We have only NDE accounts of those persons who choose not to cross over into Heaven. Of those reporting their NDE, some are offered the choice to enter Heaven or return to earth. Most perhaps, are encouraged or required to return to four of them in Col 1:16-17. All in Heaven are members of Christ, who is now the entire body of Christ. Christ is the Trinitarian Son of God, (Jesus is the human nature or incarnation of Trinitarian Christ). Christ desires union with all of his creation, so that “God will all in all”, (1Cor 15:28).
All the orders of Heaven, including angels, are now members of Christ, who is the entire body of Christ. Angels now “participate in the divine nature”, (2Pet 1:4). This is the intended destiny of humans, angels and all creation, (2Pet 1:4, 1Cor 15:28).
Judgment of the angels was the cause of their separation into Heaven and Hell. This judgment was their originally planned communion. Those angels who made communion with Christ, the Son of God did directly, since human Jesus did not then exist; they now “participate in the divine nature of God”, (2Pet 1:4). The inclusion of the angels into Christ sets back the date of Christianity thousands of years before Jesus. Christianity at its core is a person’s (human or angelic) inclusion into Christ.
In thinking of Christ as Heaven, recall that all elements of creation existed within Christ prior to their creation. Humans, angels, heaven, earth, physics, logic, virtues, emotions existed internal to Christ, prior to their creation outside of Christ. The person of Christ is our resurrection (Jn 11:25), and our Heaven; our beginning and our end, (Rev 22:13).
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their earthly bodies and lives, all are told that they may not reverse their decision.
Ninety-five percent of people dying do not return to life, and they are placed somewhere in the afterlife. Of these people, it is known from NDE accounts that some are given the choice of entering into the afterlife, or returning to earth.
Jesus most often speaks for Heaven in the matter of staying or returning. Those given the option are told that if they cross over into Heaven, they may not return to their earthly life.
The boundary of Heaven may be a line, or a gate, or not observed. Sometimes the silver cord of Ecclesiastes 12:6 is observed unbroken.P
Few who sample the gates of Heaven want to return to their earthly lives. Many must be prodded or reminded. The most cited reason for returning is family well being or an unspecified task that requires completion. At times Jesus or a Heavenly elder will remind the visitor that he or she agreed to a contract or covenant (life mission), that must be fulfilled in their earthly life.
The real task that must be done is not so much material care for family (Jesus has no lack of resources, and can make these arrangements), but spiritual growth that occurs when caring and dealing with one’s family and the world. Spiritual growth is the reason anyone is incarnated.
It is quite unknown how many people are offered, and accept an early entrance to Heaven during an NDE. Most people P It is not a matter of Heaven being an actual place, or a state of being, it is both. The same could be said of Hell. The actual and the symbolic are both true aspects. Brad N (www.nderf.org, exceptional NDE’s 4040), observed evil spirits near earth during his NDE, but was told that they were bound to (fallen) earth, and may not venture to higher realms. Heaven is not in the sky…but it is, in that it is far from our imperfect earthly existence.
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dying likely do so according to God’s schedule and their death is not early. NDE patients who do visit the gates of Heaven are told that it is not yet their time. They are presumably at the gates because of some sort of cosmic mistake. Jesus said just this to Betty Eadie, “You have died prematurely, it is not your time.”25
Anything this side of Heaven is subject to sabotage by the disorder caused by sin. Death was never intended, but even the disorder of death is subject to failure in timing and cause.
Jill D. was wandering about outside of Heaven during her NDE and was told to see the man at the desk.26 Yes, a desk.
The clerk at the gates of Heaven (named Peter no doubt!), looked at her suspiciously and said, “What are you doing here?”
He checked, then sent her back to earth.Q
NDE’s are not all mistaken early deaths. One of the most interesting and detailed NDE’s is that of Howard Storm.
Howard seems to have been selected for an early unscheduled death, so that he might experience Hell, Heaven, and Jesus, and tell others about his experience. Howard got the grand tour including a sort of question and answer period.27
Why not a sinner prophet? By his own admission, Howard was pursuing nothing more than his self vanity and satisfaction, with little regard for others. His first visit was to Hell, where he was attacked by its occupants. An interior voice told him to pray to God, and Howard stumbled through all the religious words he could remember.R It was enough to remove him from Hell, and into the presence of Jesus and his angels.
Q The desk clerk at Heaven knew that Jil was supposed to be on mission, on earth, and not yet due back in Heaven. Our lives, our purpose and our circumstances are determined by Christ, for the purpose of spiritual advancement, which advances ourselves and all of Heaven upon our reunion with the body of Christ.
R Howard’s is not the only recorded NDE in which a prayer, plea or admission 26
Of those given a choice to stay or return, many return based on a vision of their family future without them. Michael J.
was given such a prophetic vision of the world without him.28 In the absence of his stabilizing presence, his sister damaged her life with drugs, his parents divorced over his death, and his father killed himself. He also saw a parade of people who he was intended to influence, but did not, if he were to choose to stay in Heaven, rather than return to earth.
This idea that we have intended life tasks and life interactions is both a Catholic and an NDE teaching, and it really comes under scrutiny from several angles during an NDE visit to Heaven.