Thoughts on the movie–Heaven is for real

I want to start this post by saying that I have not seen this movie.  I have read some articles about the content of the movie and seen some commercials and so my post is based on that information.

This is the story of Colton Burpo, whose parents believe he visited heaven when he was four years old.  His appendix burst and it was believed that he died during surgery and was then brought back to life.  His descriptions of heaven are what you would expect from a child’s imagination.  There is nothing particularly spectacular about his trip to heaven. 

I think stories like this give people a wrong perspective of heaven.  People are interested in afterlife experiences because no one really wants to think that this life is all there really is.  However,  a wrong perspective does a lot of damage.  It leaves people confused, full of false hope, and teaches bad doctrine. 

Books and movies like this leave out the idea of the glory of God.  They talk about feeling at peace, feeling happy, having fun, and being enlightened.  They really glorify themselves and their experience but they leave out God’s glory and that is what is truly important about heaven.  It is true that there will not be any sin or sorrow in heaven.  It is true that it will be a place full of peace and grace.  It is also true that heaven is beyond what the mortal mind can actually conceive and understand.  What will capture our attention will be the majesty of the King of kings.  When we stand before Him, we will realize how unworthy we are. 

John 3:13 says “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.”   And John 1:18 says “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

I believe the Bible to be completely accurate and true and so I have no choice when it comes to whether I believe accounts like these of people visiting heaven.  They simply cannot possibly be true.

Four Biblical authors had visions of heaven - Isaiah, Ezekiel, Paul, and John.  Three of these men wrote about what they saw and the details they gave were sparse.  Why – because it was indescribable in human terms.  They all spoke of God’s glory and of their own shame in the presence of such glory.  (Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1 and 10, and Revelation 4-6) 

It is appropriate for Christians to fix their hearts on heaven.  Colossians 3:1-2 tells us to set our minds on things above and not on earthly things.  Philippians 3:20 tells us that our citizenship is in heaven.  And so such a perspective is a part of our faith.  However, we are not to obsess over what heaven is like.  People who fill their minds with stories about near death experiences have not truly set their minds on things above.  The Bible is the truth that God has given us to pattern our lives after.  He has revealed to us all that we need to know in His book.  That is what should grip our hearts and minds.  It is dangerous to listen to anyone who claims to know more about God and heaven that what God has revealed to us in His word.