Boy goes to heaven...?
Not only has there been a book about it, there is a movie coming out.
Here is the trailer:
Not only has there been a book about it, there is a movie coming out.
Here is the trailer:
http://www.faithit.com/heaven-is-for-real-movie-colton-burpo/
Justin Peters (2 PhD's) about trips to heaven:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwjb0O555Xw
David Platt, Real Solid, under 5 mins.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEAko02HD5o&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop
(piper's thoughts: https://soundcloud.com/askpastorjohn/how-real-is-the-book-heaven-is)
Justin Peters (2 PhD's) about trips to heaven:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwjb0O555Xw
David Platt, Real Solid, under 5 mins.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEAko02HD5o&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop
(piper's thoughts: https://soundcloud.com/askpastorjohn/how-real-is-the-book-heaven-is)
2 Corinthians 12:1-4
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul's Visions and His Thorn
12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.
First we should remember the context here which is the reason as to why Paul "must go on" with his boasting. He is pointing out his apostleship and reacting to false teachers who have snuck into the Corinthian church. Also, scholars about all agree on the fact that this is Paul speaking about himself in the third person in order to speak of himself humbly.
So Paul was long ago before this boy taken to experience what John also experienced and what Stephen saw, which was the heavenly realm or of paradise to see things he was not to speak of.
And no, this is not the third level of heaven that mormons speak of... sadly they do not have any other texts to draw from for evidence but it is plainly not what this means. How do I know this? Context, and historical understanding of the word. Historically the understanding of "the heavens," I'm sure you've heard of the sky or above us being called heavens, was first level: sky or the earthly atmosphere, the second level: space and beyond, the night sky and stars, and thirdly was the great beyond meaning a heavenly abode.This helps explain: http://carm.org/what-does-it-mean-when-bible-refers-third-heaven
We must be very careful to not add or take from God's word with experience as the old heresy of Gnosticism does. Gnosticism in broad terms is the idea of ones experience trumping any other idea of truth. I experienced some dream and therefore this is more true to reality than anything else. Paul warned us to test and examine all spirits, not even to trust angels if they speak a contrary message, not even Paul himself if he came back with a new message.
Revelation 22:18-19
English Standard Version (ESV)
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Hebrews 9:27
English Standard Version (ESV)
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
Now we know that there were people who have died and have been raised from the dead through faith and prayer. Though not common, Jesus, the apostles and some of the prophets have raised people from the dead to living. But did these people experience heaven or hell? These deaths were not resurrections the way Jesus came from the dead. The point of the verse above is not that people haven't died and have been raised back to life, if they have been raised again then they were not determined to be permanently gone from this world. But we shouldn't forget that John, Stephen, and Paul experienced visions. None of them were dead. Not only were they not dead, but those who are dead have never said to have experienced heaven. What can we conclude from all of this? People do not go back and forth through heaven and this current world. It is appointed for a man to die once. Not meaning that they do not die bodily on this earth and return in rare instances, but rather to finish on this earth once. We also much know that people have actual visions sometimes. Sometimes from God, and sometimes from demonic influence, and sometimes just from ourselves. God provided for John to have a glimpse into what heaven would be like--but it still was not a full glimpse but something that God purposed for writing down. Even Paul who had a heavenly experience did not, though if anyone were trust-able to do so it would have been paul, he did not share nor feel God was allowing him to share. Paul did believe God to be calling him to allow us to know such things, if Paul, who was deeply closer to God than this young boy had such a calling--then why should we expect this to change? Why would God want us to know now? Yet God would see this boy more fit to give earthly revelation of heaven? No, God has told us the revelation that he intends through his word. Is it possible for God to share what heaven would be like as he did when he gave Stephen a vision before his death? Yes, and I believe God sometimes does this for people... But it does not make sense to say that Stephen also went there before his death.
I have not read the boy's description of heaven or the book, so it is possible that he, like Don Piper's 90 minutes in heaven, does not describe a Biblical idea of heaven in the first place. This is something that we also should be discerning upon. We should also consider that a little boy experiencing a vision that were so life like that it seemed real as Paul was confused to whether he was in the body or not in his experience with the lord, or others like Peter who needed to come to his sense after an angel lead him out of prison. The boy very well could have had a lifelike experience from God and could have misinterpreted it as a real life experience. While this could have been also an experience from Satan, and why wouldn't Satan want people to believe in a gnostic God of experience? Of course Satan would want people to believe that you can experience God and trust and love him based on your own defining and not that of scriptures. But it is also possible that the boy truly did experience a vision or dream. If he did, then this would be amazing. But they claim that he died, went to heaven, and came back.
There is only ONE who has died, went to heaven, and came back. That is the God-man Jesus Christ.
