Something wasn’t right about the message Sarah heard during her near-death experience. After her heart stopped on the operating table, she found herself surrounded by brilliant light and overwhelming love. A radiant being approached her, and she immediately felt certain this was Jesus. But then came the words that would trouble her for years afterward: “All paths lead to me. It doesn’t matter what people believe—everyone comes to the same place in the end.”
Sarah knew her Bible well enough to recognize the contradiction. Jesus had said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). So who was this being of light? And why was he teaching something so fundamentally different from what Scripture revealed?
Sarah’s confusion points to one of the most troubling and important aspects of the near-death experience phenomenon: not every spiritual experience comes from God. The apostle Paul warned us about this very danger nearly two thousand years ago when he wrote, “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). If the enemy of our souls can appear as something beautiful and good, how much more might he be able to deceive people during the vulnerable moments between life and death?
This chapter addresses a difficult but crucial topic. While many near-death experiences appear to align beautifully with biblical truth and strengthen people’s faith in Christ, others contain messages and teachings that directly contradict Scripture. We must learn to tell the difference. Our eternal destinies—and those of the people we influence—may depend on it.
The Reality of Spiritual Warfare
Before we can understand how NDEs might be hijacked by demonic forces, we need to establish a biblical foundation for understanding spiritual warfare—the ongoing battle between God’s kingdom and the forces of darkness. This isn’t some medieval superstition or Hollywood fantasy. It’s a reality that Scripture treats with utmost seriousness.
The Bible teaches that we live in a world where two kingdoms are in conflict. On one side stands the kingdom of God, characterized by truth, light, love, and life. On the other side lurks the kingdom of darkness, ruled by Satan and characterized by deception, darkness, hatred, and death. This cosmic battle plays out not just in heavenly realms but right here on earth, in the hearts and minds of human beings.
The apostle Paul makes this abundantly clear in his letter to the Ephesians: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Notice that Paul doesn’t say we might face spiritual opposition or that some Christians will encounter demonic resistance. He states plainly that this is our struggle—all of us who follow Christ are engaged in this battle whether we realize it or not.
The enemy’s primary weapon in this warfare is deception. Jesus himself called Satan “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). From the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, Satan’s strategy has been to twist God’s truth just enough to lead people astray. He asked Eve, “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). Notice how he didn’t deny God’s existence or launch a frontal assault on God’s character. Instead, he planted a seed of doubt, a subtle questioning of God’s word and intentions.
This pattern of deception continues throughout Scripture. In 1 Timothy 4:1, Paul warns that “in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” The phrase “deceiving spirits” is particularly important here. These aren’t spirits that announce themselves as evil or hostile to God. They’re deceivers—they present themselves as good, helpful, even holy, while teaching doctrines that lead people away from the truth.
Dr. Richard Gallagher, a board-certified psychiatrist who has consulted on hundreds of cases involving spiritual oppression, writes in his book Demonic Foes: “Evil spirits habitually lie about their true nature. One of the major aims of demons is to confuse human beings, and throughout history they have repeatedly feigned being dead souls or angels, or, perhaps, the deities of pagan religions” (p. 94). This observation from a trained medical professional who has witnessed genuine spiritual phenomena firsthand confirms what Scripture has always taught: demons are masters of disguise.
The book of Acts gives us a fascinating example of how this deception can work in practice. In chapter 16, Paul encounters a slave girl who had “a spirit by which she predicted the future” (Acts 16:16). For many days, she followed Paul and his companions, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (v. 17). On the surface, everything she said was true. Paul and his friends were servants of God. They were telling people the way to be saved. So why did Paul eventually become troubled and cast the spirit out of her?
The answer reveals something crucial about how demonic deception works. The spirit wasn’t lying outright—it was using truth for its own purposes. Perhaps it hoped to gain credibility by associating itself with Paul’s ministry. Perhaps it wanted to become such an annoying distraction that it would hinder the spread of the gospel. Whatever its specific goal, Paul recognized that even though the words were true, the source was evil, and he took action to silence it.
This biblical example is critically important for understanding deceptive NDEs. Just because an experience contains some true elements or produces some positive feelings doesn’t mean it comes from God.
But why would Satan and his demons be particularly interested in near-death experiences? To answer this, we need to understand what NDEs represent in the spiritual realm.
Why NDEs Are Prime Targets for Deception
Near-death experiences occupy a unique place in human consciousness. They occur at the boundary between life and death, between the physical and spiritual realms. For many people, an NDE represents their first and perhaps only direct encounter with spiritual reality. This makes them incredibly powerful and influential—and therefore incredibly attractive targets for demonic deception.
Think about it from the enemy’s perspective. Here’s a person who is physically vulnerable, possibly dying, certainly not in full control of their faculties. They’re entering a realm they don’t understand, experiencing things far beyond their normal perception. They’re likely frightened, confused, and desperately seeking comfort and answers. In other words, they’re in a perfect position to be deceived.
Moreover, NDEs carry tremendous authority in our culture. When someone says, “I died and came back,” people listen. When they add, “And this is what I learned on the other side,” their words carry weight that no sermon or theological argument can match. After all, they’ve been there. They’ve seen it with their own eyes. Who are we to question their experience?
This cultural authority makes NDEs an incredibly valuable prize for the enemy. If Satan can successfully inject false teaching into even a small percentage of NDEs, he can spread deception far and wide. One person’s false NDE testimony can influence thousands or even millions of people, leading them away from biblical truth and toward spiritual error.
