Is Heaven Is For Real for Real?

Near-Death Experience Stories and the Appeal of Heaven Is for Real

Heaven is for Real is the story of a little boy who had a near-death experience and went to heaven. When he came back, he was able to speak of things that he shouldn't have known about lost loved ones and what Jesus looked like.

The book has been a best-seller and an inspiration to many. But what does the Bible have to say about a book like this? There's an answer to that question when we understand the text. Books about near-death or afterlife experiences have been best-selling gold.

One of them is 90 Minutes in Heaven, a story about how author Don Piper, not to be confused with John Piper, was in a car crash and got to spend an hour and a half in heaven. His wife even wrote a follow-up.

Then there are books like 23 Minutes in Hell, which is about the author's experience in New England traffic. I'm sorry, his experience in hell. These books have made millions, and as a result, the authors have enjoyed careers as traveling preachers.

Todd Burpo's book, Heaven is for Real, about his then-three-year-old son's near-death experience, not only became a best-seller but has been made into a movie. The film features a Hollywood cast, including Greg Kinnear as Burpo, Kelly Riley as his wife, and Lowell Mather as the Sandman.

According to the book, Burpo's son Colton had to have an emergency appendectomy and was rushed into surgery. While on the table, supposedly he almost died and got to see heaven. In the days after the surgery, he was able to recall amazing details he wouldn't have previously known.

Like, he had a sister who died and went to heaven. And he knew what his grandfather looked like as a young man.

You saw my grandfather? Where did you see him?

In heaven.

Is this him? Is this the man you saw?

No. In heaven, everybody's young.

He also saw Jesus riding on a rainbow horse. Oh, and apparently Mary hangs out around the throne of heaven. The film also depicts a scene in which Colton assures a mother that he saw her dead son in heaven and that he's doing alright.

Do you think my son went to heaven?

You don't have to worry. He told me everything was alright.

Which makes Colton more of a medium than a prophet. Much has been said about the details from the book compared to what the Bible says about heaven, but when it comes to these kinds of stories, Scripture is actually pretty bold as to how we should consider them.

The Rich Man and Lazarus as a Warning Against Afterlife Claims

In short, they're worthless. In Luke 16, Jesus tells the story of an unnamed rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich man enjoyed abundance while Lazarus suffered and eventually died, carried by angels to Abraham's side.

The rich man also died, but he went to a place of torment. From there, he could see Lazarus with Abraham and beg for relief. He also asked that he be able to go back and warn his brothers so they would not end up in this awful place.

Abraham said,. The rich man said,. And Abraham replied again,. According to Jesus, these accounts of death have no credibility. Understand something here. Christians are not the only ones telling these kinds of stories.

People all over the world have near-death visions that aren't always about angels and Jesus, but reflect the prevailing beliefs of their culture or religion. Muslims see the Muslim afterlife. Hindus see the Hindu afterlife.

Mormons see Joseph Smith. Some tell stories of being reincarnated. Others say they saw nothing at all. When it comes to life after death, there's only one authority on the subject. God's Word. And just as Abraham told the rich man, if people won't believe those words, they won't believe someone who comes back from the dead.

Oh, would you look at that! What's more, these near-death stories all seem to talk about going to a physical place, so they can't possibly be talking about heaven. The apostle Paul called the Corinthians foolish for thinking about heaven in such a way, pointing out that it is a different kind of existence.

What is sown is perishable. What is raised is imperishable. By the way, Paul had a near-death experience mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12. When he came back, he wouldn't talk about what he saw. In fact, he said he wasn't sure whether or not he had an experience in the body or out of it.

So instead of rambling about himself, he went on to boast about the Word of the Lord, the most credible resource we have. Don't trust these stories of near-death experiences and visions of heaven. The Bible calls them incredible foolishness.

Christ Alone as the Only Reliable Word About Eternal Life

The only word we need is the one that has been from the beginning, Jesus Christ. All the truth we can know about eternal life is there, when we understand the text.