Why Minimize the Marvelous?
Books are written by those who claim to have had an out-of-body experience of going to heaven. They often tell of blinding lights, seeing loved ones, and hearing God or seeing Christ. They record their experiences, true or false, for us at great length. This pattern contrasts sharply with how little attention Paul gives when he was “caught up into paradise.” Why doesn’t he say more? Suppose you had an absolutely stunning supernatural experience, like being in a car accident and having an out-of-body experience so that you were sure you had died and gone to heaven for a few minutes before returning to your body and being brought back to life. How would you handle that experience? Most of us would be consumed with telling others about it. We might even write a book about it and go on a speaking circuit. It’s just too amazing to keep to ourselves. And more than likely we would feel empowered to use that very experience to authorize our views of heaven. We might feel as if this extrao...