live by faith and by the already provided word of God
- Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
- John 20.29!
- Luke 16.27-31
- The Rich man’s brothers must accept the teachings of scripture
- by faith!
- The Rich man’s brothers must accept the teachings of scripture
- Hebrews 11.6
- Faith not NDEs (or other types of miraculous signs)
- must be he basis of our walk with God.
- Faith not NDEs (or other types of miraculous signs)
- Paul – 2 Corinthians 5.7
- “for we walk by faith and not by sight”
- Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Reach!! 