Consider the impact of Betty Eadie’s book Embraced by the Light, which has sold millions of copies worldwide. In her NDE account, Eadie claims to have met Jesus and learned numerous spiritual “truths” from him. Yet many of these teachings directly contradict Scripture. For instance, she writes about pre-mortal existence—the idea that all human souls existed in heaven before being born on earth:
“I understood that we all volunteered for our positions and roles on earth. We came to earth to learn and experience things that could only be learned here” (Eadie, Embraced by the Light, Chapter: Selecting a Body).
This teaching has no biblical support whatsoever. In fact, it contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture that God creates each human soul at conception (Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:5). Yet because Eadie claims to have received this information directly from Jesus during her NDE, many readers accept it as truth.
Similarly, Eadie’s “Jesus” taught her about universal religious validity:
“We have no right to criticize any church or religion in any way” (Eadie, Embraced by the Light, Chapter: The Laws).
This statement might sound loving and tolerant, but it directly contradicts Jesus’s actual words in Scripture. The biblical Jesus was quite willing to criticize false religion. He called the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27) and drove the money changers out of the temple with a whip (John 2:15). He explicitly stated, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). How can we reconcile this exclusive claim with Eadie’s universalist message?
The simple answer is: we can’t. Either the Jesus of the Bible is wrong, or the “Jesus” Eadie met in her NDE was not the real Jesus at all. Given the Bible’s warnings about deceiving spirits and Satan’s ability to masquerade as an angel of light, the second option seems far more likely.
The potential for deception in NDEs becomes even clearer when we examine what theologian and researcher Maurice Rawlings discovered in his studies. As he reports in his book Beyond Death’s Door, one near-death experiencer encountered a being of light who appeared exactly like the “Jesus” figures described by many others—clothed in brilliant white, radiating love and peace. But when the experiencer asked directly, “Are you Jesus?” the being replied, “No” (p. 98).
This admission is remarkable and revealing. If beings of light who appear identical to common descriptions of Jesus admit they are not actually Jesus when directly questioned, how many other experiencers have simply assumed they met Christ without ever verifying the identity of the being they encountered?
Common Deceptive Doctrines in NDEs
As we examine accounts of near-death experiences that contain unbiblical elements, certain false teachings appear again and again. These aren’t random errors or simple misunderstandings. They form a pattern—a consistent set of deceptions that serve the enemy’s purposes. Let’s examine the most common false doctrines found in deceptive NDEs.
1. Universalism: The “All Paths Lead to God” Deception
Perhaps the most common false teaching in deceptive NDEs is universalism—the belief that everyone will eventually be saved regardless of their relationship with Jesus Christ. This doctrine appears in many forms, but the core message remains the same: Don’t worry about sin, judgment, or the need for salvation through Christ alone. Everything will work out fine in the end for everyone.
Dr. Eben Alexander’s bestselling book Proof of Heaven provides a prime example of this teaching. Alexander, a neurosurgeon who experienced an NDE while in a coma from bacterial meningitis, describes meeting a divine presence he calls “Om” and learning that “You are loved and cherished, dearly, forever. You have nothing to fear. There is nothing you can do wrong.”
While it’s certainly true that God loves us deeply, the idea that we have “nothing to fear” and can do “nothing wrong” contradicts the entire message of Scripture. The Bible teaches that sin is real, judgment is coming, and apart from Christ, we have everything to fear. Jesus himself warned more about hell than he spoke about heaven, saying things like, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
The universalist message in deceptive NDEs often takes subtler forms. Sometimes experiencers report being told that different religions are just “different paths up the same mountain.” Dr. Jeffrey Long, who has collected thousands of NDE accounts, notes in his research that many experiencers return with the belief that “each religion is a pathway trying to reach the same place” (God and the Afterlife, Chapter on Religious Identity).
This teaching might sound appealing in our pluralistic culture, but it directly contradicts Jesus’s exclusive claims about salvation. When Jesus said, “I am the way,” he used the definite article—the way, not a way. The apostle Peter reinforced this exclusivity when he declared, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The universalist deception is particularly dangerous because it removes the urgency of the gospel. If everyone is saved regardless of their response to Christ, why evangelize? Why repent? Why take up your cross and follow Jesus if you can reach the same destination without any sacrifice or commitment?
2. Novel Revelations That Contradict Scripture
Another common feature of deceptive NDEs is the presentation of “new truths” that supposedly update or supersede biblical revelation. These novel teachings often sound spiritual and profound, but they subtly undermine core Christian doctrines.
Betty Eadie’s experience again provides clear examples. Her “Jesus” supposedly revealed to her that:
“All people as spirits in the pre-mortal world took part in the creation of the earth… we knew and even chose our missions in life… we all volunteered for our positions” (Eadie, Embraced by the Light, Chapter: Many Worlds).
This teaching of pre-existence doesn’t just add to biblical revelation—it fundamentally contradicts it. The Bible teaches that God alone is eternal and that he creates each human soul. We don’t pre-exist in heaven choosing our earthly missions. We’re created by God, in time, for his purposes.
Other NDErs report receiving “corrections” to biblical teaching. George Ritchie, whose NDE account was influential in launching modern NDE research, claimed that the “Jesus” he met told him there were errors in both the Old and New Testaments. According to Ritchie’s “Jesus,” the Christian belief that humans are sinful, fallen creatures is wrong:
“Religion separated from the leadership of God confirms our own negative thinking by telling us we are naked, or inadequate, and fallen sinners…. If God is our Father and Jesus is our brother, then we also have to be gods and not lowly worms” (Ritchie, quoted in Sabom, Light & Death, p. 162).
