Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Temptation and Fall,”
pp. 52–62 and “The Plan of Redemption,” pp. 63–70, in Patriarchs and
Prophets; “The Knowledge of Good and Evil,” pp. 23–27, in Education.
In recent years, studies have been done on what are called near-death
experiences (NDEs). What happens is that people “die,” in that their
hearts stop beating, and they stop breathing. However, they then come
back to life—but with fantastic stories of floating into another realm of
existence and meeting a being of light. Some even talk about meeting
long-dead relatives. Many people, even Christians who don’t understand
the truth about death, believe that these stories are more proof of the
immortality of the soul. However (and this should be the clearest warn-
ing that something is amiss), most who have these experiences claim
that the spiritual beings whom they had met during the NDEs gave them
comforting words, nice statements about love, peace, and goodness.
But they hear nothing about salvation in Christ, nothing about sin, and
nothing about judgment. While getting a taste of the Christian afterlife,
shouldn’t they have gotten at least a smidgen of the most basic Christian
teachings along with it? Yet, what they’re taught sounds mostly like New
Age dogma, which could explain why, in many cases, they come away
less inclined toward Christianity than they were before having “died.”
Also, why did none of the Christians, convinced that their NDEs were a
preview of the Christian heaven, ever get any Christian theology while
there, as opposed to a big dose of New Age sentimentalism? The answer
is that they were being deceived by the same person who deceived Eve
in Eden, and with the same lie too. (See lesson 11.)
Discussion Questions:
Ê How does the experience of Adam and Eve demonstrate that
God’s forgiveness does not necessarily reverse all consequences of
sin? Why is this such an important truth to remember always?
Ë The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was the “enchanted
ground” of the enemy for Adam and Eve. What are some
“enchanted grounds” that we might find ourselves tempted to
enter?
Ì Satan is trying to lead God’s people to believe that “the
requirements of Christ are less strict than they once believed, and
that by conformity to the world they would exert a greater influ-
ence with worldlings.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers
and Gospel Workers, p. 474. What should we do in order not to fall
into this subtle trap?
