The Bible Is Enough!
Recently, brother Roelf L. Ruffner (one of the men we support) called attention to a book titled, The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven: A True Story, written by Kevin (the father) and Alex (the son) Malarkey. It was published by Tyndale House in 2010 and made into a TV movie. Both Malarkeys were in a terrible car crash. Alex said “that he felt an angel take him through the gates of heaven, which he describes as being ‘tall,’ to meet Jesus and Satan, who appears through a ‘hole in heaven.’ After he woke up in the hospital, he told his family his account of his near-death experience.” This story is similar—but should not be confused with— that of Todd and Colton Burpo, which was made into the movie, Heaven Is For Real. The Burpos were not in an accident; Colton just needed emergency surgery. Both Colton and Alex claimed to have been in heaven.
Brother Ruffner points out that there are always people “claiming they have seen an angel, God the Father, Jesus, the devil, demons, and the perennial favorite among Roman Catholics—the Virgin Mary.” These are all subjective experiences; no one can offer tangible proof of any of these alleged occurrences. According to Wikipedia, “On May 9, 2014, Beth Malarkey appeared on the Christian radio show The Bible Answerman and said that the book is deceptive and embellishes the story of the accident.” Alex, now a teenager (and still a quadriplegic), wrote the truth of the matter in a letter dated January 13, 2015.
Please forgive the brevity, but because of my limitations I have to keep this short. I did not die. I did not go to Heaven. I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies, and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough. The Bible is the only source of truth. Anything written by man cannot be infallible…. I want the whole world to know that the Bible is sufficient. Those who market these materials must be called to repent and hold the Bible as enough.
Two days later Tyndale House pulled the book from the shelves and will no longer be distributing it. How sad that people so eagerly grasp such books when The Book is all they need. It is written to produce faith (John 20:30-31), is all-sufficient (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3; Jude 3), and is that by which we will be judged (John 12:48). Truly, the Bible is enough!