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Near Death Experiences

evangelist6589

evangelist6589

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You know both Stephen and Paul had one. Stephen saw the Christ as he was nearing death, and Paul was caught up to the third heaven which is beyond the atmosphere of the earth, and that of space. Anyone ever had one? Some are skeptics and NDE's cannot all be trusted, but perhaps some are accurate, especially if they line up with the Bible.

I am working on a writing project and my topic is on the AfterLife and Near death Experiences will be one topic I will be covering, as well as angels and devils, heaven and Hell, etc..
 
JonC

JonC

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evangelist6589 said:
You know both Stephen and Paul had one. Stephen saw the Christ as he was nearing death, and Paul was caught up to the third heaven which is beyond the atmosphere of the earth, and that of space. Anyone ever had one? Some are skeptics and NDE's cannot all be trusted, but perhaps some are accurate, especially if they line up with the Bible.

I am working on a writing project and my topic is on the AfterLife and Near death Experiences will be one topic I will be covering, as well as angels and devils, heaven and Hell, etc..
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How do you conclude that Stephen and Paul had “near death experiences”? Is this tradition or is there a biblical basis for this belief?

(Other than, of course, that everyone who has died was experiencing something right before it happened).
 
Crabtownboy

Crabtownboy

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I had a good friend, a very strong Christian who had a near death experience. She said after that experience she had no fear of death.
 
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annsni

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Crabtownboy said:
I had a good friend, a very strong Christian who had a near death experience. She said after that experience she had no fear of death.
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I heard the same from a very unsaved person. They now know that God will accept them into heaven no matter what they believe.
 
evangelist6589

evangelist6589

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Revmitchell said:
Because he read it in a book somewhere?
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Doing research involves reading books and of which these are my sources.

The Bible
Afterlife by Hank Hanegraaf
One Minute aftr you Die by Erwin Lutzer
The Glory of Heaven by John MacArthur
Angels by David Jeremiah
Hell on Trial by Robert Peterson
Heaven and Hell by Edward Donnelly
 
JonC

JonC

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evangelist6589 said:
I disagree. Stephen was stoned and was near death. Paul was presumed dead and may have actually died.
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John, Annsni has Scripture on her side, you need to back up your conclusion with whatever support you have. As it stands, you are contradicting Scripture regarding Stephen and adding to it regarding Paul.

I suggest that you tread carefully if you want to go down the road of developing an extra-biblical doctrine of near-death experiences. You are already altering and adding to the Word of God, and from what I gather you are just beginning. Please take this as a gentle reminder to turn back to Scripture as your source for doctrine.
 
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evangelist6589

evangelist6589

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JonC said:
John, Annsni has Scripture on her side, you need to back up your conclusion with whatever support you have. As it stands, you are contradicting Scripture regarding Stephen and adding to it regarding Paul.

I suggest that you tread carefully if you want to go down the road of developing an extra-biblical doctrine of near-death experiences. You are already altering and adding to the Word of God, and from what I gather you are just beginning. Please take this as a gentle reminder to turn back to Scripture as your source for doctrine.
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Hogwash. Stephen saw Jesus read this text.

Acts 7:55-56 (NKJV) the text reads "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

How could he see Jesus without a NDE? He died right after that so he was at deaths door.

Paul on the other hand also had an experience.

The apostle Paul had a similar experience, however in his case he may have actually been dead (Acts 14:19-20). In 2 Cor 12:3-4 (NKJV) Paul writes "And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

I do test the authors with the scripture but sometimes scripture is vague and we have to use our mind that God gave us. For example I was just reading an author whom cited NT Wright. I then read the page in the book that I have by NT Wright whom gave the idea that heaven is actually right here on earth just in another dimension. Heaven is not in some distant galaxy, but right here with us. Interesting.... Scripture support? NT Wright just used his mind, and may or may not be correct.

But yes you are correct I am just starting and will give myself plenty of time to complete this one (end of the year). I want to edit and proofread my article to make sure its Biblical.
 
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JonC

JonC

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evangelist6589 said:
Hogwash. Stephen saw Jesus read this text.

