With the recent release of the movie “Heaven is for Real”, near death experiences are once again in the spotlight. Let me say upfront, that I have neither read the book nor seen the movie, and I do not have any immediate plans to do so. With that being said, I won’t directly address any of the claims made therein. Answers in Genesis has published John MacArthur’s excellent critique of the book. I encourage you to read that by clicking here.
What I intend to offer, is some general advice for evaluating any such claims. The most important thing to remember, is to test everything against the Word of God.
1 John 4:1 (NKJV)
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Quite simply, the Word of God is not to be added to, or taken away from. We should be diligent in our studies, so we can rightly divide the Word of Truth.
Proverbs 30:5-6 (NKJV)
Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
Revelation 22:18-19 (NKJV)
18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The bottom line is this. If any claim violates Scripture, it must be judged as false. If any claim offers details of heaven (or hell) which go beyond what Scripture reveals, it must not be considered an authentic claim. The Scriptures give us a wonderful and reliable testimony of our Lord, and heaven. There is absolutely no need to tread the dangerous ground of stepping beyond Biblical revelation.
Luke 16:31 (NKJV)
But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead. ’”
In Defense: The Blog 
Posted on April 21, 2014
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