Posted on 04/29/2014 5:50:01 AM PDT by Graybeard58
JACKSON, Tenn. (BP) -- While Hollywood has delivered another heavenly movie for American consumption, the Scriptures proclaimed long ago that heaven is in fact for real, God is there, and He is holy.
Opening Easter weekend with $21.5 million in ticket sales, the popularity associated with "Heaven Is for Real" is encouraging. At the same time, the movie should have Christians scratching their heads.
Based on the No. 1 New York Times Bestseller of the same title, the movie recounts the struggle that small-town pastor and father Todd Burpo (Greg Kinnear) faces as he struggles to embrace his 4-year-old son's claim that he went to heaven in a near-death experience during an emergency appendectomy surgery.
Burpo's wrestling with such an extraordinary claim is often manifested in his sometimes-tense relationship with his wife Sonja (Kelly Reilly), his shaky friendship with those who serve with him at the local volunteer fire department, and in his unconvincing leadership of the church he pastors. The movie predictably plods along the storyline of the Burpos slowly finding out more and more about what their son Colton (Conner Corum) tells of hearing singing angels, sitting on Jesus' lap, seeing Jesus' rainbow-colored horse, hugging his sister (who had died in utero) and talking to "Pop," Todd's maternal great-grandfather who had died years ago.
After grappling with the veracity of his son's claim by having a heart-to heart talk with a close friend and conducting a Google search of "near-death experience," as well as by visiting a university psychologist, Burpo seems to make a blind jump of faith in acknowledging his son's extraordinary experience. After weeks of timidity, Burpo boldly stands before his congregation and says with conviction that he indeed believes. The movie concludes as parishioners smile and walk to the front to hug their pastor who has courageously embraced the child-like faith modeled by his son. If hearts are not warm enough by now, Sonja Burpo hands her husband a blue baby outfit and announces they are now expecting another child.
In a day when violence, perverted sexuality and general crudeness are splattered across the silver screen, a heartwarming, spiritually-oriented film like Heaven Is for Real containing nice, moral, churchgoing Nebraskans is somewhat of a relief.
Of humanity's search for God, Augustine said long ago that our hearts are restless until they find rest in Thee. As millions read the book and flock to theaters to see such a celestial film, reflecting an obvious restlessness in our society, Heaven Is for Real seems to encourage a less-than-informed approach to the subject of Christian faith. As the Burpos and their close-knit community struggle to embrace Colton's claims and the realities of their faith, multiple warmhearted conversations ensue and lots of staring off silently into vast distances takes place, but there is no searching the Scripture. Sadly, as a result of this visit to heaven and the fervor that it enflames, there is no talk of an awesome God.
No, "the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh," and yes, we "have divine power to destroy strongholds," and because we are human beings, there is much we'll never understand. On the same token, we "take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). We do not take off our thinking caps in order to be people of faith. Regardless of how others may encourage us, we do not "let go, and let God." Rather, as Anselm said in the 11th century, our faith is continuously in the process of seeking understanding.
The producers of the movie may believe that heaven is for real, but the heaven depicted in the movie seems to be more about how modern Americans may view God than the actual place where God dwells.
In the midst of a churchgoing society where sentimental spirituality is frequently on display, let us be reminded that those in Scripture who experienced the God of heaven were often marked by overwhelming terror, uncontrollable trembling, paralyzing fear, incredible awe, jaw-dropping astonishment and silencing amazement.
When Moses requested to see the glory of God, God hid him in a rock and allowed Moses to see only His back (Exodus 33:18-23).
When Ezekiel saw the glory of the LORD, he fell on his face (Ezekiel 1:28).
Daniel was overwhelmed by his vision of God. He was "anxious" and his visions "troubled" him (Daniel 7:15). Moreover, he summed up his experience by saying, "Here is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart" (Daniel 7:28).
Isaiah cowered in God's presence and cried "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" (Isaiah 6:5). God would later tell him, "But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread" (Isaiah 8:13).
The disciples who witnessed Jesus walking on water "were terrified" and "cried out in fear" (Matthew 14:26). When they all got in the boat together, the disciples "worshipped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God'" (Matthew 14:33).
When God thundered from the bright cloud over the Mount of Transfiguration and told Peter, James and John, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him," the disciples "fell on their faces and were terrified" (Matthew 17:5-6).
John records that when he saw Christ, he "fell at his feet as though dead" (1:17).
Christians are people with a thinking faith. Simultaneously, we are a people who exercise faithful thinking. Our thinking faith and faithful thinking is focused on God and rooted in His Word. As a result, we realize that heaven is where the One, True, Almighty, Majestic and Holy God lives.
Regardless of whatever extraordinary experiences there may be, heaven is ultimately about the God who is there.
Heaven is for real. Hell is for real.
Thank you for posting this! I have known Todd Brady, the author, for almost thirty years. I haven’t seen him lately, but he is a fine man.
That aside, I heartily agree with his point. Modern accounts of personal encounters with Christ and visits to heaven never seem to be in accordance with Scripture. We must get our understanding of the thrice Holy God from HIS WORD not the subjective experiences of other men. The Bible is all we need to be made perfect and complete in Christ. It is the Scriptures that make us “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
—2 Timothy 3:14-17
Right on. Amen. Thanks.
I cannot speak to other modern heavenly encounters being in accord with scripture. But, it occurs to me that in the case of the Burpo family, would not God not want to terrorize a four year old child and present him a vision that is both comforting and understandable to a four year old?
