Disclaimer:
The following is a review/warning of the so called Christian book and coming soon movie called ...Heaven Is For Real. We are in no way supporting Christians reading such books or going to partake in movies at all. We are only writing this because so many are being influenced by reading it and going to see this movie and so it must be discerned correctly using God's Word to warn others. We did not read the entire book or see the film but by researching just parts of it; we can see if it has many unbiblical aspects.
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Update:
The boy has recanted his entire story as a fake!!!!
(do no put any trust in such things as we have said all along)
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This story is about a 4 year old boy who is said to have almost died in surgery, gone to heaven then comes back. (Today he is 14 years old.) The book has been out for about 4 years and a movie is to be released in mid April 2014 to the nation.
This type of story has become very common/popular in our very over hyped and emotional culture with many stating they have gone to heaven or hell; then come back. We will not just cast our beliefs on this story as to whether this is true or not but we will give you the facts as compared to the Holy Word of God. While these types of things may be "feel good" messages, we are told to test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21) so we shall do that here. Is this really a true story and should believers be reading and going to see this production if it is not true? All questions that need answering by you.
The boys name is Coulton Burpo and his dad Todd Burpo is a modern pastor in Nebraska at a Wesleyan body. Todd was the author of the book that has sold millions of copies and the story has been embraced by many in this nation. We have read many quotes, heard various interviews as well as the personal testimony from Coulton himself so let's look at the facts here and compare it to the bible.
The first warning sign about this story is this:
While the book and movie is said to state Jesus is the only way to heaven the clear gospel message is not made well known here as a foundation to the story. (Man's sin and need for repentance to be saved / see Romans 3:23 and Luke 13:3) Jesus warned of a narrow road to eternal life (Matthew 7) while these folks seem to lack that same biblical message.
That by itself is very troubling as God would send anyone that is His, to bring His biblical message and not a compromised one. In all the account descriptions we heard them talk about, all they said was "Jesus loved people" and you will love heaven but there was NO biblical gospel given at all by these people. So would God leave out the ONLY way to get to heaven and the clear gospel message? We say, no!
CLICK HERE to learn the biblical gospel.
Moving on... Coulton said the following about his time in heaven:
*He saw God's face (the bible says no one has seen God's face. (Exodus 33:20 says you can't see Gods face and live)
*Everyone had a sword to keep the devil out of heaven (God doesn't need physical swords to fight evil)
*Everyone had wings both angels and people (that is not found in the bible at all but is folklore)
*Everyone had halo's (not found in the bible and is folklore)
*He was shown pictures of a painted Jesus that some girl did that also claimed she went to heaven and Coulton said yes that is Him. (The bible says no one is to make an image of God.)
The other details we hear about his time in heaven is this:
*He sat on Jesus lap
*Jesus had beautiful eyes and was about 6 feet tall
*Everyone there was 20-30 years old
*He had a school like class, Jesus was the teacher and he had homework to do
*We also learned that he met his great grand father Pops and his sister who died in the womb
The dad, Todd, claims this is proof that this is real as his son never knew either of them. But using discernment we know that satan has the ability to deceive so we cannot say this is if God, just because some unknown knowledge was available to him. We would say this could be a fake story or that fortune tellers who dabble in evil know things and they are not of God are they? We know satan is a master counterfeiter so it is no surprise he would use such a tactic.
Note: The Apostle Paul was shown a glimpse of heaven but he was forbid to even discuss it. God has revealed to us what he wants us to know In His Word. To try and find out more through other unreliable sources selfishly, is sin. God's Word only, we say....
These are just some of the main details of the story and as you can see they don't really add up to God's Word. In fact it has some suspect issues for sure and so based on the info the boy gives us it seems suspect that this is not of God.
We thought it would also would be wise to look at the dad and his religious body and his theology/discernment to see if he is in line with the Holy Word or off the mark as well. Here is what we found:
Todd is a modern pastor there and Titus 1 commands that he be holy and in sound doctrine:
http://www.crossroadswesleyan.org/about/our-staff/
*Sadly not only do they suffer from the many normal denominational unbiblical issues so common in American bodies today they have an unbiblical lady worship pastor and a youth pastor that both have word of faith backgrounds. (Very dangerous unbiblical theology there / see Oral Roberts involved.) Here is the church/body they came out of with an unbiblical lady pastor https://www.victory.com/about/pastors
*Next we would tell you that this man Todd has written various books that they are "selling" right on their their bod's website. One can only assume to make lots of money not to mention a movie as well. Are godly men really to corrupt and sell the gospel good news of God for profit? God's Word says no! / See 2 Corinthians 2:17
*The Producer of this movie is word of faith false teacher TD Jakes and that alone is very troubling. (Can't Todd discern and separate from a false teacher in line with Romans 16:17)
*They have also been on many suspect / unbiblical TV show's to sell this product (with no gospel we could hear) including Catholic TV, Word of faither Marylyn Hickey, heretical TBN and the very unbiblical 700 club. Again we ask; has Todd tossed out good bible discernment/truth for promotion of his wares? This is very troubling to us as God's Word and truth matters. The world is seemingly loving this message and these messengers when Jesus said the world will hate His own. (See Matthew10.)
In the end; we would agree that heaven is for real but we don't need this movie or story to believe that at all. Ask you do we really need a story like this to get us excited about or to believe things about heaven? Why would God use a 4 year old when His saints and prophets have already given us His Holy Word to believe in? Why can't people just read the Holy bible if they desire to know about God's Kingdom and truth that He has already revealed to us? We believe it is dangerous to not only say a small boy has been to heaven and seen God but it is also dangerous for a culture to be supporting and promoting this entertainment in print and screen (for profit) when it leaves the truth/ lacks a correct gospel and only deceives people in the end.
We do not go to movies ourselves and we avoid suspect books of men as this as not consistent with a true believers life. So we will avoid this offering all together as well. We already have the revealed Word of God so what more do we need really? There are far too many very troubling aspects to this story and its players to give in credibility. We have discerned it using the Word and then we must report back to you that it is to be avoided lest we be swept away by error/mans vain traditions ( Mark 7) or philosophies of man (Colossians 2:8)
There is no solid biblical gospel echoed in the book or movie so it is void of God's most important message to mankind. (The cross of Christ to save men from the wrath of God to come due to their sins and the need to repent/be born again.)
This may indeed be a very nice story with a happy ending but unless it is biblically true and is fully in line with God's Holy Word; it can only be stated as a falsehood/lie. That is just NOT consistent with His Holy character and nature nor that of His holy set apart people who claim Him as Lord and Savior.
We ask you if you love God to please reject such things and just stick to reading the Lord's Word and obeying it (Hebrews 5:9) It never tells you to seek man's entertainment at all does it? Don't be swept up in the ways of this world. (Romans 12:2) If you need some time away to relax, get out in His amazing creation alone or with your family and give Him the glory for it all!!! These movies and books are just the things of man not a Holy God so don't trust in them at all.
Trust in Him alone ....
www.dontperish.com