This is nothing less than a direct assault on the gospel itself. If humans aren’t fallen sinners in need of redemption, then Christ’s death on the cross was unnecessary. The entire biblical narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration collapses. Yet because Ritchie believed he had met the real Jesus, he accepted these false teachings as divine revelation.
3. Contradictory and Folkloric Details About Spiritual Reality
A third category of deception involves specific details about heaven, hell, angels, or God that contradict biblical descriptions or rely more on cultural folklore than scriptural truth. These errors might seem minor compared to doctrinal deceptions, but they serve to undermine confidence in Scripture and replace biblical truth with human imagination.
The popular book and movie Heaven Is for Real contains several examples of these folkloric elements. Young Colton Burpo, who had an NDE at age three, described Jesus as having “markers” (scars) on his hands and feet, which aligns with Scripture. But he also described the Holy Spirit as “kind of blue” and transparent, like a cloud. Where in Scripture is the Holy Spirit described as blue? This sounds more like a child’s imagination influenced by cultural imagery than genuine divine revelation.
More troublingly, Colton reported that everyone in heaven has wings—including his deceased grandfather. While angels are sometimes described as having wings in Scripture (though not always), there’s no biblical indication that human souls receive wings after death. This is pure folklore, the kind of imagery found on greeting cards and in cartoons, not in the Word of God.
Some NDErs describe heaven as having different “levels” or “dimensions” that people progress through based on their spiritual development. They speak of “soul groups” and “spiritual evolution” and “ascending to higher frequencies.” This language comes straight from New Age philosophy, not from the Bible. Scripture speaks of heaven and hell, with Jesus mentioning Paradise and Abraham’s bosom as places of comfort for the righteous dead. But it knows nothing of the elaborate hierarchies and progression systems described in many NDE accounts.
Why do these details matter? Because they shape people’s understanding of spiritual reality. If someone believes they need to progress through multiple levels of heaven after death, they might neglect the biblical truth that salvation is by grace through faith, complete in Christ. If they think everyone gets wings and a harp, they might miss the Bible’s teaching about the resurrection of the body and the new earth where we’ll live eternally with Christ.
Understanding the Enemy’s Strategy
To effectively discern between genuine and deceptive NDEs, we need to understand why Satan would hijack these experiences and what he hopes to accomplish through them. The enemy’s strategy isn’t random or chaotic—it’s carefully calculated to achieve specific goals.
First and foremost, Satan’s goal is to prevent people from coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Every soul that fails to trust in Christ for salvation is a victory for the kingdom of darkness. This is why universalism features so prominently in deceptive NDEs. If people believe everyone goes to heaven regardless of their response to Christ, they have no motivation to repent and believe the gospel.
Think about the practical impact of the universalist message. A person who has had or heard about a universalist NDE might reason: “Well, I saw (or heard about someone who saw) that everyone is welcomed into the light after death. God loves everyone unconditionally and doesn’t judge anyone. So I can live however I want and still end up in heaven.” This false assurance could literally cost them their eternal soul.
Second, Satan seeks to undermine the authority of Scripture. If he can convince people that the Bible is outdated, incorrect, or incomplete, he removes their primary source of spiritual truth and protection. This is why deceptive NDEs often include “revelations” that contradict or “update” biblical teaching. Once people believe that direct spiritual experiences trump the written Word of God, they become vulnerable to any deception the enemy wants to introduce.
Consider how this worked in Betty Eadie’s case. She writes in her book:
“Within these and all other books I write, I will continue to share the love of God as given to me through his son, Jesus Christ… I know that following my heart within the light of Jesus Christ, and accepting his love, I will be directed to do all that is required of me” (Eadie, Embraced by the Light, Afterword).
This sounds wonderfully spiritual, but notice what’s missing: any reference to testing her experience against Scripture. She trusts her subjective experience completely, even when it contradicts God’s Word. This is exactly where Satan wants people—trusting their feelings and experiences rather than the objective truth of Scripture.
Third, Satan aims to create a false gospel that appears close enough to the truth to deceive even believers. This counterfeit gospel keeps key Christian terminology—God, Jesus, love, light, salvation—but empties these words of their biblical meaning. The Jesus of deceptive NDEs is not the biblical Jesus who died for our sins and rose again. He’s a cosmic therapist who affirms everyone and demands nothing. The salvation of deceptive NDEs is not redemption from sin through Christ’s blood but automatic entry into bliss regardless of one’s spiritual state.
Dr. Michael Sabom, a cardiologist who has extensively researched NDEs from a Christian perspective, notes this pattern in his book Light & Death:
“Since these teachings of ‘Jesus’ encountered by Ritchie and Eadie contradict Scripture—something the biblical Christ never did—their ‘Jesus’ is clearly not the same as the historical Jesus of Scripture” (p. 162).
This observation is crucial. The real Jesus, during his earthly ministry and in his post-resurrection appearances, never contradicted the Scriptures. He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, not to abolish them (Matthew 5:17). Any “Jesus” who contradicts Scripture is, by definition, not the true Jesus.
The Subtlety of Spiritual Deception
One of the most important things to understand about spiritual deception is its subtlety. Satan doesn’t usually appear with horns and a pitchfork, announcing his evil intentions. He comes as an angel of light, offering wisdom, comfort, and spiritual insight. His lies are wrapped in enough truth to make them believable, even attractive.
