What About those NDEs?
Part 2: Modern NDEs and the Bible
By Dave Redick
Consider the assertions of many of those (though not all) who are vocal about NDEs being reliable pictures of life after death and encounters with Jesus Christ. The very fact that there is no uniformity in their claims is reason enough in itself to deny that the being they encounter is Jesus! But let’s look a little deeper.
Introduction
"When I finally gave up my will to live, relinquishing my life unto death was
sublimely easy after my long illness and loss of everything that had made life worthwhile
for me. The decision to leave this world hung suspended in an extended moment of absolute
quiet. Passionless, I watched my spirit leave my body as a feeling of
‘otherness’ engulfed me. I felt a strange detachment from my physical body and
the life I had created. I was no longer connected to a pitiful, suffering mass of flesh. I
was not that body and yet, I still existed but in a new state of being. Gone was the
wrenching pain that had accompanied my every waking moment. The strain of expanding my
lungs to gasp for air had disappeared. Fatigue, which had weighted my life for years, had
lifted. Depression no longer drained my mind of hope. Sight and sounds did not sear my
head with pain, leaving me emotionally bereft. And yet, I still existed. I felt weightless
and calm.
"Although I knew I was not in the lifeless body lying on my bed, and that the eyes
and brain I had previously identified as mine, were in that inanimate object with which I
no longer identified, I was still aware of sight and thoughts and sensations. I observed
my new reality with tranquillity. Slowly I looked around and below me I saw a vast,
endless blackness. Like a void or black hole, I was irresistibly drawn toward the
darkness. Gradually, I felt myself sinking toward it. I thought, without fear or any
emotional reaction, ‘Isn't that strange?’ I had been so afraid I was going to be
judged and sent to either heaven or hell. But it appeared I would simply disappear into
the dark nothingness. As even my new awareness waned, I yielded to the heaviness
overtaking me as darkness filled my mind. My vision became obscured as I began to merge
into the blackness.
"Offering no resistance, I released my hold on any remaining shred of consciousness
and personal identity. At the very moment I felt the last of me disappearing into
nothingness, I was suddenly buffeted by a powerful, energetic force that swooped beneath
and lifted me, carrying me upward.
"Barely conscious, my only awareness was a sensation of rising. I seemed to be
traveling upward at an unimaginable speed. A clean sensation of wind rushed over my face
and body with tremendous force and yet there was no discomfort. Vast distances seemed to
fly by me and the higher I rose, the more my head cleared. I became aware of a deep sense
of peace and warmth that permeated my senses. Confused, because the energy that had
enveloped me had a definite presence, I tried to see what was happening and who was
carrying me; who or what cared so deeply for me? I felt peaceful and loved immeasurably. I
knew I was in the arms of a being who cherished me with perfect love and carried me from
the dark void into a new reality...
"…I did not see the Spirit as I had seen Jesus of Nazareth depicted in
paintings, but the innate knowing of my heart remembered and acknowledged Christ. The
radiant Spirit was Christ, the manifestation and expression of pure love. Because of my
Christian education, I knew no other name to call what I felt as I looked at him.
"Others might have called him Buddha, or Yahweh, or Great Spirit in the Sky, but the
naming did not matter, only the recognition of absolute love and truth was important. Safe
in the gentle yet powerful embrace of his love, I rested, secure that everything was okay,
exactly as it was supposed to be…."
As I did in the introduction to my sermon last Sunday, I’m reading you an excerpt from the description of a person who claims to have had an NDE, a "Near Death Experience." In this case it is Linda Stewart, whose story is published in Kevin William’s NDE book, Nothing Better than Death.(1)
Last Sunday morning I started a two-part message about the claims of Near Death Experiences, or NDEs as they have been called since they were brought into the public light by Psychiatrist, Dr. Raymond Moody in the mid 1970s. In his best-selling book, Life After Life, Moody presented his research on this phenomenon and made claims that these experiences provide evidence of life after death and a composite picture of what that life is like.
I began last Sunday’s message by explaining what is meant by an NDE. While accounts and descriptions vary among those who claim them, often described is a sensation of coming out of the body with the cessation of heartbeat and respiration. Proponents describe hovering over or around the body, being drawn down a long, dark tunnel and emerging into a place of extremely bright light. Many, as in the case of Linda Stewart, describe meeting a loving being who gives them great comfort, although a minority report fearful and terrible experiences. Many report communicating telepathically during their NDE and being told that they must return to life – something they are reluctant to do. Some claim to have been given a message to share with the world that death is not a thing to be dreaded and that there should be no fear of it by anyone.(2)
I also mentioned in the last message the 1981 poll done by the Gallup organization in which 1500 Americans who experienced close brushes with death were interviewed. One-third of these described some sort of NDE. At the time Gallup estimated that as many as 8 million Americans had experienced the phenomenon. Certainly this, along with the fact that even young children have described NDEs points to the conclusion that something is happening, though exactly what has never been surely concluded.
