A Biblical and Theological Analysis of Near Death Experiences

A thoughtful outline from David W. Jones of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary: Near Death Experiences by David Jones

See it HERE

Heaven Is Real; Hallucinations Are Not

You’re probably aware of the hit movie “Heaven Is for Real” and the popular book it’s based on. Recently, various television news programs have invited John MacArthur to explain why he rejects the story of Colton Burpo’s trip to heaven. But in those brief, edited interviews, much of John’s biblical critique ended up on the cutting-room floor. We thought it would be appropriate to take a short break from our current blog series and explain in more detail why the truth about heaven isn’t found in hallucinations and near-death experiences, but in the Word of God alone. –GTY Staff

Given the rising tides of militant atheism, postmodern skepti­cism, biblical illiteracy, self-love, and gross immorality, what are we to make of the current interest in heaven?

One thing is clear: It does not signal any significant upsurge of interest in what biblical revela­tion teaches about heaven. On the contrary, the data actually seem to indicate that lots of people are simply making up whatever concept of heaven pleases them. The ideas about heaven that get the most press are mostly figments of the human imagination that bear little (if any) resemblance to that glorious realm of Christ’s kingdom as it is described in God’s Word.   Continue at John MacArthur

See also: Are Visits to Heaven for Real?

The Burpo-Malarkey Doctrine

It's odd and troubling that the best-selling evangelical book of the past decade is a fanciful account of heaven spun from the imagination of a four-year-old boy. (Believe it or not, The Purpose-Driven Life and The Prayer of Jabez are both now more than a decade old.) Peddling fiction about the afterlife as non-fiction is the current Next Big Thing in the world of evangelical publishing.

Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo, tells the story of Burpo's son, Colton, who says he visited heaven while anesthetized for an appendectomy at age 4. Colton, now 13, says in heaven he got a halo and real wings (though they were too small for his liking). He also claims he sat on Jesus' lap while the angels sang to him; he saw Mary standing beside Jesus' throne; and he met the Holy Spirit (who, according to Colton, is "kind of blue").

More than seven million copies of this book are now in circulation, and the publisher has been assembling a sizable catalogue of spin-off products, including a planned movie version (to be produced by televangelist/prosperity preacher T. D. Jakes).

That book is not to be confused with The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven, by Kevin Malarkey—another runaway best-seller. Malarkey's book is about his son Alex, who at age 6 was nearly killed (and left permanently paralyzed) in a devastating automobile accident. In the immediate aftermath, and then during his rehabilitation, Alex says he made multiple trips to heaven and back.

The Malarkeys' version of heaven is considerably darker and not as full of details as the Burpos'. "There is a hole in outer Heaven," Alex says. "That hole goes to hell." The devil evidently uses this portal freely, because he is a major figure in Alex Malarkey's description of paradise. Alex says he has personally seen Satan many times, first at the accident scene and then later in heaven.   Continue at Phil Johnson

To Heaven and Back: Another Visit-to-Heaven Book

This blog and the one that follows will be full-length articles. I do this rarely, but I believe some of the issues at stake are very important, and far larger than just one particular book.

After its release two months ago, I guessed Mary Neal’s book To Heaven and Back would become an influential bestseller like its predecessors, so I read it. Sure enough, it has remained #1 in the “Paperback Advice & Miscellaneous” category of the New York Times Bestsellers List for nine weeks. 

Last year I blogged about Heaven is for Real and 90 Minutes in Heaven. I wrote that though these books don’t have the authority of Scripture, I am grateful that authors Don Piper and Todd Burpo uphold the gospel. Many who report after-death experiences do not.

For decades I’ve read accounts in which people who do not know Christ claim to have gone to Heaven and were reassured by a “being of light” that all is well. In some cases they’ve been “sent back” to earth to bring the message that people have nothing to fear because a loving God will send everyone to Heaven.

The Bible clearly states that those who do not trust Jesus for their salvation have great reason to fear death, and the Hell that follows (Luke 12:5). To claim otherwise is to preach a false gospel, which is exactly what some “I came back from Heaven” books do.

I’m convinced that though some have had real supernatural experiences, the one who reassured them with was not Jesus. “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).  Continue at Randy Alcorn

What The Bible Says About the Heaven Books

After writing about this new genre of I went to heaven books, I received many comments and emails asking me about biblical examples of those who glimpsed heaven—John in the book of Revelation, Paul in 2 Corinthians, Isaiah in his prophecy. I will address this briefly today.

There are several themes in today’s “I went to heaven” books:

• Each of the people experienced heaven after dying a natural death. In every case, the soul had left the body so the person was clinically and spiritually dead.
• After the experience of heaven, each of the people was restored to life so that the soul returned to the body and the body was no longer clinically or spiritually dead.
• Each of the people describes as much as they can remember and does so in order to offer encouragement and in order to validate what the Bible says.

There is no biblical precedent for experiences of this kind. Let me look to each of the biblical passages.

Revelation

 

The Revelation is unique in being New Testament apocalyptic literature. This genre is prophetic, meaning that it is inspired by God in order to show what will take place in the end times, tying together past, present and future. Here is how John introduces his experience:   Continue at Tim Challies