A Reveiw of "Heaven is for Real."
I Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.
So, should we believe the account of a four year old boy who claims to have seen Heaven.
I think it is interesting that Paul preceded verse 12 of I Corinthians with this statement,
I Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Should mature adult Christians get their information about Heaven from a four year old? I say emphatically "NO!" Why? There are over seven hundred mentions of heaven, heavenly, heaven's and heavens in the bible. As a mature adult Christian the bible is the only authoritative volume on Heaven. Everything else that anyone says outside of the scriptures is tainted with the inability to see clearly the realms and dimensions that surround us in our fallen state.
What are my big concerns about this book/movie. First, I did not read the book, but in the movie it was clearly stated that this child did not die. Therefore, he was alive speaking to dead people. He reported speaking to his great grandfather and a sister that died in vitro. It is very clear in scripture that we are not to speak to dead people, Deuteronomy 19:10-11 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For those that don't know a necromancer according to Webster's dictionary is one who speaks to the dead. Specifically, it is necromancy 1. divination by alleged communication with the dead 2. sorcery. This child's encounter violates God's Word and God does not violate His own Word and therefore, this experience is clearly not of God.
Second, this child obviously had an out of body experience. We are not to leave our bodies until we are dead. Why? Jesus tells us in
Matthew 12:43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished, 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Also, in
Ecclesiastes 12:6 -7 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
It is our souls that hold us together body and soul. Leaving your body before your time through astral projection or out of body experiences puts you at risk of death. In Walter Martin's book "The Kingdom of the Occult" Astral projection is defined in his chapter on Tools of the Occult page 308,
Astral projection and astral travel - Also known as an out-of-body experience (OBE). In projection, the human spirit pulls away from the body and moves into the "astral," which consists of multiple planes of existence, such as the physical world, the universe, and/or spiritual realms. It can occur as a conscious choice or happen unpredictably. Astral travel occurs when the spirit projects from the body and journeys into the astral-- to explore other planes of existence. Energy "cords" keep the spirit linked to the body's chakras (energy points).
The silver cords of Ecclesiastes.
As you can see this child's experiences are occult in nature not biblical. It is very popular among Christians today to "empty their minds" through meditation. The bible instructs us to think on these things
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
The key word here is THINK. Our minds are to remain active and thinking on the things of God. Meditate/meditation as defined in Webster's dictionary is, meditate - to study; ponder 2. to plan or intend to think deeply and continuously, reflect and meditation - act of meditating; deep reflection, esp. on sacred matters as a devotional act 2 oral or written material, as a sermon, based on meditation. The original definition has been changed and now to meditate means to empty your mind. From the above quoted verses in Matthew, Jesus clearly describes that emptiness can lead to invasion by unclean spirits.
This movie is normalizing two occult practices for Christians, necromancy and astral projection or out of body experiences. As Christians we are not to practice the occult. These parents should be training their little boy that he is not to do these things as a Christian, instead they are making money from his experiences.
The distortion of God's Word, the refusal to educate ourselves or have sound teaching in our pulpits is just another sign of the end of this age and the great apostasy that is occurring all across the body of Christ. This is just another book/movie being embraced by Christendom at large without analyzing what really occurred in this little boy's life. It is very sad.
Comments