Acts 7:55-56 (NKJV) the text reads "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

How could he see Jesus without a NDE? He died right after that so he was at deaths door.

Paul on the other hand also had an experience.

The apostle Paul had a similar experience, however in his case he may have actually been dead (Acts 14:19-20). In 2 Cor 12:3-4 (NKJV) Paul writes "And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

I do test the authors with the scripture but sometimes scripture is vague and we have to use our mind that God gave us. For example I was just reading an author whom cited NT Wright. I then read the page in the book that I have by NT Wright whom gave the idea that heaven is actually right here on earth just in another dimension. Heaven is not in some distant galaxy, but right here with us. Interesting.... Scripture support? NT Wright just used his mind, and may or may not be correct.

But yes you are correct I am just starting and will give myself plenty of time to complete this one (end of the year). I want to edit and proofread my article to make sure its Biblical.
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I am not denying Stephan saw Jesus. I am noting that Luke does not portray this as a "near death experience".

Please show where Stephen's vision has an origin linked to his death (Scripture links it to being filled with the Holy Spirit and states his revealing of the vision to be the reason he was stoned). Please show where Paul had a near death experience.
 
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Jerome

Jerome

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From the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, "The Reformation Piety of Theodore Beza":

http://www.sbts.edu/resources/files/2010/02/sbjt_104_wright.pdf

Beza prayed that the Lord would allow a believer who was near death “with the eyes of his faith, to behold the eternal blessings you reserve for him in your paradise, to live happy for ever.” Such a person could endure death since he knew he would soon “enjoy your presence in heaven.”
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[Dr. Wright serves as an elder at Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and is the author of Our Sovereign Refuge: The Pastoral Theology of Theodore Beza (Paternoster, 2004). He is also the editor (along with Thomas R. Schreiner) of the forthcoming book, Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ (Broadman & Holman, 2007)]
 
blessedwife318

blessedwife318

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I've never heard of a near death experience that lined up with Scripture. Not to mention that looking at near death experience to learn about heaven is a direct attack on Sola Scriptura. Everything God wants us to know about heaven is in the Bible. We do not need anything else. As JonC Pointed out Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit when he saw Jesus. It is only speculation to say that Paul died when he went to the third heaven. And John was also in the Spirit when he saw heaven. And if you look at the OT, those prophets were also in the Spirit when they saw heaven. None of those are like near death experiences. If you want to know about heaven study the Bible, not what people say they saw about a bright light and feeling love and peace.
 
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annsni

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evangelist6589 said:
Hogwash. Stephen saw Jesus read this text.

Acts 7:55-56 (NKJV) the text reads "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

How could he see Jesus without a NDE? He died right after that so he was at deaths door.
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You can call God's Word hogwash - that's between you and Him but let's not take a verse out of context and add in our own experiences and beliefs to the text. Here is the entire passage:

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
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Note he saw the Son of Man at the right hand of God BEFORE they stoned him and it was even a period of time before they stoned him!

Paul on the other hand also had an experience.

The apostle Paul had a similar experience, however in his case he may have actually been dead (Acts 14:19-20). In 2 Cor 12:3-4 (NKJV) Paul writes "And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."
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Can you show me where this says that he was sick/injured/near death? Again, you are adding your own understanding to what is actually written.
 
Jerome

Jerome

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annsni said:
Note he saw the Son of Man at the right hand of God BEFORE they stoned him and it was even a period of time before they stoned him!
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So?

How is that not near death?

The Geneva Bible sure doesn't cavil with this scripture:

55 *But he being full of the holy Ghost, looked stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Iesus standing at the right hand of God

*The neerer that the Martyrs approch to death, the neerer they beholding Christ, do rise vp euen into heauen.
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annsni

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Jerome said:
So?

How is that not near death?

The Geneva Bible sure doesn't cavil with this scripture:
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Sure it's near death. As near death as I am.

According to the dictionary, an NDE is "an unusual experience taking place on the brink of death and recounted by a person after recovery, typically an out-of-body experience or a vision of a tunnel of light."

So, was he on the brink of death and recounted the story after recovery?
 
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