This subtlety is evident in how deceptive NDEs often begin exactly like genuine ones. The experiencer leaves their body, travels through a tunnel, encounters a bright light, feels overwhelming peace and love. All of these elements can occur in authentic NDEs that align with Scripture. It’s only when the being of light begins to communicate that the deception becomes apparent—and sometimes not even then, if the experiencer doesn’t know Scripture well enough to recognize the contradictions.
Howard Storm’s NDE illustrates this progression perfectly. Storm, an atheist art professor, had a hellish NDE that began with him being led away by seemingly friendly beings:
“They were very persuasive, and I wanted to trust them. They said they were going to help me” (Storm, quoted in Dancing Past the Dark, p. 42).
Only gradually did these beings reveal their true nature, eventually attacking Storm viciously. If he hadn’t called out to Jesus in desperation (remembering childhood prayers), he might have remained in that hellish realm. His experience shows how deceptive spirits can initially appear helpful and trustworthy before revealing their true nature.
Even more subtle are cases where the deception is mixed with genuine spiritual truth. An experiencer might encounter real angels or even the true Jesus but then have the experience contaminated by demonic interference. They might receive some true insights about God’s love but also false teachings about universalism. This mixture makes discernment extremely difficult without careful comparison to Scripture.
The Bible actually prepares us for this level of subtlety. In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Paul writes:
“For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.”
Notice the progression here. It’s not just Satan who can disguise himself—his servants can too. This means that in the spiritual realm, multiple deceptive beings might participate in creating a false NDE, each playing a role designed to make the deception more convincing.
Why Some People Are More Vulnerable to Deception
Not everyone who has an NDE is equally vulnerable to spiritual deception. Certain factors seem to increase the likelihood that an experiencer will encounter deceptive spirits or receive false teachings during their NDE.
Biblical illiteracy is perhaps the most significant risk factor. If someone doesn’t know what the Bible teaches, they have no standard against which to measure their experience. They might meet a being of light who claims to be Jesus and never think to test whether this “Jesus” teaches the same things as the biblical Jesus. They might receive “new revelations” and accept them uncritically, not realizing they contradict Scripture.
This is why Peter warns believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Knowledge of Christ—gained primarily through studying his Word—protects us from deception. Without this knowledge, we’re like ships without anchors, blown about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14).
Prior involvement in occult practices also increases vulnerability to deceptive NDEs. People who have engaged in activities like consulting mediums, practicing divination, or exploring New Age spirituality have already opened doors to the demonic realm. These practices, which the Bible explicitly forbids (Deuteronomy 18:10-12), create spiritual connections that demons can exploit during an NDE.
Dr. Richard Gallagher notes in his psychiatric practice that “those who have dabbled in the occult often report more troubling spiritual experiences, including during near-death episodes” (Demonic Foes, p. 137). This observation from clinical practice confirms what Scripture teaches: occult involvement makes people vulnerable to demonic deception.
A pre-existing universalist worldview can also make someone more susceptible to deceptive NDEs. If a person already believes that all religions lead to God, they’re primed to accept any NDE message that confirms this belief. They won’t question a “Jesus” who tells them all paths are valid because that’s what they wanted to hear anyway.
This principle of receiving what we expect or desire is important. In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Paul warns:
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
Could it be that some deceptive NDEs give people exactly what their “itching ears want to hear”—a god who makes no demands, a heaven with no requirements for entry, a spirituality without sacrifice or submission?
Lack of spiritual discernment is another critical vulnerability. Some Christians have never been taught about spiritual warfare or the reality of demonic deception. They assume that any supernatural experience must be from God, any being of light must be good, any message about love must be true. This naivety makes them easy targets for deception.
The Bible commands us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). This isn’t optional advice for the super-spiritual—it’s a command for all believers. We must approach supernatural experiences, including NDEs, with both openness to God’s genuine work and alertness to the enemy’s counterfeits.
Case Studies in Deception
To better understand how spiritual deception works in NDEs, let’s examine several specific cases in detail. These examples will help us identify the warning signs of deceptive experiences and understand how the enemy operates in this realm.
Case 1: The “Jesus” Who Wasn’t
One of the most revealing cases in NDE literature comes from Dr. Maurice Rawlings’ research. A patient who had been resuscitated from cardiac arrest reported meeting a being of extraordinary beauty and light. The being appeared exactly as many NDErs describe Jesus—radiating love, dressed in brilliant white, emanating peace and acceptance.
But something prompted this experiencer to ask a direct question: “Are you Jesus?”
The being’s response was shocking: “No.”
This case is crucial for several reasons. First, it proves that beings of light who appear identical to common descriptions of Jesus are not always Jesus. Second, it suggests that directly questioning the identity of spiritual beings might cause them to reveal their true nature. Third, it raises the disturbing possibility that many NDErs who report meeting Jesus may have actually encountered impostor spirits who simply didn’t reveal their deception.
What’s particularly telling is that this being appeared loving, peaceful, and beautiful—all qualities we associate with divine encounters. Yet it was not Christ. This aligns perfectly with Paul’s warning about Satan masquerading as an angel of light. The disguise can be so perfect that only direct confrontation reveals the truth.
Case 2: Betty Eadie’s Systematic Deception
Betty Eadie’s Embraced by the Light deserves extended examination because of its massive influence—millions of copies sold, countless readers influenced, and ideas spread throughout popular culture. Her experience contains so many unbiblical elements that it serves as a textbook example of systematic spiritual deception.
