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Near Death Experiences
Near Death Experiences
1) Do people really see things prior to death (NDE’s)? Yes and no.
Many of the people claiming to have near death experiences are like the people who claim to see Bigfoot or a spaceship. Many of them are just faking it for attention. Some of them are not faking it though. For the ones that are not faking it we can rule out what they are seeing as the effects of the dieing brain. Brain chemistry and electrical activity causes strange subconscious imaginings. Some people do experience spiritual visions near death. It is important to note that they are not dead as science would define death. If a person is clinically dead and then comes back to life with a miraculous story it doesn’t mean that it is from God. The Bible says, “…Hebrews 9:27 NASB And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,..” People truly die once as a rule. Pro-NDE people will ask, “What about when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead?” “…John 11:11-15 NASB This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”(12) The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” (13) Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. (14) So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,(15)and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”..” So again as a rule people die once and then the judgment. So barring a miracle of Jesus when a person is truly dead they stay dead. Just because they have stopped breathing, pumping blood, and brain activity seems to have ceased doesn’t mean they are truly dead. Medical science says they are dead, but how many times have we heard of somebody waking up in the morgue or in a coffin? You are dead when God says you are dead. So people near death can have physiologically explainable visions.
2) Do some see angels while others see demons? Yes and no.
The Bible says nothing about NDE’s specifically. Some people abuse scripture and try to make Paul’s vision of the 3rd Heaven a NDE when it is obviously not. They are just so desperate to believe in NDE’s that they will pervert scripture to make it so. People can also experience demonic/satanic visions given to them to lead them astray and to misguide others. Anything a person claims about a NDE MUST NOT conflict with the Bible. If it does, it is from a lying spirit and should be discarded immediately as untrue. The person relaying the story must not be followed or believed.
3) Can this be scriptural? Yes and no.
The answer to this question depends heavily on context and claim. If the context is a vision or dream from God that someone experienced it must be accurate and consistent with the rest of the Bible. I don’t believe these types of things are happening right now in our time. Again, the Bible says nothing about NDE’s specifically. In the end times they are supposed to start back up. These are not NDE’s though. There is a big difference between an NDE and a prophetic dream or vision. You don’t have to be in a coma or nearly dead for a prophetic dream or vision. If God wants you to know something you are going to know it. Fortunately for us He reveals His will and word for us in the Bible and we don’t need to rely on dreams, and visions. Matter of fact the Bible is the primary way we hear from God.
To sum up I would say treat all NDE claims as nothing of consequence unless it meets the requirements of scripture. Here are some links to some very good articles from trusted ministries on the topic.
1. http://www.gty.org/blog/B121018
2. http://www.gotquestions.org/near-death-experiences.html
3. http://www.christianbook.com/heaven-randy-alcorn/9780842379427/pd/79422?event=AFF&p=1011693&
4. http://www.equip.org/articles/from-heaven-to-earth-with-a-story-that-sells/
Salvation, Mercy, and Wrath.
Salvation, Mercy, and Wrath.
If God saves us while we are yet sinners, it is because of his mercy.(Romans 5:8) Being sinners what could we do to merit favor with God, as if He were one to be compelled? We must also inquire as to what it is that we need saving from.
The punishment is what we say we fear, and rightly so. It comes from the almighty. We fear His just punishment, because His law was written on our hearts. We know that we are sinners. We only need to understand how dire our case is. This can only be accomplished through the exposition of our own personal sins.
What is a sinner? Is it a person that murders? Is it a liar? Is it a policeman? Is it an E.R. Doctor? Could it be me, or even you? The easy answer is that a sinner is someone who sins. Some would try to justify their works-righteousness religion by making a false distinction. They might tell you that a sinner is one that lives a lifestyle of sin. After all, everyone has sinned, but surely some of us are good? To them I say, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 ) “There is none who does good, there is not even one.” (Romans 3:12) I would ask them, “How many people do I have to kill before I am a murderer?” If I rip a purse from a woman’s shoulder, and run what does she yell? “Stop thief!” One time is all it takes. One lie makes a liar. One lustful thought makes an adulterer.
God judges not just what we do, but the thoughts of our inner most being.(1 Samuel 16:7) The thoughts bring forth the deeds. Dwelling on the sinful temptation enacts a powerful compulsion of the natural man to sin. So a sinner in thought is a sinner in deed.
Ah! But they protest, “There is a difference between thinking and doing!” I agree, but a little evil is only small when a human compares it to another human’s righteousness. Oh! How it contrasts when compared to perfection. When seen against the flawless, holiness, of God that small sin of your heart becomes an overwhelming witness against you on judgement day. Evidence of the sinners state of guilt. Condemning them to be punished for all eternity to satisfy the justice of a perfect, holy, and righteous God.
We rightly deserve to be killed, and to spend eternity in Hell as punishment. Once you realize the unattainable righteousness your sins are compared to, and the authority of the one whose laws you have transgressed you will grasp why it is good, and just for you to be punished. Until then God will seem harsh, and punitive. Unless by His mercy He grants you grace, you will never understand His love, or how unacceptable you are in sin, or what He saves you from.
