First, let me explain what I am NOT saying. I am not saying that Colton Burpo or the Burpo family are liars, false teachers, etc. I am NOT questioning their motives in publishing the book or making the movie. These are not my intentions for this post.
Now let me explain why I am concerned with this book. My biggest concerns are 1) the book has the potential to replace the Bible as the only source and authority in a Christian's life and 2) the book is viewed as a new inspirational revelation from God that adds to what the Bible has already revealed. As the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 succinctly states, the Bible alone is "the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried." (See also John 17:17 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17.)
Consider a few comments readers have posted about the book. These comments were posted on-line at a popular Christian book seller website:
- I wanted heaven to become a reality for them and what better way only God knew, would be through the eyes of a child.
- This young childs experiences and glimpses of Heaven will bring comfort and wonder to your hearts. Through the innocense of a child God has given a glimpse of the hearafter.
These comments are disturbing in that the book Heaven Is For Real becomes a source of truth about heaven! Notice that one reader wants 'heaven to become a reality' through reading the book. The second reader opines that 'God has given a glimpse of the hearafter (sic)' in Heaven Is For Real.
If we are to take Colton Burpo's account of heaven as real, and if we are to believe that all Colton reveals about heaven that has not been recorded for us in the Bible, then that leads us to the conclusion that Heaven Is For Real is an additional revelation from God that is on par with the Bible. That is a very dangerous - if not heretical - position to take. All that God has revealed to us about heaven has already been recorded in His inspired word, the Bible. Please read again 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Think about what these verses tell us about God's word.
The Bible does give us an account of a person going to heaven and back. The apostle Paul tells about it in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. Paul tells us the following. "It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." Biblical scholars are in agreement that Paul was writing about himself - that he had gone to heaven and saw visions and revelations from the Lord. He was allowed to see things that are awaiting Christians in heaven, but he was not allowed to write about them.
If you would like to see a couple of other opinions about this book, please look at the following:
I hope this brief post has given you some insight about my concerns with Heaven Is For Real. I welcome your feedback and thoughts!
UPDATE: On March 24, 2015 LifeWay Christian Stores stopped selling "experiential testimonies about heaven" after considering the resolution of the Southern Baptist Convention mentioned in the link above. The resolution affirmed "the sufficiency of Scripture regarding the afterlife." As a Southern Baptist I'm very thankful that LifeWay took this action in response to the resolution.
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