“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. (Luke 16:19-21)
Very seldom is this word used in these studies, but "I" love this scripture! By the world's standards, the rich man must be living well, because he "looks" like he is; and the poor man must had done some things wrong, because of his condition. Jesus taught that ...He [God the Father] makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45) Some things just happen. Sometimes our lives don't go the way we would want, while others lives always seem to be going so well. Before Jesus healed a blind man, his disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." (John 9:2-3) God can and will use every situation in our lives to reveal Himself, just as he does with Lazarus, the beggar.
So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:22-23) The phrase Abraham’s bosom could be stated as "Abraham's side". Remember, For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. [Genesis 15:6]” (Romans 4:3) Abraham believed the Word of God, and was saved, even before Christ actually died on the cross for our sins. And the Word [Lord God, Son of God, Christ Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) In order to be saved, we have to believe the Word of God and in The Word!
So when we die, we either to go heaven or hell, those are the only two choices. Lazarus the beggar went to heaven, where Abraham and all the others who believed the Word of God are. But the rich man who seemed to have it all while he was on the earth went to hell. The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness. (Isaiah 57:1-2) Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. ...yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God. (Ecclesiastes 8:10, 12-13) The wicked is banished in his wickedness, But the righteous has a refuge in his death. (Proverbs 14:32)
“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ (Luke 16:24-26)
Two false teachings of the world are definitely clarified for us in these scriptures. False teaching # 1: nothing after this life is over - That is a lie! If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (I Corinthians 15:32, 35-38, 42-44)
False teaching # 2: purgatory a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God's grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions - That is a lie! When Jesus hung on the cross in between the two criminals, the one to his right said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. [Isaiah 25:8]” (I Corinthians 15:51-54) For us who are saved, We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (II Corinthians 5:8)
The truths that are so clear from these scriptures is that hell is real, it's a place of torment and suffering. Heaven [or Paradise, or Abraham's Bosom] is real and it's a place of peace and rest. But most importantly, once you get where you're going, you can't leave, so we better choose wisely while we have the opportunity to make a choice! “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 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.’” (Luke 16:27-31)
How sad but true! What more proof could anyone need that God is real and that there is eternal life after physical death? While Jesus was with the children of Israel, ...many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. (John 2:23) Not ALL believed, but many believed, and many more didn't believe! We all can hear and see the same things, but we won't all believe the same things, which is proven throughout the scriptures. ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, (Romans 1:18-20) God has given enough proof and left enough evidence for us to make a decision to either believe in Him or ignore the facts and deny Him!
Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (II Corinthians 4:1-4, 16-18 NLT) AMEN!
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