READ: LUKE
16:19-31
This is
very interesting story, but also one which has been misinterpreted and
misunderstood a lot. Let’s look at the useful lessons it contains and correct
some of the wrong assumptions people have made about it.
The first misconception is that all rich people will go to hell. God is not against prosperity. On the contrary, he delights in prospering his servants (Psalm 35:27). He gives prosperity and riches as a reward to the obedient (Proverbs 11:28). In Malachi 3:10 he promises that as you paid your tithes and give to Him, he will bless you so much that you will say it is enough. In Deuteronomy 28:1-12 there are even more such promises.
Secondly, poverty is not a ticket to heaven. Some people think Lazarus went to heaven because he was por. No sir. It was because he feared God. Poverty is a curse. To make it to heaven, you must be born again. A poor man who refuses to be born again will, after suffering in this life, go to hell and continue to suffer evermore. The way to hell is a one way road – souls in hell can never cross over to paradise. There is no escape. Once you enter, you stay. Do all you can to avoid ending up there.
Fortunately, the same goes for heaven. If you make it to heaven, you will be there forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 confirms that you will forever be with the Lord. Jesus is the only way to heaven. That means every other way eventually ends up in hell. Now, why did the rich man go to hell? It was because of the sin of omission. He saw Lazarus eating from the dustbin at his gate. He saw how sick he was, but he neither helped nor drove him away. He was simply indifferent. Proverbs 21:13 says if you refuse to respond to the cry of the poor, God will be deaf to your cries as well. James 4:17 says you are sinning if you know what is good, but refuse to do it.
In hell, the rich man was conscious and concerned for his family members who were still on earth. He did not want them to end up where he ended up. Are you concerned about yours relatives? God wants you and your family to be saved (Acts 16:31), and he wants you to lead them to Christ. If you and your family don’t commit to Christ, your souls will be lost forever. Where are you heading: heaven or hell?
The first misconception is that all rich people will go to hell. God is not against prosperity. On the contrary, he delights in prospering his servants (Psalm 35:27). He gives prosperity and riches as a reward to the obedient (Proverbs 11:28). In Malachi 3:10 he promises that as you paid your tithes and give to Him, he will bless you so much that you will say it is enough. In Deuteronomy 28:1-12 there are even more such promises.
Secondly, poverty is not a ticket to heaven. Some people think Lazarus went to heaven because he was por. No sir. It was because he feared God. Poverty is a curse. To make it to heaven, you must be born again. A poor man who refuses to be born again will, after suffering in this life, go to hell and continue to suffer evermore. The way to hell is a one way road – souls in hell can never cross over to paradise. There is no escape. Once you enter, you stay. Do all you can to avoid ending up there.
Fortunately, the same goes for heaven. If you make it to heaven, you will be there forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 confirms that you will forever be with the Lord. Jesus is the only way to heaven. That means every other way eventually ends up in hell. Now, why did the rich man go to hell? It was because of the sin of omission. He saw Lazarus eating from the dustbin at his gate. He saw how sick he was, but he neither helped nor drove him away. He was simply indifferent. Proverbs 21:13 says if you refuse to respond to the cry of the poor, God will be deaf to your cries as well. James 4:17 says you are sinning if you know what is good, but refuse to do it.
In hell, the rich man was conscious and concerned for his family members who were still on earth. He did not want them to end up where he ended up. Are you concerned about yours relatives? God wants you and your family to be saved (Acts 16:31), and he wants you to lead them to Christ. If you and your family don’t commit to Christ, your souls will be lost forever. Where are you heading: heaven or hell?
MEMORIZE:
MATTHEW 22:29 –Jesus answered and said to them, you do err, not knowing the
scriptures, nor the power the power of God.
