Is Heaven is for Real for Real?

Really?

Do some people really visit heaven and come back? The short answer is I don't know/it depends. In some cases, I would say probably not, with others I might say maybe or even more than likely.

But lately some Christians have been sharing John MacArthur and David Platt's comments on the phenomena. And while I have a great deal of respect for both of these Christian leaders, I have to say I disagree with their analysis. (I should start off by saying that I did read the book, but I have not seen the movie.)

Platt says that in Scripture they're often visions, not actual trips. But Colton's book actually describes a vision because his dad admits that Colton didn't actually die.

MacArthur says, "Readers not only get a twisted, unbiblical picture of heaven; they also imbibe a subjective, superstitious, shallow brand of spirituality."
This may be true of some accounts but not Heaven is for Real. I read the book and I found nothing that was unbiblical. Everything Colton claimed to see is consistent with Scripture.

"They say comparatively little about God or His glory. "
This kind of thing makes me think MacArthur and Platt didn't even read the book. It actually does say a lot about God and His glory. Platt says that Colton says he got a halo and wings but didn't like them because they were too small. I've read the book and I don't remember ever reading anything like that. If someone can quote this part from the book, I'll gladly stand corrected. Otherwise, it seems Plat is either making things up or going off pure hearsay.

The rest of what he says is an argument from ignorance fallacy. The Bible doesn't record lots of things, that doesn't mean they don't happen. Paul didn't write his letter to talk about what he saw in heaven, but that doesn't mean he never shared some of what he was allowed to speak of in conversation. I've personally known several people who've had these experiences (two of heaven, one of hell). They showed no desire to share them publicly and were very hesitant to share even in a small intimate group. That makes it hard to say that they were just making it up as they'd have no reason to do so.

It's true that we can never know for sure if someone's account of heaven is real. We don't depend on that to know, we depend on the revelation of Scripture and the person of Jesus. But we cannot automatically discount someone else's experience either. So then what is the purpose of these trips if not to prove heaven? I'll direct you to this excellent article on Christianity Today.

We can't just put a blanket statement on something like this and say it can't ever happen. Like all things we should examine each scenario to see if it lines up with Scripture. I've read Burpo's book and it was consistent with Scripture. I've noticed a trend in Christians who bash these books: they can never point out exactly where it contradicts Scripture. If anyone can point out a contradiction, then please do because obviously Scripture wins out over a four-year old in the end. But until then, there's no reason to bash this book out of a desire to appear pious in the eyes of men.