I hope God truly does use this story and movie for His glory. That it inspires people to believe in Jesus and the possibility of the reality of heaven. But I hope it is not an unbelieving idea of what heaven would look like. Many who hear this story are not drawn to Jesus but to the idea of their own personal heaven. I am not excited about the gospel of heaven, I am excited about the gospel of Jesus.
You will not enjoy heaven if Jesus is not there. How would you enjoy heaven for ETERNITY without the one you love? Where was the devil when he fell? Heaven is not some safe haven, JESUS IS.A quote from John Piper’s book God is the Gospel asks:
Now we know that there were people who have died and have been raised from the dead through faith and prayer. Though not common, Jesus, the apostles and some of the prophets have raised people from the dead to living. But did these people experience heaven or hell? These deaths were not resurrections the way Jesus came from the dead. The point of the verse above is not that people haven't died and have been raised back to life, if they have been raised again then they were not determined to be permanently gone from this world. But we shouldn't forget that John, Stephen, and Paul experienced visions. None of them were dead. Not only were they not dead, but those who are dead have never said to have experienced heaven. What can we conclude from all of this? People do not go back and forth through heaven and this current world. It is appointed for a man to die once. Not meaning that they do not die bodily on this earth and return in rare instances, but rather to finish on this earth once. We also much know that people have actual visions sometimes. Sometimes from God, and sometimes from demonic influence, and sometimes just from ourselves. God provided for John to have a glimpse into what heaven would be like--but it still was not a full glimpse but something that God purposed for writing down. Even Paul who had a heavenly experience did not, though if anyone were trust-able to do so it would have been paul, he did not share nor feel God was allowing him to share. Paul did believe God to be calling him to allow us to know such things, if Paul, who was deeply closer to God than this young boy had such a calling--then why should we expect this to change? Why would God want us to know now? Yet God would see this boy more fit to give earthly revelation of heaven? No, God has told us the revelation that he intends through his word. Is it possible for God to share what heaven would be like as he did when he gave Stephen a vision before his death? Yes, and I believe God sometimes does this for people... But it does not make sense to say that Stephen also went there before his death.
I have not read the boy's description of heaven or the book, so it is possible that he, like Don Piper's 90 minutes in heaven, does not describe a Biblical idea of heaven in the first place. This is something that we also should be discerning upon. We should also consider that a little boy experiencing a vision that were so life like that it seemed real as Paul was confused to whether he was in the body or not in his experience with the lord, or others like Peter who needed to come to his sense after an angel lead him out of prison. The boy very well could have had a lifelike experience from God and could have misinterpreted it as a real life experience. While this could have been also an experience from Satan, and why wouldn't Satan want people to believe in a gnostic God of experience? Of course Satan would want people to believe that you can experience God and trust and love him based on your own defining and not that of scriptures. But it is also possible that the boy truly did experience a vision or dream. If he did, then this would be amazing. But they claim that he died, went to heaven, and came back.
There is only ONE who has died, went to heaven, and came back. That is the God-man Jesus Christ.
I hope God truly does use this story and movie for His glory. That it inspires people to believe in Jesus and the possibility of the reality of heaven. But I hope it is not an unbelieving idea of what heaven would look like. Many who hear this story are not drawn to Jesus but to the idea of their own personal heaven. I am not excited about the gospel of heaven, I am excited about the gospel of Jesus.
You will not enjoy heaven if Jesus is not there. How would you enjoy heaven for ETERNITY without the one you love? Where was the devil when he fell? Heaven is not some safe haven, JESUS IS.A quote from John Piper’s book God is the Gospel asks:
The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever say, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?Now does God care about you being able to enjoy people? Yes, why would he create or allow relationship? Does God get glorified also in food? Yes, but food should never come before God, right? God is the gospel! Jesus is the focus. Our marriages are images for the relationship between Jesus and man as Ephesians points out. It is a symbolic performance (though nothing fake about it) raw with meaning.
Understand, if there is anything you love about your spouse, it is because Jesus made it, if there is anything you love about food, Jesus made that, if there is anything you love about anything at all, HE MADE IT. Your affection should land upon Him and your hopes on Him for eternity. Nonetheless this does not take away from the ordained gifts that God gives to us today that are created to have joy in and glory Jesus ultimately through. But if they distract us from really giving glory to Jesus then what is their use?
Joy is meaningless without Christ.
The idea of marriage, having a dog, eating ice cream all have their beauty and purpose and significance hidden in the bosom of Jesus. He planned to gift you these things that you have, how much more in his deep understanding of you make Him worthy of love? He purposely gave you those things. But ultimately heaven is not where our eyes are to be set, but it is to be bodily with Jesus for eternity. He lives in you now, how glorious is that?
