these,” urges Abraham. “But,” pleads the lost rich man in verse 30, “ if one went unto them from the dead, they will re pent.” Alas, he is deluding him self, he is hoping against hope. How deadly — how eternally final — the words of God Him self in Abraham’s sad reply (v. 31) : “ If they hear not Moses and the Prophets (if they do not make sure in this life—if they will not come by faith in Christ who said, ‘I am the way — no man cometh unto the Father but by Me’ ) neither will they be per suaded though one rose from the dead;” as Christ Himself did to personally tell those who have lived during the past 1,900 years, including YOU and ME, and our unsaved relatives and friends, to say nothing of those in heathen darkness! Jesus said in John 8:24: “ I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for it ye believe not that I am He (the only wise God and Saviour,) ye shall die in your sins.” Reaction now determines eternal destiny. If the lazy, inactive Christian continues his neglect, the Lord Jesus will hold him responsible before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Speaking to born-again believers in II Corinthians 5:10, the Apostle Paul warns: “ For we must all appear before the judg ment seat of Christ” (not to he judged for our sins which are forever under the blood) but “ that every man might receive (rewards for) the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” If there are any such among our readers, cry out in your hearts to God to have mercy, and forgive you NOW, making you His child if you are not such al ready. And if you are born-again, ask Him to make you a courage ous, obedient child in speaking to those who know Him not. Bliss or burning — which shall it be? The decision is yours to make — NOW! KB TH E K ING ’S BUSINESS
perhaps the rich man in life had been unloving and miserly. Yet Lazarus found a place of blessedness in Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man wound up in a place of remorse. “ In hades (place o f departed spirits) he lifted up his eyes, being in tor ments.” The tables were reversed — not because Lazarus was poor, but because he was acceptable in the imputed righteousness o f Christ; and not because the other was rich, but because he was still in his sins, havings refused the free gift of God — salvation through the finished w ork o f Christ, of which, as a favored Jew who undoubtedly attended the synagogue, he must have known. He was in the same place of ability to know as was Abra ham who looked ahead in faith to the day of the Lord, and as we are told in Galatians 4 :5, “ it was accounted to him for righteous ness.” In verse 24 we find the rich man praying. How tragic he had not prayed while yet there was hope! In hell (or hades) it was too late. Here he cried for the mercy he had refused when he had ample opportunity in life to receive it. He sought to have Lazarus minister to him now — the one to whom he had refused to minister in his riches, while Lazarus suffered, and hungered, and was full of putrifying sores. In verse 25 Abraham reminds the rich man of his favored state in life, while Lazarus had nothing but evil. Now Lazarus was well off, while the rich man had noth ing but grief. WHY ? This story does not teach that if we are good we will go to heav en. It is “not by works of right eousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us, by the washing of regenera tion, and renewing o f the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abun dantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour” (Titus 3 :5). The incident DOES teach that lack of love for God, and for the spiritual and physical welfare of our fellows, does indicate spirit- 18
ual death in this life, which brings its own terrible penalty in the life to come. Our eternal des tiny is determined by our atti tude toward God and His Christ in this life. Verse 26 clearly shows that once we have passed from this life there is a great gulf fixed between saved and unsaved, so that it is impossible for those who have not been born-again, here and now, to be forever with the Lord whom they despised and rejected. Verses 23-31 show that those who die do not go into soul sleep as some would have us believe. Abraham and Lazarus in para dise (o f which our Lord said to the thief on the cross, “ This day shalt thou be with Me in para dise” ), were com p lete ly con scious. The rich man “ in tor ments” understood his sad state all too well, but forever too late to do anything about his own salva tion, was concerned about his still living five brothers. But again, his concern was forever too late! If any who reads is unsaved, be warned by the experience of the rich man and make sure of your salvation today — NOW! If you are born-again, but are neg lecting to warn unsaved relatives and friends, make sure of them today — NOW! No good intentions of those who, contrary to the Scriptures (I Tim. 1 :4) give heed to “ end less genealogies” for the purpose of praying for dead relatives; of being baptized for the dead, will avail. Or those who depend on candles to be lighted; or money paid to the priest to pray them out of purgatory: let them under stand definitely from this Scrip ture — they will be forever too late! Abraham says in verse 29, “ they had Moses and the proph ets” — the Gospel so liberally sprinkling the pages of the Old Testament. And of course, those who have lived since Christ came and bled and died and rose again for their justification, have it all in the New Testament as well. “Let them pay attention to
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