Should a Christian Go See "Heaven is For Real?"

There has been a great deal of speculation and questioning over the movie "Heaven is For Real." Many prominent pastors, including David Platt have weighed in on the issue. You can watch Platt's scathing critique of the book and movie here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2014/04/16/david-platt-on-why-you-should-not-believe-heaven-is-for-real/.

I respect David Platt's ministry and his scholarship a great deal. I even agree with his argument. His main concern is that Christians not elevate "experiential" episodes like those in "Heaven is for Real" above the authoritative Scriptures. I agree with Platt that this is a legitimate concern. It is natural for many people to be drawn to seemingly supernatural phenomenon. The danger here is that believers fail to rely on the Bible for their understanding of theological issues, such as the theology of heaven. Instead, they get caught up in someone's "experience" which may or may not be a legitimate expression of God's revelation.

However, I feel Platt and others have gone to the extreme in this situation. The Bible indicates that God revealed His will to selected people through dreams or visions in Scriptures such as Genesis 37:5-10; 1 Kings 3:5-15; Daniel, chapters 2 and 7; Matthew 1:20; 2:13,19; and Acts 10:9-16; 16:9.

God may communicate through dreams or visions even today, but we need to carefully check any such guidance we receive with Scripture and godly counsel to be sure it is from the Lord. Anything which contradicts Scripture is not from God. Our minds and even Satan are capable of producing great deception in such subjective areas.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 shows that God has revealed His will to us primarily through His Word. It says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

What does this mean for Christians going to see movies like "Heaven is For Real?" Is it wrong for believers to see such movies? No, as long as they do not elevate it above the authority of Scripture and compare the contents of the movie to what the Bible says about the particular subject, in this case, heaven.

Can God use a movie like "Heaven is For Real" to lead people to a saving faith in Christ? Absolutely. God can use anything He desires to accomplish His purposes. Someone far away from God may not set foot inside a church, but they might be willing to go see a movie like "Heaven is For Real." God may use that movie to begin to bring eternal questions to the mind of the unbeliever, which could lead to them investigating deeper by attending a church service.  The unbeliever, under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God could be brought to a saving knowledge of Christ.

So, while I urge caution in reading these books, and watching these movies, I do not condemn it. Let us rely on the Bible and not our experiences. 

Serving Christ, Loving Other, & Growing Together,
Bryan