January 2009 – Grace & Truth Magazine
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Who Will You Believe?
Several books have been written recently by people claiming to have had near-death experiences of heaven. Many more accounts of the same type of experience can be found on the internet. While the circumstances leading to “near” death differ, these descriptions share an interesting positive similarity – overwhelming light, joy, peace, comfort, love, etc. Those who’ve had these experiences say they look forward to heaven after a “real-death” experience.

There are far fewer books and internet accounts of near-death experiences of hell. But those who claim to have visited hell describe it with such negative terms as extreme darkness, sorrow, turmoil, pain, anger, etc. They do not want to return to hell, and warn others to do all they can to avoid it.

While these two groups testify from “personal” experience to the existence of heaven and hell, a third group, that does not believe in any afterlife, refers to these near-death experiences as dreams, delusions or downright lies.

I belong to yet another group who believes in the existence of heaven and hell, but does not base its belief on the near-death experiences of individuals, but rather on the many references in the Bible to heaven, hell, angels, demons and eternal life. I identify with this group because I believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and that prophets, kings, evangelists and Jesus Himself are far more credible witnesses to the reality of heaven and hell than those individuals who claim near-death experiences or those who deny them. My question for you is, “Who will you believe?”

This month’s three Feature articles will tell you what the Bible says about the reality of heaven and hell. And you don’t have to have a near-death experience to get the facts.

By Larry Ondrejack