The Colton Burpo testimony of heaven?

[DennisTate]

I am wondering if we on Christian forums have come to be more open to
the idea of Colton Burpo being a credible and believable witness?

A few years ago we were roughly divided down the middle on this idea.

I've read both of the books on this case and I feel that this is a massive open door to reach the lost.

 

[DennisTate]

2 Corinthians 12


I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven.

3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth), 4 how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

 

[Lost4words]

Boys father does 90% of the talking!

 

[DennisTate]

Just after the fifteen minute mark in that video is a testimony that I think is important. Colton verified this painting of Jesus and thousands of others who had met him wrote in to Colton verifying that this is indeed what Jesus looks like.

This is potentially huge!

 

[DennisTate]

Boys father does 90% of the talking!

Pastor Todd Burpo is somebody who talks a lot but he really did not want to write a book until Jesus convinced him that the peace of mind that he and Sonja felt after Colton told them about his miscarried sister being in heaven is something that he needed to share with others.

I believe that there is something else in this for us to learn from.....
Pastor Todd prayed with his whole heart and with some anger while his son lay dying......
and Jesus told Colton that he had to go back to life because of his dad's prayers.

There is a lot in that for us all to think about.

 

[His student]

I am wondering if we on Christian forums have come to be more open to
the idea of Colton Burpo being a credible and believable witness?

If God sent Colton back to earth to tell his dad about his experience with the intent that people better understand the gospel through a book he would write and be saved - He not only chose a weak vessel in Todd but it appears that He has failed to accomplish His intent.

Todd Burpo's soteriological theology is notoriously weak even now just as it was before his Son's supposed experience.

To quote Tim Charles, “If you struggle believing what the Bible says, but learn to find security in the testimony of a toddler, well, I feel sorry for you.”

I feel the same about the gospel according to Akiane Kramarik by the way.

One common thread seems to run thru most of these supposed trips to Heaven only to be sent back here by God to tell people about it accounts.

Their rendition of what it takes to get to Heaven is usually off the mark.

In fact they usually preach a gospel more in keeping with the desires of Satan to keep people from casting their hopes for Heaven on the work of Christ at Calvary than that of God.

Speaking theologically - "Close, but no cigar".

Paul didn't have any trouble delineating the gospel after his trips to Heaven.

I wonder, if these new messengers are really from God, why most of them can't deliver the simple gospel to the world when they return here from Heaven.

 

[DennisTate]

If God sent Colton back to earth to tell his dad about his experience with the intent that people better understand the gospel through a book he would write and be saved - He not only chose a weak vessel in Todd but it appears that He has failed to accomplish His intent.

Todd Burpo's soteriological theology is notoriously weak even now just as it was before his Son's supposed experience.

To quote Tim Charles, “If you struggle believing what the Bible says, but learn to find security in the testimony of a toddler, well, I feel sorry for you.”

I feel the same about the gospel according to Akiane Kramarik by the way.

One common thread seems to run thru most of these supposed trips to Heaven only to be sent back here by God to tell people about it accounts.

Their rendition of what it takes to get to Heaven is usually off the mark.

In fact they usually preach a gospel more in keeping with the desires of Satan to keep people from casting their hopes for Heaven on the work of Christ at Calvary than that of God.

Speaking theologically - "Close, but no cigar".

Paul didn't have any trouble delineating the gospel after his trips to Heaven.

I wonder, if these new messengers are really from God, why most of them can't deliver the simple gospel to the world when they return here from Heaven.

Or... perhaps you were taught some overly dogmatic ideas by your particular denomination and perhaps Pastor Todd Burpo's book about his son's near death experience is Messiah Yeshua - Jesus putting some information in front of you that will get you asking better question than you were asking previous to reading his book??????

For the record... I am speaking for myself......
and my own situation especially from 1973 to 1990.

 

[His student]

Or... perhaps you were taught some overly dogmatic ideas by your particular denomination and perhaps Pastor Todd Burpo's book about his son's near death experience is Messiah Yeshua - Jesus putting some information in front of you that will get you asking better question than you were asking previous to reading his book??????....

There is no better question than the one I have asked before - which, by the way, Todd Burpo and his co-author do not answer and quite possibly don't know the answer to.

I already have the answer to the most important question I have ever asked.

"What must I do to be saved?"
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."

That's "dogmatic" for sure. But it's also, unlike any answer we might find in the book or one of Burpo's sermons, spot on.

"I know Whom I have believe and I am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have entrusted to Him against that day."

I don't need to be persuaded by a book co-written by the weak faith father of a toddler who supposedly went to Heaven and saw the angel Gabriel sitting at the left hand of God, petted the rainbow colored pony Jesus rides, saw Mary baby sitting little children who have died and went to Heaven, and saw and talked people who have preceded us to Heaven with wings on their backs.

I have the Word of Paul and John concerning what they were able to tell us. I have the Holy Spirit to teach me all I need to know. I don't need Todd Burpo to lead me into further truth.

You shouldn't either.

And, whatever Jesus looks like, it won't be in the likeness of some painting of a real man met by the little girl Akaine who thought Jesus would look like and then drew him.

The Creator of the universe and author of the gospel would not put any kind of stamp of approval on a painting by a new age prophet. That's exactly what Colton Burpo has done.

 

[DennisTate]

There is no better question than the one I have asked before - which, by the way, Todd Burpo and his co-author do not answer and quite possibly don't know the answer to.

