Heaven Is for Real

Heaven Is for Real (spoilers alert)

I finally went to see the movie Heaven Is for Real. It was quite a disappointment, but I’ll get to that. I like to be positive if I can, so I’ll start with the positives.

The acting in this movie is quite good. Todd Burpo (played by Greg Kinnear) is a fine actor. I was not familiar with many of the other cast members, but they did a good job. There is some good Christian music, and I especially enjoyed Amazing Grace. That has always been one of my favorites. The script was well written too. And the scenery was very good. You may take that for granted, but the movie takes place in Nebraska. I’ve been there. Nebraska is flat and covered with crop fields all over. Not much to see. But somehow the director got in some good and very beautiful scenery.

The foundation for the movie doesn’t really begin until 25 minutes into the movie. That is a long time to build up to the story. What takes place in that first 25 minutes is that we meet the Burpo family. They are a normal, hard-working American family who is just trying to get by. Todd (the father) is a pastor, but he has two other jobs. He also works with the fire department, and he repairs garage doors. The family is having a hard time financially. It is hard to see how the bills will be paid.

Suddenly, Colton (the four-year-old boy who becomes the focus of the story) is seen throwing up. They take him to the hospital and they find out that he has appendicitis. They must operate immediately. So they do. At no time is the boy in any serious distress. He does not die on the operating table. He does not have a Near Death Experience (NDE). That fact is established at least 3 times during the movie. But something did happen.

In the days that follow the operation, Colton starts talking about what he saw during his operation. He says he went to Heaven. He says he saw Jesus and sat on his lap. More on that later. He also says he met his dad’s grandfather and said that he is young. “Everyone is young in Heaven,” Colton reports. He also says he met a little girl who turned out to be his sister, a sister that his parents lost before she was born. She has no name because his parents never named her. What? So God didn’t give her a name? I find that incredulous.

So Todd is in quite a crisis. He talks about it somewhat at church, and the leaders are concerned that their church may be turning into a sideshow. They don’t want that. They are even thinking of replacing Todd as the pastor. But Todd doesn’t back down. He believes his son.

There are a couple things I find interesting about this story. I haven’t read the book and don’t intend to, but there is no mention of the Bible at all. Sure, they show the Bible on the pulpit when Todd is preaching, but there’s no talk of what happened to Colton in light of what Scripture says. The church they go to is a Wesleyan Church. I’m not a Wesleyan (I’m a Presbyterian), but as far as I know, Wesleyans still believe the Bible. Except, apparently, in this movie. There is only one verse mentioned. I honestly can’t remember what it is right now, but when I remember, I’ll let you know. I do know that the verse had nothing to do with Heaven. Later on in the movie, Todd mentions part of the Lord’s Prayer. But it’s clear that Scripture takes a back seat to what Colton saw.

Another interesting fact is that it is clear that Colton did not die or have an NDE, as I mentioned before. Yet at one point Todd is Googling “Near Death Experiences.” He wants to find out more, and he even goes to a psychologist for help. It is a short visit. The psychologist is not a believer in any religion, so it appears she’s little help.

Colton also did not have a vision of Heaven. That is quite clear in the film. He says in no uncertain terms that he actually went to Heaven. He saw Jesus and the angels. The Bible does mention that some will see visions in the last days (Acts 2:17). If the story were about this boy seeing a vision, I would take issue with the fact that he is not a “young man” as Acts says. But I would admit that it could happen. But the story isn’t based on a vision. It is assumed that Colton’s visit to Heaven was real. That’s why I take serious issue with it.

I don’t know what Colton saw. And neither does anyone else. Furthermore, Colton doesn’t know what he saw. Yes, he’s convinced that he went to Heaven. But this clearly is not true. The Bible makes it clear that “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man” (John 3:13, NASB). Proverbs 30:4 says, “Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know!” (NASB).

Also, the Bible says clearly that “No one has ever seen God” (John 1:18, NLT; cf. 1 John 4:12; Exod. 33:20). John wrote these verses after A.D. 90, probably when no one but he had seen Jesus (all the others who had probably had already died). It’s clear that he is excepting himself. He did see Jesus. Jesus is God, and John clearly spent a lot of time with Jesus.

I will also add that I do not automatically assume that what the boy saw was from the Devil. It may have been. The fact that he talked about his great-grandfather and lost sister could easily be a demonic deception. Do you think Satan didn’t know these people? Satan also has access to Heaven (Job 2:1). It is possible that he knows certain individuals who are in Heaven. Again, I’m not saying Colton’s experience was definitely demonic. But it certainly could have been.

In 2 Cor. 12:1-4, Paul talks about a man (ostensibly himself) who had a vision of Heaven. Paul says that this man “was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak” (NASB). So apparently Colton is the exception. He speaks voluminously on the subject of Heaven. John went to Heaven too, but that was clearly a vision. Rev. 4:2 says, “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne” (NASB). John wasn’t actually there. He was there in the Spirit (or a spirit). Finally, 1 Timothy 6:16 says that Christ “alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (NASB). Scripture is clear.

You are free to disagree with me, and many have. I’ve actually been surprised at how many Christians say that this boy could have gone to Heaven. Again, no he couldn’t have. Look at the biblical evidence. This isn’t me saying he couldn’t and didn’t go; it’s God saying he couldn’t and didn’t go. So if you disagree, I would like to hear your biblical arguments for why you believe that.

Yes, Heaven is for real. I know that because I have faith in God and his Word, not because somebody tells me s/he’s been there.

“God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (1 Pet. 1:4, NLT).