The popularity of books claiming to detail experiences of heaven and hell has skyrocketed in recent years. Three of the most well-known are 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper, Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo, and 23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese. But are the claims made in these books consistent with what the Bible teaches about the afterlife?
To evaluate the biblical accuracy of these books, we must first establish what the Bible says about heaven, hell, and near-death experiences. The Bible affirms the existence of both heaven and hell as literal places (John 14:2-3, Matthew 25:41). It also indicates that after death, there is an intermediate state where the spirits of believers go to be with Christ (Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23). However, the Bible does not support the idea that people can have a round-trip journey to heaven or hell and then return to their earthly bodies. Hebrews 9:27 declares “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”
With this biblical framework in mind, let’s examine the specific claims made in each book:
90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper
This book chronicles Don Piper’s experience of dying in a car accident, going to heaven, and then returning to life 90 minutes later. In heaven, he claims to have seen familiar faces, heard beautiful music, and felt indescribable joy. While Piper insists his account is genuine, several details do not align with the Bible’s descriptions of heaven:
- Piper describes those in heaven having bodies, yet the Bible says our earthly bodies are not resurrected until Christ’s second coming (1 Cor 15:51-54).
- He portrays heaven as having human-like limitations, but the Bible depicts it as a realm beyond our limited physical universe.
- Piper focuses heavily on the emotional pleasures of heaven, while the Bible emphasizes heaven’s supreme joy being deepening our relationship with God and worshiping Christ (Revelation 21:22-23).
Additionally, the extra-biblical concept of Don’s round trip journey to heaven and back in his earthly body should give pause to accepting the account at face value. Scripture never depicts such travel as possible prior to death.
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
This book describes the experience of Todd’s four-year-old son Colton who claimed to have visited heaven during a surgery. Colton shares details such as sitting on Jesus’ lap, meeting ancestors, and learning that Jesus has a rainbow colored horse. However, as with 90 Minutes in Heaven, many aspects of Colton’s account find no biblical support:
- Colton emphasizes hearing heavenly songs, whereas the Bible focuses on praising God and Christ (Revelation 5:9).
- Colton says everyone has wings and a halo, but no Scripture suggests these features.
- Colton claims Jesus’ horse is rainbow colored, but the Bible depicts heaven’s colors differently (Revelation 21:10-11, 21).
Given Colton’s very young age, it is difficult to rule out imagination as influencing his testimony. His childlike descriptions better match popular cartoons than the Bible’s theological truth regarding heaven’s eternal worship.
23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese
This book alleges to chronicle Bill’s experience of being taken by Jesus to hell for 23 minutes. He describes hell vividly as a place of isolation, darkness, and physical torments. But numerous elements diverge from the biblical teaching:
- Bill claims hell is pitch black, whereas Jesus describes it as a place of fiery flames (Mark 9:43-48).
- He says Satan is in charge of hell, but Scripture teaches that Satan does not rule hell; he is punished there (Revelation 20:10).
- Bill focuses on physical agony, while the Bible depicts hell’s worst punishment as eternal separation from God (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
Like the other books’ accounts of heaven, Bill’s alleged visit to hell and return contradict Hebrews 9:27, which allows no round trips to the afterlife. The vivid details seem more likely attributable to Bill’s own imagination than an actual journey authorized by Jesus.
Evaluating Alleged Visits Against Scripture
While these three books portray intriguing stories, alleged visits to heaven and hell cannot be evaluated based on exciting details alone. The Bible must be the ultimate standard. And when examined closely, these books’ contradictions and extra-biblical claims give reason to doubt their accuracy and veracity.
Some argue that while the books add extra-biblical details, nothing directly contradicts Scripture. But this misses the point – the biblical depictions of heaven and hell are categorical and theological, focused on God’s glory, worship, and justice. The books replace this with sensational details appealing more to human fascination with the afterlife. This itself constitutes an unbiblical approach.