Eadie claims to have died during surgery and spent several hours in the spiritual realm. During this time, she supposedly met Jesus and received extensive teachings about the nature of reality, the purpose of life, and the destiny of humanity. But when we examine these teachings carefully, a pattern of deception emerges.
First, her “Jesus” taught her about pre-mortal existence:
“I saw that we all chose to come to earth to learn, to experience, to expand our knowledge… All people as spirits in the pre-mortal world took part in the creation of the earth” (Eadie, Embraced by the Light, Chapter: Many Worlds).
This doctrine comes straight from Mormonism, not the Bible. Scripture teaches that God alone is eternal and that he creates each human soul. We don’t pre-exist as spirits who volunteer for earth missions. This false teaching undermines the biblical doctrine of creation and suggests that humans are essentially eternal beings like God himself.
Second, her “Jesus” promoted religious universalism:
“We have no right to criticize any church or religion in any way… Each religion is important in its own way” (Eadie, Embraced by the Light, Chapter: The Laws).
This directly contradicts Jesus’s exclusive claims in Scripture. The biblical Jesus said he was the only way to the Father (John 14:6) and warned against false prophets and false teachings (Matthew 7:15). He certainly didn’t teach that all religions are equally valid paths to God.
Third, her experience included elaborate descriptions of the spiritual realm that sound more like New Age philosophy than biblical revelation. She describes “looms” where spirits weave the fabric of reality, libraries containing the history of every soul, and a garden where she learned about the interconnectedness of all life. While these images might sound beautiful and spiritual, they have no basis in Scripture and serve to replace biblical truth with mystical speculation.
Most troublingly, Eadie’s “Jesus” gave her a mission:
“My mission would be to spread the love of God as given to me through his son, Jesus Christ” (Eadie, Embraced by the Light, Afterword).
But the “love” she’s spreading is wrapped in false teaching. This is exactly how Satan operates—using Christian terminology and concepts but twisting them to serve his purposes. The result is a counterfeit gospel that leads people away from biblical truth while making them feel deeply spiritual.
Case 3: Eben Alexander’s “Proof” Without Christ
Dr. Eben Alexander’s Proof of Heaven became a cultural phenomenon, spending weeks atop bestseller lists and convincing many skeptics that the afterlife is real. As a Harvard-trained neurosurgeon, Alexander brought scientific credibility to his NDE account. But from a biblical perspective, his experience raises serious red flags.
During his NDE, Alexander claims to have encountered the divine presence at the core of reality, which he calls “Om.” This being communicated to him through pure thought:
“You are loved and cherished, dearly, forever. You have nothing to fear. There is nothing you can do wrong.”
Notice what’s missing from this message: any mention of sin, redemption, or the need for salvation. According to Alexander’s “Om,” we have nothing to fear and can do nothing wrong. This directly contradicts the Bible’s teaching that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
Furthermore, Alexander’s experience led him not to Christian faith but to a vague, New Age spirituality. He writes about the interconnectedness of all consciousness, the evolution of the soul, and the ultimate unity of all existence. These concepts come from Eastern mysticism and New Age philosophy, not from biblical Christianity.
Most tellingly, Jesus Christ is entirely absent from Alexander’s account. Despite claiming to have encountered ultimate divine reality, he never mentions meeting, seeing, or hearing about Jesus. For Christians, this should be a massive red flag. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). How could someone genuinely encounter God the Father without any reference to God the Son?
Alexander’s case demonstrates how an NDE can seem profoundly spiritual and even convince people of life after death while completely missing the gospel message. This is precisely the kind of deception Satan loves—it makes people feel spiritual and assured of a pleasant afterlife without ever bringing them to saving faith in Christ.
Case 4: The Heaven Is for Real Controversy
The case of Colton Burpo, the young boy whose NDE became the book and movie Heaven Is for Real, is particularly complex because it contains both seemingly authentic elements and troubling contradictions. This mixture makes it an excellent study in the difficulty of discerning truth from error in NDEs.
On the positive side, Colton reported meeting Jesus, seeing biblical figures, and experiencing a heaven that in some ways aligns with Scripture. He knew things he seemingly couldn’t have known, like meeting a sister who had died in a miscarriage (whom his parents had never told him about) and accurately identifying his great-grandfather from a young photograph.
But alongside these compelling elements, Colton’s account includes details that should concern anyone committed to biblical truth:
1. He described the Holy Spirit as being “kind of blue” and transparent. This physical description of the Spirit has no biblical basis and reduces the third person of the Trinity to a colored mist.
2. He claimed everyone in heaven has wings, including his deceased grandfather. While angels sometimes have wings in Scripture, there’s no indication that human souls receive wings after death.
3. He reported that Jesus has a rainbow-colored horse. While Revelation mentions Christ riding a white horse, there’s nothing about rainbow colors.
4. He described Jesus’s appearance in very specific physical terms that match Western artistic representations rather than what a first-century Jewish man would have looked like.
These folkloric elements raise important questions. If Colton really visited heaven and met Jesus, why would his account include unbiblical details? Several possibilities exist:
First, he might have had a genuine experience that became contaminated with childish imagination or cultural images. A three-year-old’s mind might struggle to process authentic spiritual experiences and fill in gaps with familiar imagery from Sunday school or popular culture.
Second, the experience might have been partially genuine but partially deceptive. Perhaps Colton encountered some true elements (like his deceased sister) but also received false images from deceiving spirits taking advantage of his young age and theological ignorance.
