Near death experiences (NDEs) have fascinated and puzzled people for centuries. These paranormal events typically involve a person who is clinically dead or close to death that experiences visions of the afterlife or other dimensions. While NDEs are reported across cultures and religions, the Bible has a unique perspective to offer on this phenomenon.
The Bible does not directly discuss NDEs, since the term is modern. However, Scripture contains several accounts of visions and supernatural encounters that resemble modern NDE reports. These biblical stories provide insight into how God may work through NDEs, while also warning of deceptive spiritual experiences.
1. Afterlife experiences in the Bible
Several figures in the Bible have visions of heaven, hell, and the spiritual realm near the time of their deaths. These include:
- The stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60) – Stephen glimpses Jesus in the heavenly realm before his death.
- Paul’s vision of paradise (2 Corinthians 12:1-4) – Paul describes being caught up into heaven, but is unsure if he was in or out of his body.
- The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) – Jesus tells a story of the rich man seeing Lazarus in heaven after both had died.
- John’s vision of heaven (Revelation 4) – John has a vision of praising God in heaven around the time he was exiled.
While these biblical accounts differ from modern NDEs in some ways, they do demonstrate the precedent in Scripture for God revealing spiritual truths to people through extraordinary experiences.
2. God communicates through visions
The Bible contains dozens of accounts of God communicating to people through visions, dreams, and other transcendent experiences. For example:
- Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28:10-17) – Jacob dreams of a ladder connecting earth to heaven.
- Isaiah’s commission (Isaiah 6) – Isaiah sees a vision of God’s throne room.
- Peter’s rooftop vision (Acts 10:9-16) – Peter has a vision teaching him about clean and unclean food.
- Paul’s conversion (Acts 9) – Jesus appears to Paul on the road to Damascus.
While these biblical visions were given for specific purposes, they demonstrate that God does supernaturally reveal Himself to people. This allows for the possibility that NDE visions could also be divine in origin.
3. Afterlife existence is possible
The Bible teaches that human consciousness continues after physical death. For example:
- Jesus tells the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
- The martyrs in Revelation cry out, “How long until you judge the inhabitants of the earth?” (Revelation 6:10), indicating they are conscious after death.
- Paul expresses his desire to “depart and be with Christ” after death (Philippians 1:23).
- The story of the rich man and Lazarus implies ongoing consciousness after death (Luke 16:19-31).
The biblical doctrine of the intermediate state between death and resurrection means NDE encounters with consciousness after death do not necessarily contradict Scripture.
4. Not all spirits are from God
While God may communicate through visions and dreams, the Bible warns that not every spiritual encounter is divine in origin. For example:
- John exhorts believers to “test the spirits” to discern if they are from God (1 John 4:1-3).
- Paul says Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
- Moses performs miracles to demonstrate that Egyptian sorcerers did not have God’s authentic power (Exodus 7-8).
These warnings indicate that biblical discernment is needed for NDEs. Any message that contradicts Scripture should be rejected (Isaiah 8:20).
5. Allah Versus Yahweh: A Biblical View
Many NDE accounts, especially among non-Christians, describe encountering a vague God or supreme being. However, the Bible teaches that there is only one true God – Yahweh, the God of the Bible (Exodus 20:2-3). Any NDE vision of God must align with God’s self-revelation in Scripture.
This has significant implications for NDEs among Muslims. The Koran rejects Jesus as the divine Son of God, while the Bible teaches this as ultimate truth (Matthew 16:16-17). The biblical view is that Allah refers to a different deity than Yahweh, the God of the Bible. Any NDE where Jesus is absent or merely human should be viewed with skepticism by Christians.
6. Hell is real
While many NDEs report only positive afterlife experiences, the Bible is clear that some people will suffer eternal separation from God. For example:
- Jesus warns of the danger of hell more than any other biblical figure (Matthew 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33).
- Revelation describes the lake of fire where Satan, the beast, and evildoers will be tormented forever (Revelation 20:10, 14-15).
- Jesus tells a story of a rich man suffering agony in Hades (Luke 16:19-31).
While hell may contradict today’s sensibilities, the united testimony of Scripture affirms it as a real danger for those who die without trusting Christ. NDE reports of only heavenly experiences should be viewed with caution.
7. Salvation is only through Jesus
Many NDE accounts tell of meeting God or achieving some form of generic salvation. However, Jesus exclusively claims to be “the way, the truth, and the life” and that “no one comes to the Father” except through Him (John 14:6). Other biblical statements on the exclusivity of salvation in Christ include:
- “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
- “For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
- “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life” (John 3:36).
NDE visions implying universal salvation for all contradict the Bible’s clear teaching that salvation is only found through repentance and faith in Jesus.
8. Biblical figures and angels
Some NDEs include encounters with biblical figures like Jesus, Peter, Elijah, etc. Some also describe meetings with angels. While possible, these reports should be evaluated biblically:
- Ask if the figure’s teaching aligns with Scripture (1 John 4:1-3).
- Compare any physical descriptions to biblical accounts.
- Consider their focus. For example, do they draw attention to themselves or Jesus?
- Remember that even Satan can appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
While exciting, such NDE encounters require careful discernment to determine if their source is truly divine.
9. The authority of Scripture
NDEs can reveal heavenly truths not expressly described in the Bible. However, no revelation from these experiences should ever contradict biblical teaching or claim an authority above Scripture (Isaiah 8:20). The apostle Paul, for example, described visions of heaven but submitted his experiences to the authority of Scripture (2 Corinthians 12:1-10).
Additionally, the Bible should be the primary source for discernment about the spirit world, not personal revelation (2 Timothy 3:16-17). NDEs may supplement biblical truth but should never seek to correct or replace it.
10. Beware deception
The most important biblical warning about NDEs is to be alert to deception. Even genuine believers can be deceived if they do not test their experiences against Scripture:
- “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you” (Colossians 2:18).
- “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).
Scripture repeatedly warns of false visions, false christs, and lying spirits in the end times (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22). Christians should exercise great caution and spiritual discernment when evaluating all NDE accounts.
11. Focus on Christ
The Bible never satisfies curiosities about the afterlife, but reveals just enough truth to draw our focus back to Jesus. Similarly, Christians need not obsess over NDE details, but can respond by making Christ supreme in their lives today:
- “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7).
- “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
- “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).
Rather than seeking new supernatural experiences, believers must continually seek deeper relationship with Jesus through Scripture, prayer, worship, and fellowship with other Christians.
Summary
The Bible provides wise perspective for Christians assessing near death experiences today. While NDEs should not be entirely dismissed, Scripture provides essential guardrails for evaluating NDE claims discerningly. Christians can remain open to how God may supernaturally reveal Himself while also testing every experience carefully against the truth of the Bible.
Most importantly, Christians must remember that life is about more than just the afterlife. God calls believers to fulfill His purposes in this world right now. No matter how amazing or terrifying, no NDE report should distract from the gospel mandate to make disciples of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20). Our mission is not to speculate about the afterlife but to labor fruitfully for Christ until He returns or calls us to our eternal home.