Near death experience

Many people have claimed to have a near death experience during a cardiac arrest or when they have been clinically declared dead, then regained life. A lot of their experiences vary, but the majority hears a humming sound when they move out of their body. They then have a replay of their life in fast mode, mostly their childhood and how they treated others. Some also report of being in a dark tunnel, and having interaction with other spiritual beings. A lot of these experiences are claimed to be more than positive.

Certainly a lot of these stories do not have any credibility, but some would be telling the truth as many doctors and scientists have been investigating what’s behind these experiences.

I would like to hear the Christian perspective on these things. But mostly why aren’t they going to hell and having a bad time? And why aren’t they spiritually dead until judgment?

concernedskeptic said:

Many people have claimed to have a near death experience during a cardiac arrest or when they have been clinically declared dead, then regained life. A lot of their experiences vary, but the majority hears a humming sound when they move out of their body. They then have a replay of their life in fast mode, mostly their childhood and how they treated others. Some also report of being in a dark tunnel, and having interaction with other spiritual beings.
Certainly a lot of these stories do not have any credibility, but some would be telling the truth as many doctors and scientists have been investigating what’s behind these experiences.

I would like to hear the Christian perspective on these things. And why aren’t they spiritually dead until judgment?

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How can they stay spiritually dead until the judgement when they returned to life? And how do you know that that experience doesn't help towards their accepting Christ at a certain point during their lifetime?

I believe God uses near death experiences to help people. My mother became a believer after having a near death experience, it helped her to see that there is life after death and that God is real. God is bigger than our own understanding. Using math, scientist's now believe there are ten dimensions, we can see three besides the dimension of time. So therefore, if God created these dimensions (of which there may be many more spiritual dimensions we know nothing about) then He knows how to move people in and out of them. In other words, He's big and He knows what He's doing, and I do believe in near death experiences.

Eh... it's near death, thus what they're seeing is dreams.

If someone were to die for, say, a month or two and come back and tell us what he'd seen, then I'd be more interested in what he saw.

Tavita said:

How can they stay spiritually dead until the judgement when they returned to life? And how do you know that that experience doesn't help towards their accepting Christ at a certain point during their lifetime?

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My apologies . What I meant, was that many Christians believe the soul is not conscious from physical death until judgment day, so wouldn’t NDE’s prove that is not the case?

Also, some Christians claim the unbelieving go straight to hell, many NDE’s dismiss this. Maybe the soul goes through some sort of cycle before it goes to heaven or hell, I don’t know. I’m not trying to scrutinize the Christian faith, I’m looking for information (with an open mind) on the Christian perspective on NDE, and what the bible might say on this.

concernedskeptic said:

My apologies . What I meant, was that many Christians believe the soul is not conscious from physical death until judgment day, so wouldn’t NDE’s prove that is not the case?

Also, some Christians claim the unbelieving go straight to hell, many NDE’s dismiss this. Maybe the soul goes through some sort of cycle before it goes to heaven or hell, I don’t know. I’m not trying to scrutinize the Christian faith, I’m looking for information (with an open mind) on the Christian perspective on NDE, and what the bible might say on this.

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I'm leaning more towards believing that we sleep until judgement day too. I'm having trouble believing that anyone goes to hell before the judgement day as the Great Throne Judgement hasn't happened yet. But even so, I still believe that God can use 'near' death experiences as a tool to help us believe.

Mskedi said:

Eh... it's near death, thus what they're seeing is dreams.

If someone were to die for, say, a month or two and come back and tell us what he'd seen, then I'd be more interested in what he saw.

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I have to wonder why it's only those near death who experience these dreams. Though I have seen tv programs that try and explain it away with science.

concernedskeptic said:

My apologies . What I meant, was that many Christians believe the soul is not conscious from physical death until judgment day, so wouldn’t NDE’s prove that is not the case?

Also, some Christians claim the unbelieving go straight to hell, many NDE’s dismiss this. Maybe the soul goes through some sort of cycle before it goes to heaven or hell, I don’t know. I’m not trying to scrutinize the Christian faith, I’m looking for information (with an open mind) on the Christian perspective on NDE, and what the bible might say on this.

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Apart from the body the soul ceases to exist..
Since God is the lover of our souls He has created NEW bodies for every one of us!

It is "appointed man once to die and then the Judgement"[Hebrews 9:27], which is in instantanious translation from one sphere to the next. For, "to be absent from the body is to be present with The Lord"[2 Corinthians 5:8]. And when a person dies He is given a new body [1 Corinthians 15:42], one without sin in it [Romans 6:5], even unbelievers are granted this [Acts 24:15], although thier being cannot help but sin [Matthew 12:33 Luke 11:34] , for they are sinful [John 5:29]..

Romans 8:10
But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

The Apostle Paul had a possible near-death experience described in II Cor 12:1-4:

"It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth, such an one caught up to the third heaven.
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth, How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

This does sound like a conventional NDE that we hear of today.

I'm of the opinion that we are concious after death, for a number of biblical reasons. The aforementioned Paul suggests this:

"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." - II Cor 5:8

"According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:" - Philippians 1:20-23

Secondly, there are several examples of people who are concious beyone the grave:

"Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land." - I Samuel 28:3

"And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?..." - I Samuel 28:8-15

There is no reason not to believe that this was truly the spirit of Samuel, for he correctly prophesizes Saul's and his son's deaths.

Then we have the Transfiguration:

"And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen." - Luke 9:28-36

These are two prophets who have been dead for several hundred years. (Well, Elijah actually got taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire, but neverthless, he had been absent for centuries. Certainly, Moses was dead.)

I think the reason is that we just don't hear about the negative near death experiences. Either that, or God spares the person the memory of what hell is like.

I read a book that was written by a cardiac surgeon about near death experiences. The good doctor had not believed particularly in God until he had witnessed a number of these. Then, he did his own research on the matter to write the book. Anyway, I digress.

In the book he described an experience in which a person went into cardiac arrest while in his office. He immediately began to perform CPR. Now a little know fact is that when CPR is working well, the heart attack victims often come back to consciousness during it and will fight back, because it is extremely painful to have done to you.

This man, contrary to the usual experience, would yell at the doctor 'Don't stop' every time he came to consciousness. One time he said he was in hell. Anyway, the man survived and had no memory of the ordeal at all. However, within weeks the man had started going to church and changing his life in other ways. When queried, he had no idea why; he said that he just felt it was time to get right with God.

Concernedskeptic--

When one does a comprehensive study of the near death experiences some have seen light and some see darkness. Plus, there are situations where the person was clinically dead and then came back to life. Some saw heaven and some saw hell. An article in Readers Digest mentioned that a doctor repaired an aneurism is a ladys brain so he drained the blood out of her. He warned her that she would be dead. She left her body and saw a light and her dead grandmother. Thus, she didn't want to leave because of the intense peace and joy. An entity much more powerful than her (I'm sure it was God) pushed her back into her body because she didn't want to go back.

Another case in the book, "90 Minutes in Heaven"; where a pastor literally went to heaven and it was indescrible. He was dead for 90 minutes clinically. This was documented. A minister friend of his prayed for him awhile he was dead and he did come back to life. This is a great book. Very captivating.