Third, the entire experience might have been generated by his subconscious mind, drawing on things he had heard but didn’t consciously remember, combined with lucky guesses that seemed like supernatural knowledge.
The Burpo case teaches us that even NDEs with some apparently authentic elements must be carefully evaluated against Scripture. We cannot accept an entire account as true simply because parts of it seem genuine or produce positive spiritual feelings.
The Dangerous Appeal of Deceptive NDEs
One of the most troubling aspects of deceptive NDEs is how appealing they can be, even to Christians. The messages they convey often sound loving, inclusive, and comforting. They remove the “hard edges” of biblical Christianity—judgment, hell, the narrow way—and replace them with universal acceptance and unconditional approval. In our therapeutic age, where self-esteem is valued above holiness and inclusion above truth, these messages find eager audiences.
Consider the emotional appeal of universalism. What parent doesn’t want to believe that their wayward child will eventually make it to heaven regardless of their rejection of Christ? What spouse doesn’t hope that their unbelieving partner will be welcomed into paradise despite never accepting the gospel? The universalist message of many deceptive NDEs offers comfort to these natural human desires.
But this comfort comes at a terrible price: the truth. Jesus didn’t come to earth, suffer, and die on a cross just to tell us everything would be fine anyway. He came because we desperately needed salvation, because without his sacrifice we were doomed to eternal separation from God. To accept the universalist message of deceptive NDEs is to make Christ’s sacrifice meaningless.
The apostle Paul understood this danger. In Galatians 1:6-9, he writes:
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”
Notice Paul’s vehemence here. He’s not engaging in polite theological disagreement. He’s pronouncing a curse on anyone—even an angel from heaven—who preaches a false gospel. This shows how seriously God takes the integrity of the gospel message. We cannot afford to be less serious about it.
Another dangerous appeal of deceptive NDEs is their emphasis on personal experience over biblical authority. In our postmodern culture, personal experience is considered the ultimate arbiter of truth. “This is what I experienced, so this is what’s true for me.” Deceptive NDEs play right into this mindset, offering people seemingly irrefutable personal encounters with the divine that supersede any external authority, including Scripture.
But the Bible consistently warns against trusting our subjective experiences above God’s objective Word. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Proverbs 14:12 warns, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” Our experiences, feelings, and perceptions can deceive us. Only God’s Word provides a reliable standard for truth.
The Influence of Deceptive NDEs on Modern Spirituality
The impact of deceptive NDEs extends far beyond individual experiencers. These accounts have significantly shaped modern spirituality, contributing to the rise of what researchers call “the spiritual but not religious” movement. People increasingly believe in God and the afterlife but reject organized religion and biblical doctrine, often citing NDEs as evidence that traditional Christianity is too narrow and exclusive.
Dr. Jeffrey Long’s research, published in God and the Afterlife, found that many NDErs return with changed religious views:
“NDErs often report that all religions contain truth and that no single religion has a monopoly on the path to God… They tend to become more spiritual but less religious in the traditional sense” (Long & Perry, God and the Afterlife, Chapter on Religious Identity).
This shift away from biblical Christianity toward vague spirituality is exactly what we would expect if Satan is using NDEs as a tool of deception. By convincing people that all paths lead to God, he undermines the exclusive claims of Christ. By promoting spirituality without doctrine, he removes the theological boundaries that protect people from error.
The influence of deceptive NDEs can be seen throughout popular culture. Movies, television shows, and books routinely present an afterlife that looks more like the universalist paradise of deceptive NDEs than the biblical heaven and hell. The common cultural belief that “good people go to heaven” owes more to NDE accounts than to biblical teaching.
Even within churches, the influence is evident. Many Christians have unconsciously adopted beliefs from popular NDE accounts that contradict Scripture. They might believe that everyone gets a life review where they judge themselves, that heaven is whatever we want it to be, or that deceased loved ones become our guardian angels. These ideas come from NDEs, not from the Bible.
This cultural infiltration demonstrates why Christians must be equipped to discern between authentic and deceptive NDEs. We’re not just dealing with isolated experiences but with a widespread phenomenon that’s reshaping how people think about God, death, and eternity.
Why God Allows Deceptive NDEs
A natural question arises: If deceptive NDEs can lead people astray, why does God allow them to occur? Why doesn’t he protect everyone who has a near-death experience from demonic deception?
This question touches on the broader mystery of why God allows evil to exist at all. While we can’t fully understand God’s purposes, Scripture gives us some insights that apply to this situation.
First, God has given humans free will, including the freedom to choose truth or deception. In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, Paul writes about those who reject the truth:
“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”
This passage suggests that those who reject truth become vulnerable to deception. If someone has consistently chosen to ignore God’s Word, suppress the truth, or embrace false spirituality, God may allow them to experience the deception they’ve chosen. This isn’t arbitrary cruelty but the natural consequence of rejecting truth.
Second, God can use even deceptive experiences to ultimately accomplish his purposes. Consider how he used the lying spirit in 1 Kings 22:19-23 to accomplish his judgment on wicked King Ahab. While God never lies or deceives, he can permit deceptive spirits to operate within boundaries he sets, using even their evil intentions to accomplish his greater purposes.
Third, the existence of deceptive NDEs serves to test and refine the faith of believers. Just as false teachers in the early church forced Christians to clarify and defend true doctrine, deceptive NDEs challenge modern believers to know Scripture better, develop discernment, and stand firm on biblical truth rather than popular opinion.
