Tag Archives: The Judgment

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

DO “NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES” PROVE LIFE AFTER DEATH? — BOB PRICHARD

No. “Near Death Experiences,” or “NDE” are commonly understood to be confirmation of life after death, because those who have had these experiences generally express a common feeling of goodness, moving toward a light, seeing the Lord, or some similar experience. These are not evidence to prove life after death, however, due to their very nature. They are “near death,” not “after death,” and they are simply “experiences.” They are completely subjective, what people feel has happened, and have no real objective validity. Although some who have gone through these experiences may have been pronounced dead by some medical criterion [stopped breathing, no heartbeat, etc.], they were not in fact dead in the Biblical sense. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). The daughter of Jairus (Mark 5), the widow’s son (Luke 7), and Lazarus (John 11) were raised from the dead, but no one is raising the dead today.

The main danger of pinning beliefs on NDE is that they provide no objective basis for understanding life after death. Frequently the experiences are embellished with more and more details as they are explained, and while those who have had the NDE often say what they have experienced is “indescribable,” they none the less describe the indescribable. The Bible, on the other hand, provides an objective basis for believing in life after death. The life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are described in detail in the Bible by credible witnesses. These witnesses give real evidence that what Jesus promised is true. He said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3). Perhaps the most complete picture of life after death is given in Revelation 21-22, John’s vision of heaven for the redeemed, and eternal condemnation for the wicked.

Paul spoke of a man, perhaps himself, who was “caught up to the third heaven” and “caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:2-3). While this may have actually been a NDE, Paul indicates “it is not lawful for a man to utter” what he saw and heard. Lazarus was not just “near death,” but actually dead for four days (John 11:39). What did Lazarus see on “the other side”? The scriptures are absolutely silent about what he may have seen or heard. Perhaps God did not intend for us to know more.

Many different explanations have been suggested for the frequently positive feelings of those who believe they have had a NDE. A medical condition called “cerebral anoxia,” caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain when near death, could cause a person to have an altered state of consciousness. Medication administered near death, or the natural release of endorphins by the body could also produce hallucinations later interpreted as NDE. Other explanations could also be given which have no relationship to life after death.

One danger of relying on a positive feeling from a NDE is that while heaven is promised to the faithful, the Bible also warns that hell awaits the wicked. Though the righteous need have no fear of death, “the last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26), “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed … taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Some may be lulled into a false sense of security, or even contemplate suicide as an easy way out. Unfortunately, not all are prepared for death. Now is the time to prepare!

CHRISTIAN LIVING, SALVATION

WHAT’S THE SCORE? — BOB PRICHARD

I have a friend whose wife just can’t understand why so many people are so interested in sports. She says that she doesn’t understand why her husband should actually watch the games. After all, she says, all that matters is the score. Why waste time seeing how the score comes about?

While I can’t exactly agree with her point of view, and I know that other things really do matter, it is true that the winner is judged by the score. Chuck Noll, who coached the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, once commented on why he likes football. “The nice thing about football,” he said, “is that you have a scoreboard to show how you’ve done. In other things in life, you don’t. At least not one that you can see.”

Since life’s scoreboard is one that you can’t see, man has been diligent in trying to make up his own substitute scoreboard. He may think that the quantity of riches amassed is a good scoreboard, or how new his car is, or something like that. But the number of things we have is not necessarily the indicator of life’s score. Neither is how high we rise in our company, or who we know and associate with.

Sometimes in a football game, one team gets more first downs, and gains more yards, and maybe even has a better band, but those things are not what counts in the end. All that really matters in the end is the score. In the game of life, a man may have those earthly things we count so precious, and he may be a good neighbor, and may even be kind to animals, but these are not really what count in the end. 

John saw a great vision of the scoreboard of life. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. … And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-12, 15). How do you stand according to what is written in the books?

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WHO WILL HEAR? — BOB PRICHARD

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).

In the World Trade Center rubble after 9/11, President Bush rallied the people: “I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people … who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”  

“The heavens shall pass away with a great noise.” That great noise, literally “a roar,” will come as the elements melt with fervent heat, and the earth and its works are burned up. 

Jeremiah prophesied, “At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations” (50:46). After marching quietly around Jericho, on the seventh time, “Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city” (Joshua 6:10), a fearful noise as the walls fell.

At the day of the Lord, those who were deaf to the will of God will hear and understand that God was serious about His commands and promises. Will we hear?