Others contend that we cannot know for certain these visits did not occur. But Christianity is grounded in biblical truth, not unverifiable experiences. Unless confirmed by Scripture, alleged supernatural encounters must be approached with great skepticism (see 1 John 4:1).
Still others claim the books’ general alignment with Christian teaching makes the embellished details benign. Yet this makes light of handling God’s Word with care and allowing it alone to define what is true about heaven and hell.
In summary, the prescriptive accounts in 90 Minutes in Heaven, Heaven is for Real, and 23 Minutes in Hell stray problematically from biblical truth. While this does not necessarily prove the stories false, it means Christians should approach them with extreme caution rather than accepting them as authoritative sources on the afterlife.
What the Bible Says About Heaven
Since these extra-biblical books prove unreliable, what does Scripture actually teach about heaven? Here are some key truths:
- Heaven is a physical place. John 14:2 describes it as having “many rooms.”
- Heaven is perfect. Revelation 21:4 says there is no more sin, pain, or death there.
- Heaven is God’s throne. God’s presence fills heaven and illuminates it with unmatched glory (Revelation 21:23).
- Heaven centers on Christ. Believers will worship Jesus for eternity (Revelation 5:11-14).
- Heaven involves rewards. Faithful believers will receive crowns and honor from God (1 Corinthians 3:14; Matthew 5:11-12).
- Heaven lasts forever. Believers will dwell there eternally, never to be removed (John 6:40).
These awe-inspiring truths should motivate us far more than fanciful stories. As Christians, studying what Scripture actually reveals about heaven gives us glimpses of our amazing future beyond this world.
What the Bible Says About Hell
Hell is a literal place of eternal judgment for unbelievers. Here are key biblical truths about hell:
- Hell is a place of fiery torment. Jesus calls it a place of “outer darkness” and “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12).
- Hell is eternal. Revelation 20:10 calls it a “lake of fire” where the wicked are “tormented day and night forever and ever.”
- Hell is a place of separation from God. Since God is the source of all that is good, hell means exclusion from His presence (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
- Hell is a place for Satan and demons. The devil and his angels will be cast there on judgment day (Matthew 25:41).
- Hell is the appropriate judgment for unrepentant sinners. Those who reject Christ exclude themselves from grace and seal their eternity apart from God.
Hell should compel unbelievers to repent and motivate Christians to urgently preach the gospel to the lost. The terrors of hell dare not be minimized, as they reveal the rightful destiny for unforgiven sinners.
Practical Ways to Discern Truth From Error
How should Christians respond to highly questionable books like those examined above? Here are some suggested principles:
- Test everything by Scripture and reject any contradictions (Acts 17:11).
- Be very wary of any extra-biblical details about the afterlife that are not direct validations of clear biblical teaching.
- Approach alleged supernatural encounters and dramatic claims with a high degree of skepticism.
- Ask critical questions to discern what possible motives or influences could be tainting the story.
- Focus on what God has clearly revealed in Scripture, not chasing speculation.
- Let your fascination with eternity drive you to Jesus and gospel truth, not unrestrained curiosity.
As we apply these standards, we can avoid being deceived and instead rightly handle God’s word of truth regarding heaven, hell and eternity (2 Timothy 2:15). We rest confidently in the Bible’s authority, not flawed books.
Conclusion
Stories of alleged visits to heaven and hell may be intriguing, but they must be tested against Scripture. Books like 90 Minutes in Heaven, Heaven is for Real, and 23 Minutes in Hell simply do not pass this test. They contradict biblical truth and replace it with fanciful imaginations. Rather than view heaven and hell through the lens of these stories, Christians should turn to the Bible alone as the trustworthy revelation of eternal truths. Scripture faithfully attests that heaven and hell are real places, and that faith in Christ is the only hope for entering heaven’s glory rather than hell’s terrors. Eternity is at stake, so we dare not settle for anything less than God’s revealed truth on these ultimate matters!