Finally, God’s allowance of deceptive NDEs demonstrates the importance of spiritual discernment. If every NDE were automatically genuine and trustworthy, we wouldn’t need to “test the spirits” as Scripture commands. The presence of counterfeits forces us to develop spiritual maturity and deepen our knowledge of God’s Word.
Protecting Yourself and Others from Deception
Given the reality of deceptive NDEs, how can Christians protect themselves and others from being led astray? The Bible provides clear guidance for developing spiritual discernment and maintaining doctrinal purity.
First and most importantly, immerse yourself in Scripture. The better you know God’s Word, the easier it becomes to recognize counterfeits. When bank tellers are trained to identify counterfeit money, they don’t primarily study fake bills. Instead, they become so familiar with genuine currency that counterfeits become obvious by comparison. Similarly, when you’re deeply familiar with biblical truth, false teaching stands out immediately.
Make Bible study a daily priority. Don’t just read superficially but study deeply. Use good commentaries, concordances, and systematic theologies to understand not just what Scripture says but what it means. Pay special attention to core doctrines like the nature of God, the person and work of Christ, the way of salvation, and the reality of judgment.
Second, develop a biblical worldview. Many Christians have a saved soul but an unsaved mind. They’ve trusted Christ for salvation but still think about reality in largely secular or cultural terms. This makes them vulnerable to deception because they don’t have a comprehensive biblical framework for evaluating experiences and claims.
A biblical worldview understands that:
- We live in a spiritual battlefield where truth and deception are constantly at war
- Satan is real, active, and committed to destroying souls through lies
- Human nature is fallen and prone to deception
- Scripture is the supreme authority for faith and practice
- Subjective experiences must be evaluated against objective biblical truth
- The gospel of salvation through Christ alone is non-negotiable
Third, practice spiritual discernment. The Bible commands us to “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This isn’t skepticism or cynicism—it’s wisdom. When you hear an NDE account, don’t immediately accept or reject it. Instead, carefully evaluate it against Scripture. Ask questions like:
- Does this experience affirm or deny the exclusivity of salvation through Christ?
- Does it align with biblical descriptions of God, heaven, and spiritual reality?
- Does it add to or contradict biblical revelation?
- What fruit does it produce—greater love for Christ and his Word, or movement away from biblical truth?
Fourth, be aware of your own vulnerabilities. All of us have areas where we’re more susceptible to deception. Maybe you have a loved one who died without Christ, making you vulnerable to universalist messages. Maybe you’ve been hurt by the church, making you receptive to anti-religious teachings. Maybe you’re fascinated by supernatural experiences, making you prone to accept any spiritual encounter as genuine.
Knowing your vulnerabilities helps you guard against them. When you encounter an NDE account that appeals to your specific weakness, that’s when you need to be most careful. That’s when you most need to return to Scripture and seek wise counsel from mature believers.
Fifth, stay connected to a biblical church community. Spiritual lone rangers are easy targets for deception. We need the wisdom, accountability, and discernment of other believers. When you’re part of a healthy church that teaches sound doctrine, you have protection against error. Other believers can help you see blind spots, challenge questionable ideas, and support you in standing for truth.
Sixth, maintain a robust prayer life. Prayer isn’t just talking to God—it’s aligning your heart and mind with his truth. As you pray regularly, especially praying Scripture back to God, you develop spiritual sensitivity to truth and error. The Holy Spirit, whom Jesus called “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:13), will guide you into all truth if you’re listening.
Helping Others Who Have Been Deceived
What should you do if someone you know has had a deceptive NDE or has been influenced by false NDE accounts? This requires great wisdom, compassion, and patience.
First, approach them with love, not condemnation. Remember that they may have had a genuine, powerful experience that felt completely real to them. Attacking their experience or calling them liars will only make them defensive. Instead, express interest in their experience while gently raising biblical concerns.
You might say something like: “That sounds like an incredibly powerful experience. I can see why it’s had such an impact on you. I’m curious, though—how do you reconcile what you were told about [specific teaching] with what Jesus said in [specific Scripture]? I’d love to understand how you think about that.”
Second, focus on the message, not the experience itself. Don’t try to convince them they didn’t have an experience—they know what they experienced. Instead, help them consider alternative interpretations of what happened. Could a deceptive spirit have hijacked a genuine spiritual experience? Could their own expectations or desires have shaped what they heard?
Third, share relevant Scripture gently but clearly. Don’t overwhelm them with dozens of verses but share key passages that address their specific situation. For someone influenced by universalism, share Christ’s exclusive claims. For someone who received new revelations, share warnings about adding to Scripture. Let God’s Word do its work in their heart.
Fourth, pray for them persistently. Spiritual deception is ultimately a spiritual problem requiring a spiritual solution. Pray that God would open their eyes to truth, protect them from further deception, and draw them back to biblical faith. Remember that arguing someone out of deception is usually futile—they need divine intervention.
Fifth, be patient. People who have been deceived rarely recognize it immediately. It may take months or years for them to see the truth. Continue loving them, praying for them, and speaking truth when opportunities arise. Don’t give up on them, even if they seem resistant.
When NDEs Align with Scripture
It’s crucial to understand that not all NDEs are deceptive. Many near-death experiences align beautifully with biblical truth and serve to strengthen faith in Christ. We must be careful not to throw out the baby with the bathwater—rejecting all NDEs simply because some are deceptive.