So a sinner is every man, woman, and child ever born. Before them was Adam. The first man. The man through whom sin entered the world. So we are all in need of saving. Who can have such amazing grace? God alone! Not any works of man.(Ephesians 2:8) No merit of our own. Jesus on the cross! His blood shed for wretches, fallen, and without any righteousness to save them. It is this was so they must rely on His righteousness imputed to their account so they can be saved! If you are convicted of your sins, turn from them. Repent of them. Confess them to Jesus, and ask Him to forgive you. Put your faith in Him, and not your own works.
The 180movie logically counters arguments of the Pro-choice proponents.
The 180movie logically counters arguments of the Pro-choice proponents. If you watch the movie you will be able to use the points brought up by Ray Comfort in this documentary to argue intelligently against the Pro-choice proponents. Abortion should not even be an option. It is so blatantly immoral and unethical. I am incredulous that people fathom it tolerable to practice infanticide.
If you are not Pro-life and are an open and honest person that considers themselves to be tolerant and fair minded I encourage you to check it out with and open mind and heart. Human life is valuable. Would protest the killing of animals for fur or the use of animals as food but not protest abortion? If you wont see the hypocrisy in that I doubt that you are being very honest or fair. Please for the sake of the unborn don’t go another minute without watching this movie.
Representations of the sinner, church, and gospel in the Old Testament.
The chosen people of God in the Old Testament are representative of the individual sinner, and the church. We see how some want to please God. How others seeking their own pleasures only after being judged repent. In 1 Samuel we see the Israelites rejecting God’s rule. They demand a king other than God. Samuel is to warn them but also he is to anoint the one who would be king. Are we mastered by God or sin? Who is your king? When judged and shown the sin in our lives do we repent, then follow God with our entire heart? Over and over we see God’s chosen people sinning, being punished, repenting, and worshiping. They would go on for a while and fall again. God would accept their repentance and worship after they were humbled. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. It is His mercy to break the sinner. Only in humility can they experience God’s grace. Oh that I could always remember and be humble so as not to sin against my God. I fear the discipline even though I know it is for my good. Like a child I am in regards to it. As one that matures I see the love of the Father in it. Oh how I love Jesus! His grace is sufficient for even me! So as we see the chosen people of God so we should see ourselves the church. How many times have we sinned and in our self-righteousness punished ourselves in the sinful hope of appeasing God’s righteous and holy judgement? How dare we make less of His grace? Did He die on the cross so that we could be our own saviors? Repent of self-righteousness! I to must repent! Don’t let any sin be the churches King. Only Jesus be our king! Like Israel we are God’s people. We were purchased from sins great price by the redeeming blood of Jesus. The Old Testament books display for us the likeness of the individual sinner, the church, and God. We should see the Messiah in all of the word not just the New Testament.
Islam is evil!
quran 009.029 YUSUFALI: Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. quran 9.29
So lets break this down a bit, Christians don’t believe in the islamic god of the quran known as, “Allah.” We don’t forbid what Muhammed has forbid or says that Allah has forbid. For instance we can eat anything with thanks to God, we can believe in one God that is three persons in one being. We believe in the saving grace of God and assurance of salvation through faith in Christ, these are just a few of the differences.
We don’t believe in the end times according to the quran or Muhammed. So they are told to fight against us. It is not a suggestion. They are told by their holy book to …”Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger,”… As well as fighting against us they are told to make us pay a fee that shows how we have been forced into submission by them so that we feel subdued or beaten, defeated even.
They are by no means a religion of peace. Read the quran with protection from God because it is a book written by the enemy and he will corrupt you if you do not have God’s protection. Pray for them that they might come to know Jesus, but by no means believe what they say about islam!
Ever Wonder?
Ever wonder why postmodernism has spread so quickly? Well wonder no more. It has been taught by the public school system for the last 20 years. That’s right, your lovely tax payer funded school system teaches postmodernism. To sum up what postmodernism is I’ll just say that it rejects the notion of objective truth in favor of a personal perception of what is true for each individual. How ludicrous is that? I mean… Really? Here is an example, “Kid’s playing a game and nobody looses because they are all winners.” More importantly God becomes whatever the individual decides. This is called idolatry. When you fashion a god that is more to your liking, when you don’t accept the reality of the sovereign God of the Bible it is called idolatry! So they teach the kids in a circuitous manner all about subjective truth and this my friends finds it’s way into their theology. Don’t think it does? Think I’m wrong? Go to any college campus and ask some of the students what they think about, how we got here, what we are here for, is there a God, who was Jesus, is there a heaven or hell? Then you’ll know for yourself. Don’t be fooled we might very well be some of the last people in America to have and understanding of objective truth. God bless you.
“Insubstantial eloquence propagates pernicious ideology”
“Insubstantial eloquence propagates pernicious ideology” copyright©Bob Snyder 2008
Ever wonder?
Ever wonder why the news always leaves out the fact that the crazies that are doing things are muslims? I mean… come on… They must think we are stupid. They tell you who they attacked(usually a Christian or Christian group) They tell you when and where, but the leave out the who if the names sound islamic. Sometimes they leave out where the crazies came from as well. I have to assume that it is a purposeful redaction on their parts. Are they afraid of making the muslims angry? I say, “Make them angry! Then we know who to lock up or shoot!” It is crazy to think that people are this stupid, but apparently a large portion of us are. Some people actually haven’t noticed this. It is incredible to me.
Snyder's Soapbox 