I made a distinction though, between these near death experiences where people had some shutdown of bodily function such as heartbeat and breathing (sometimes called "clinical death") and cases of total death where all bodily function has stopped including all function on the cellular level. I referred to this as a distinction between resuscitation and resurrection, pointing out that those claiming NDEs have experienced resuscitation. We don’t have the testimony of anyone living on earth today who has returned from total death.
I showed you some of the assertions of many of those who have experienced modern NDEs including:
 | The idea that death is desirable |
| The conclusion that there is no hell or judgment |
| The adopting of relativism, which is the assumption that there are no absolutes with dealing with truth. |
| The idea of universalism, that it, that all religions, no matter what they teach, are all leading people to heaven to be with God. |
| The embracing of subjectivism, that is, that feelings and impressions are superior than objective truth |
| Encouragement toward spiritism and mediumism, including the desire to contact the dead. |
I closed Part One with a quick rundown on some of the alternative explanations offered to explain the NDE phenomenon, that is, explanations that don’t assume that an NDE is an actual look into the afterlife but rather a deception of the brain under stress as death comes near. These include:
| Physiological and neurological explanations |
| Psychological explanations |
| Pharmacological explanations |
While a lot more could be said about this topic than we have time for in two sermons, for the remainder of our time this morning I want to consider two questions:
(1) Does the Bible support the proposition that modern NDEs are actual experiences of life after death? (2) Do the conclusions reached by modern proponents of NDEs harmonize with the Bible?
1. Does the Bible support the proposition that modern NDEs are actual experiences of life after death?
If there were a description of an NDE in the Bible that was attributed to life after death and it could be shown to parallel the accounts of NDEs were hear of today, perhaps there would be such support. But are there any such descriptions?
There are several people described in the Bible who had experiences of death or near death and came back.
Jesus raised Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany, after the man was dead four days. The story is in John 11:1-44. But this story doesn’t match the claims of the modern NDE. Lazarus wasn’t just near death. He was fully dead. Jesus intentionally delayed his resurrection. Maybe we could say his was a VDE (very dead experience) rather than an NDE. Wouldn’t it be great to interview Lazarus and ask him what he experienced? If anyone did ask him about it, the Bible doesn’t describe what was said. In fact, the book of John is the only one of the four gospels that records the resurrection of Lazarus. The book of John was the last of the gospels to be written and was probably not widely circulated until after the final death of Lazarus. Thus the opportunity to interview him was limited if not altogether gone. The account of Lazarus fails to be a parallel to modern NDEs then, for two reasons: Lazarus was beyond near death and there is no accounting from him of his experience.
Another case is that of Paul the Apostle. In 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 we read:
"…I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-- was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak."
Many Bible students equate this description with Paul’s stoning at Lystra where he was stoned with rocks, dragged outside the city and left for dead.(3) I believe there is good reason for this explanation.
Of Paul’s description here we can say several things:
Paul wasn’t offering this account as proof of life after death. He wasn’t even offering it as proof for the possibility of resurrection. He was showing that if men wanted to challenge him by boasting about their mystical experiences, he could boast right along with the best of them.(4) Paul’s proof for life after death rested firmly on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not on some NDE.
Then there is the case of Stephen in Acts 7. His story is sometimes claimed to be an NDE by those who propound the phenomenon. Near the conclusion of Stephen’s sermon to the Jewish council, which incidentally, was also the conclusion of his life, Luke says, "But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God…"(5)
So is this the "being of light" often described by the NDE claimants?
While certainly the description here shows us that Stephen saw Jesus, we must acknowledge that he was still very much alive when it happened. This wasn’t an NDE of someone who has ceased respiration and heartbeat in the same sense as those who claim them today. It would be better called a vision.
Luke goes on in verses 59-60, "And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep."
Stephen was clearly still alive when he said these words.
There is also the case of Jairus’ daughter in Mark 5. This girl was probably dead, though Jesus spoke euphemistically that she was only "sleeping." This might be a good one to discuss in the context of NDEs except that there is no description of the girl’s experience.
Likewise with the story of the widow’s son in Luke 7. In that passage Jesus interrupted a funeral procession and raised from the dead the only son of a widow. But nothing is said of the boy’s experience. Did he have an NDE? No one knows.
Are any of these biblical accounts similar to the NDEs we hear about today? If they are I fail to see it. Most of them simply don’t provide enough detail – perhaps because there was none to be provided. But even in the case of Paul’s stoning and being caught up in the third heaven, there are certain details that stand in striking contrast to the reports we hear of today. Certainly Paul didn’t come back telling of things contrary to what he would later preach!