I already have the answer to the most important question I have ever asked.

"What must I do to be saved?"
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."

That's "dogmatic" for sure. But it's also, unlike any answer we might find in the book or one of Burpo's sermons, spot on.

"I know Whom I have believe and I am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have entrusted to Him against that day."

I don't need to be persuaded by a book co-written by the weak faith father of a toddler who supposedly went to Heaven and saw the angel Gabriel sitting at the left hand of God, petted the rainbow colored pony Jesus rides, saw Mary baby sitting little children who have died and went to Heaven, and saw and talked people who have preceded us to Heaven with wings on their backs.

I have the Word of Paul and John concerning what they were able to tell us. I have the Holy Spirit to teach me all I need to know. I don't need Todd Burpo to lead me into further truth.

You shouldn't either.

And, whatever Jesus looks like, it won't be in the likeness of some painting of a real man met by the little girl Akaine who thought Jesus would look like and then drew him.

The Creator of the universe and author of the gospel would not put any kind of stamp of approval on a painting by a new age prophet. That's exactly what Colton Burpo has done.

But.... maybe it isn't all about you and I but about the millions of people who might come to belief due to the book and movie but..... it will really help if we Christians are no too biased against the book and movie perhaps partly due to our being surprised that something so huge was done for a Westlyian pastor????

 

[His student]

But.... maybe it isn't all about you and I but about the millions of people who might come to belief due to the book and movie but..... it will really help if we Christians are no too biased against the book and movie perhaps partly due to our being surprised that something so huge was done for a Westlyian pastor????

Belief in what - Heaven??

The devil and his minions believe in Heaven and tremble.

However, what they don't believe in having been there, is rainbow colored ponies and saints with wings.

As for the Westlyian connection - I could care less what denomination Todd Burbo belongs to.

Although the liberal connection isn't lost on me. It doesn't surprise me that he's pretty weak on doctrine and open to worldly interpretation of the scriptures.

Look - you obviously put a lot of stock in the Burpo phenomenon. I do not.

You may well have an understanding of the gospel that equates to justification. Burpo may as well.

That's between you two and God.

I'm only pointing out that if God was going to go to all this trouble to give people visions of Heaven they would not only be more Biblically accurate the ensuing message concerning being born again in order to see Heaven would be much more clear than it is.

If you've got it all straight and you've received Christ and His work at Calvary as your only hope for eternity I'll see you in Heaven.

But anyone finding true justification before God will not find it by reading any of these accounts.

We are born again by the living and abiding Word of God and not by Hollywood compromised movie or a best selling paperback book.

Hope to see you on the other side.

 

[DennisTate]

Belief in what - Heaven??

The devil and his minions believe in Heaven and tremble.

However, what they don't believe in having been there, is rainbow colored ponies and saints with wings.

As for the Westlyian connection - I could care less what denomination Todd Burbo belongs to.

Although the liberal connection isn't lost on me. It doesn't surprise me that he's pretty weak on doctrine and open to worldly interpretation of the scriptures.

Look - you obviously put a lot of stock in the Burpo phenomenon. I do not.

You may well have an understanding of the gospel that equates to justification. Burpo may as well.

That's between you two and God.

I'm only pointing out that if God was going to go to all this trouble to give people visions of Heaven they would not only be more Biblically accurate the ensuing message concerning being born again in order to see Heaven would be much more clear than it is.

If you've got it all straight and you've received Christ and His work at Calvary as your only hope for eternity I'll see you in Heaven.

But anyone finding true justification before God will not find it by reading any of these accounts.

We are born again by the living and abiding Word of God and not by Hollywood compromised movie or a best selling paperback book.

Hope to see you on the other side.

If rainbow colored horses in heaven offend you.......in the time of Ezekiel you can rest assured that many deeply religious people at that time were offended by the idea of creatures with four heads!


Ezekiel 1

Eze 1:10

As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Ezekiel 10

And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

 

[His student]

If rainbow colored horses in heaven offend you.......

They don't offend me at all.

If the Word said that Jesus would ride a green horse instead of white- I'd be good with that.

 

[Der Alte]

Belief in what - Heaven??
The devil and his minions believe in Heaven and tremble.
However, what they don't believe in having been there, is rainbow colored ponies and saints with wings.
As for the Westlyian connection - I could care less what denomination Todd Burbo belongs to.
Although the liberal connection isn't lost on me. It doesn't surprise me that he's pretty weak on doctrine and open to worldly interpretation of the scriptures.
Look - you obviously put a lot of stock in the Burpo phenomenon. I do not.
You may well have an understanding of the gospel that equates to justification. Burpo may as well.
That's between you two and God.
I'm only pointing out that if God was going to go to all this trouble to give people visions of Heaven they would not only be more Biblically accurate the ensuing message concerning being born again in order to see Heaven would be much more clear than it is.
If you've got it all straight and you've received Christ and His work at Calvary as your only hope for eternity I'll see you in Heaven.
But anyone finding true justification before God will not find it by reading any of these accounts.
We are born again by the living and abiding Word of God and not by Hollywood compromised movie or a best selling paperback book.
Hope to see you on the other side.

Isaiah 64:4
(4) For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

 

[DennisTate]

Isaiah 64:4
(4) For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

That is exactly what essentially all near death experiencers report.

We cannot imagine heaven............ or for that matter the afterlife place of punishment or imprisonment.