Luke 16:19-31
The Rich Man and Lazarus
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
This scripture is a story that Jesus told about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus whom the rich man knew. We read that once we die and go to Heaven or hell, we will not be able to cross over from one place to the other. Once you are in hell you can not ask for forgiveness, repent or do anything that will allow you to cross over into Heaven. You are there forever. The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his family to warn his brothers so they will not end up in hell like him. Abraham tells him “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.”, which means, they have the scriptures (Bible) to warn them.
We, as so called Christians claim to believe in God and when we die we all want to go to Heaven, yet a vast majority of us don’t know anything about Gods will, laws, covenants, promises, or commands. We want to go to Heaven but we have no idea what is required for us to get there. Most of what we know about God is what we heard someone else say, or we may read or hear a few Bible versus in church on Sunday.
Every chapter in the Bible is a fraction of understanding what Gods will is for you, your life and for His Glory. Without attempting to read the entire Bible you won’t be able to obtain an understanding of the fullness of God. If we agree and understand this, why is it so difficult to read the Bible? Why are you so lazy, defiant, or nonchalant about reading Gods word? Why do you give priority to the desires of the flesh to be content with 40, 60, 80 or 100 years you may live on earth that only leads to an infinite time that you will spend in hell. Read the Bible so that you may know Gods love, mercy and grace. The Bible is the guide to receiving these gifts that are available for you to receive and is the roadmap to everlasting life.