2. Do the prevalent conclusions reached by modern NDE proponents harmonize with what is revealed in the Bible?
There are many more things that need to be said here than we have time for, so let’s just consider the often mentioned "being of light," said to have met with people who have experienced NDEs. Betty Eadie, famous author of the book, Embraced by the Light, and prominent proponent of modern NDEs writes on her website:
"When I was 31, I died in a hospital after undergoing surgery. What happened next has been called by some, ‘the most profound near-death experience ever.’ Well, it was certainly most profound for me, anyway. I journeyed to a beautiful world beyond this life. I met Jesus there. He gave me a message to give to others when I returned. In my book… I share that message. I describe the wonderful places I visited and the loving people that welcomed me."(6)
Assuming that what Mrs. Eadie saw was a real person or being, was this "Jesus" she and others claim to have met, the Jesus of the Bible?
One of the well-known characteristics of the Jesus of the Bible, easily understood by serious students of the Bible, is His unchangeable nature. The writer of Hebrews put it this way in Hebrews 13:8-9:
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings…."
Beyond this unmistakable statement of Jesus’ unchangeable nature we see this warning about "varied and strange teachings." That second word, translated "strange" by the New American Standard Version, is the Greek word xenos. It means "foreign, alien, or unusual." It signifies something that is different from the norm.
Since the teaching of Jesus is always the same, then anything foreign or alien to that teaching is to be rejected.
Consider the assertions of many of those (though not all) who are vocal about NDEs being reliable pictures of life after death and encounters with Jesus Christ. The very fact that there is no uniformity in their claims is reason enough in itself to deny that the being they encounter is Jesus! But let’s look a little deeper.
Modern NDE proponents often say that death is good and should not be feared, regardless
of who you are or how you have lived. They reportedly learned from their NDEs that there
is no hell and there is no judgment. Some say that this was the thing that surprised them
most about meeting this being of light.
Now listen to the Jesus of the Bible and see if it sounds like the same Jesus:
"And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." --- Matthew 10:28-29
"You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." --- Matthew 5:21-22
"And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell." --- Matthew 5:29-30
"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell?" --- Matthew 23: 33
"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!" --- Luke 12:4-5
"Then they themselves also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." --- Matthew 25:44-46
"And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus." --- Revelation 14:11-12
Surely you can see that modern NDE descriptions of the "being of light" vary greatly from the Bible’s description of Jesus.
Modern NDE proponents often say that since their meeting with the "being of light" they believed was Jesus, they are convinced that all religion is valid and it all leads people to the same heaven.
Yet listen to the Jesus of the Bible:
"Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’" --- John 14:6-7
Again, the Jesus of the Bible said,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber… I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." --- John 10:1 & 9
Actually, the Jesus of the Bible did give a detailed description of life after death – and it doesn’t match any NDE description I’ve ever seen. The account is found in Luke 16:19-31 - the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Read that passage when you have a chance. You’ll see how different it is for the alleged NDE pictures of life after death.
So if the "Jesus" who has met these people who have experienced NDEs is not the Jesus of the Bible, who is it? Suggestions to those put on the defensive by words like mine abound. Perhaps it is an angel. Perhaps it is a prophet? Maybe it’s Buddha or Mohammed or whatever religious leader you might prefer. Perhaps it’s even God himself. In each of these possibilities however, there would be deep conflicts with the teachings of the Jesus of the Bible.
But the question remains. If the NDE is an actual experience of life after death and not some trick of the brain under stress, brought on by lack of oxygen, drugs, or some other physical or psychological cause, who is this often mentioned "being of light"?
I know of only one possibility that harmonizes with the teaching of Bible.
2 Corinthians 11:14 says, "…For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."
The being, if it really exists and isn’t just a product of a stressed brain, could be Satan.
Is this all a satanic deception then? Yes it is! Is the "being of light" Satan? That I don’t know for sure. I only said, "could be Satan." What I can assure you of is that if the "being of light" is an actual being, then it is saying and doing things contrary to the teaching of Christ. All such teaching is from the pit, no matter what the identity of the one who propagates it.
2 John 9 says, "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son."
The teaching of the Christ of the Bible is the issue. It is the final word on everything the Christian faces. We dare not let anything take us away from it.
Footnotes: Please use your "back" button to return to your place.
1. http://www.near-death.com/stewart.html
2. For a list of 15 common NDE characteristics
taken from Raymond Moody’s book, Life After Life, see THE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE (Part One): The New Age
Connection by J. Isamu Yamamoto:
Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.
Copyright © 1996-2008 by The Preacher's Study. Permission is granted to subscribers to use this document in total or in sermon preparation in the context of the local congregation only. Publishing it in a book, on the Internet, or anyplace beyond the local congregation is prohibited.
All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.
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