“near death” is near death. It is not death. To see Heaven, you have to be dead.
The boy was not dead.
He did not see Heaven.
Let the flaming begin.
Opening Easter weekend with $21.5 million in ticket sales,>>>>
The money is what the real thing is.
Any one who has been 4 years old should already know things and has experiences they do not understand.
1 John 2:13
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
John regards every one as little children but the way he separates them here is pretty telling, we have known the father before we were born.
Even older people has experiences they do not understand but it seems to be much more prevalent in the young.
I’m still waiting for someone to have a real-death experience, as opposed to a near-death experience, and come back to tell about it.
Extremely cogent point in your post #6.
Opening Easter weekend with $21.5 million in ticket sales,>>>>
The money is what the real thing is.
Any one who has been 4 years old most likely have had dreams they do not understand, and also
1 John 2:13
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
John regards every one as little children but the way he separates them here is pretty telling, we have known the father before we were born.
But that is not what the Gospel is all about and people who embrace this type of witnessing are mostly just filling the pockets of those who are using it for financial gain.
If any one wants to hear some ones dream they don`t have to spend a lot of money going to see a movie or buying a book,
they can just get close to almost any small child and they can get an earful.
It may not be about heaven but it might be interesting.
“near death” is near death. It is not death. To see Heaven, you have to be dead.
The boy was not dead.
He did not see Heaven.
Let the flaming begin.
I have had the... I will qualify, an experience... and I can tell you that it is hard to relate, and doing so seldom creates a new believer. People are naturally skeptical.
I’d love to hear about it.
No “flames here, just this:
Hebrews 9:
27 And as it is appointed unto men ONCE to die, but after this the judgment.
Emphassis mine.
Preach it, brother.
There are a few common threads. The vast majority describe a far richer feeling of unconditional love; a far richer experience of the earthly senses, sight and sound most often, than can be experienced here on earth. One major thread common to NDE’s is that communication is full, clear..and almost always unspoken. Communication in the NDE state apparently happens when you think your thought and that thought is immediately understood fully without speech. This is described quite often. What is also common is how much the NDE is a reflection of the life each person has lived - that's why it appears to be that no one reports to going to the same place, or seeing the same people, or entities, or anything else. Their NDE account is as unique as their own living experience. Colton Burpo’s father Todd is a Christian Minister. That his son knew of Jesus within his 4 year life span before his own NDE is a given. So his account of meeting Jesus would also be consistent with many other accounts reflecting experiences & information already held in a person's consciousness pre-NDE. But there are large numbers of reported NDE’s who make no mention of any earthly religious figures. Others have written book accounts of their own NDE’s, such as Eben Alexander (”Proof of Heaven”); and Anita Moorjani (”Dying to be Me”). Both are astounding accounts of an NDE afterlife-type experience, yet each vastly different from one another. And each vastly different from Colton Burpo’s.
27 And as it is appointed unto men ONCE to die, but after this the judgment.
>> Heaven is for real. Hell is for real.
Best to Hope Heaven is for real cuz existence is Hell.
But as you say, it is too easy to write these off as the natural psychological byproduct of a death-like physical experience. Which is why I don't look to such things for assurance of the reality of the afterlife as the Bible describes it. Even Peter, who had been eyewitness to the transfiguration of Jesus on the mount, regarded that as secondary to the certainty of God's own word:
2Peter 1:16-19 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
But I do pay attention to reports of supernatural activity that were conscious experiences shared by multiple individuals, like this question I answered about Christian martyrs about 6 years ago (I was "Lynchburger"):
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080121160341AArGmLl
Nate Saint, husband of Rachel Saint, missionary to the Auca Indians.
May I tell you my favorite "angel story" in this con[n]ection? It seems Rachel's husband Nate went to a tribal people called the Auca to share the Gospel. Amazon area I think. Anyway, the men of the tribe killed her husband and the other men who were with him. Later, Rachel came to the Auca herself, to bring the message of Jesus. Surprisingly, they were very welcoming of her, and when she told them of Jesus, many believed. Many years later, in casual conversation with one of the converted women of the tribe, it came out that on the day of the murder of her husband there had been a strange event. The women never told Rachel about it because they mistakenly assumed she knew, as she was the messenger of God. So Rachel, curious as anything, drew it out of them, and this is how it went. When Rachel's husband and his friends arrived at waters edge, near the place of the Aucas, the men of the village came down to confront them. The women were watching from a hill in the distance. The male Aucas attacked the five missionaries and killed them all. Then it happened. There was a manifestation in the sky. The women saw it, just as did the men. Looking up, they saw, as they described it, a hundred flashlights in the sky. Looking closer, they had faces, and carried all the musical instruments known to the Aucas. And they were singing. The men were terrified, especially the leader. They felt as though they had done something terrible, and lived in fear of their error, until Rachel Saint came to them with the message of the God who forgives. That is why they were so ready to accept the words of the missionary when she came. God Himself had prepared them. Can these be anything but true angels? At the time I heard the story, several years ago now, the leader who had committed the murders had been transformed by the love of Jesus, and was so empowered by the Spirit of God that his face was said to be full of the light of joy. He had become a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, unto Whom be praise forevermore. Amen!
Source(s):
Radio station WMBI carried the story of the angelic visitation close to the time when Rachel found out about it. That is where I first heard it. It is also recounted here:
(original link went dead, but this one works) http://itecusa.org/document_angels.html
Peace,
SR
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.