Dr. Michael Sabom, in his research published in Light & Death, found many NDEs that affirmed biblical truth:
“The Atlanta Study revealed numerous accounts where experiencers encountered Jesus in ways consistent with Scripture, received messages that aligned with biblical teaching, and returned with strengthened Christian faith” (Sabom, Light & Death, p. 147).
These genuine experiences often share certain characteristics:
- They affirm Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
- They emphasize the reality of sin and the need for redemption
- They align with biblical descriptions of heaven and hell
- They produce fruit consistent with spiritual transformation—increased love for God and others, deeper commitment to Christ, greater appreciation for Scripture
- They maintain the exclusivity of salvation through Christ while demonstrating God’s love for all people
Consider the NDE of Dr. Mary Neal, an orthopedic surgeon who drowned in a kayaking accident. Her account, published in To Heaven and Back, consistently points to Christ, affirms biblical truth, and has led many people to faith. She writes:
“My experience did not give me all the answers or make me more special than anyone else. It did, however, affirm the truth of God’s promises in Scripture and deepen my commitment to Christ” (Neal, To Heaven and Back, Introduction).
This kind of humble, Christ-centered testimony stands in stark contrast to the grandiose claims and unbiblical teachings of deceptive NDEs. When an NDE points people to Christ and his Word rather than away from them, we can celebrate it as a potential gift from God.
The key is discernment, not blanket acceptance or rejection. Each NDE must be evaluated on its own merits, tested against Scripture, and judged by its fruit. This takes work, wisdom, and spiritual maturity, but it’s essential for navigating the complex spiritual landscape of our time.
The Ultimate Test: The Gospel
As we conclude this examination of deceptive NDEs, it’s important to return to the central issue: the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate test for any spiritual experience, teaching, or revelation. Does it affirm or deny the gospel?
The true gospel, as revealed in Scripture, teaches that:
- All humans are sinners who have rebelled against God and deserve judgment (Romans 3:23, 6:23)
- God loves us despite our sin and sent his Son to save us (John 3:16, Romans 5:8)
- Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and rose again to defeat death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
- Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone, not by our works or merit (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Those who trust in Christ receive eternal life; those who reject him face eternal judgment (John 3:36)
Any NDE that contradicts these gospel truths is deceptive, regardless of how spiritual, loving, or inspiring it might seem. The enemy’s ultimate goal is to prevent people from coming to saving faith in Christ, and he will use whatever means necessary—including beautiful, seemingly divine experiences—to accomplish this goal.
But here’s the good news: we don’t have to be deceived. God has given us his Word as an anchor for truth. He has given us his Spirit to guide us into all truth. He has given us the church to support and sharpen us. And he has given us the promise that if we seek truth, we will find it.
Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). This is our protection against deception—holding fast to Christ’s teaching, remaining in his Word, and letting his truth shape our understanding of all spiritual experiences.
Conclusion: Vigilance and Hope
The reality of deceptive NDEs should make us vigilant but not fearful. Yes, the enemy is active, seeking to deceive through counterfeit spiritual experiences. Yes, many people have been led astray by false visions of the afterlife. But we serve a God who is greater than any deception, whose truth is more powerful than any lie.
The apostle John reminds us, “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). We don’t have to approach NDEs—or any spiritual phenomenon—from a position of fear or weakness. We can evaluate them confidently, knowing that God’s truth will prevail.
At the same time, the existence of genuine NDEs that align with Scripture should give us hope. God is still revealing himself to people in powerful ways. He’s still using extraordinary means to draw people to himself. The key is learning to distinguish the authentic from the counterfeit, the divine from the demonic.
This discernment isn’t just important for evaluating NDEs—it’s essential for navigating the spiritual challenges of our age. We live in a time of unprecedented spiritual deception, where false teachings spread instantly through social media, where ancient heresies are repackaged as new revelations, where the line between truth and error is increasingly blurred. The skills we develop in evaluating NDEs will serve us well in every area of spiritual life.
Remember the warning Paul gave to Timothy: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). That time has come. People are gathering teachers—including NDErs—who tell them what they want to hear: that all paths lead to God, that sin isn’t serious, that judgment isn’t real, that Christ isn’t necessary.
But we know better. We have God’s Word. We have the testimony of the apostles who saw the risen Christ. We have two thousand years of church history confirming the truth of the gospel. We don’t need to be swayed by every spectacular spiritual claim or moved by every emotional testimony. We can stand firm on the foundation of biblical truth.
As we close this chapter, let me leave you with Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8). This is our calling—to remain free in Christ, undeceived by false spirituality, anchored in biblical truth.
The wolf may come in sheep’s clothing. The enemy may appear as an angel of light. Deceptive spirits may hijack near-death experiences to spread false gospels. But we need not be deceived. We have been warned. We have been equipped. And by God’s grace, we will stand firm in the truth that sets us free.
In the next chapter, we’ll explore the positive side of this issue—how to develop biblical discernment that allows us to appreciate genuine spiritual experiences while protecting ourselves from deception. We’ll learn practical tools for testing the spirits and discover how mature Christians throughout history have navigated similar challenges. The goal isn’t to become suspicious of all spiritual experiences but to become wise, discerning believers who can “test everything and hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
The battle for truth is real, but victory is assured for those who remain in Christ and his Word. May we be among those who not only recognize the wolf in sheep’s clothing but also help others see through the disguise to the danger lurking beneath. The stakes couldn’t be higher—eternal souls hang in the balance. But the resources at our disposal couldn’t be greater—the Word of God, the Spirit of truth, and the victory already won by our Lord Jesus Christ.
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