'Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, Nor the power of God.' (Matt 22:29)
This is a very interesting story, but also one that has been misinterpreted and misunderstood a lot. Let's look at the useful lessons it contains and correct some of the wrong assumption 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 (Ps 35:27). He gives prosperity and riches as a reward to the obedient (Prov 11:25). In Malachi 3:10 he promises that as you pay 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 poor. 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- soul 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. 1Thessallonians 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 21:13says if you refuse to respond to the cry of the poor, God will be deaf to your cries as well. James 4:17says 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 your relatives? God wants you and your family to be saved (Acts16:31), 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?
Spend 30 minutes to intercede for non-believers, people trapped in
Meaningless religious rites and loved ones who need to find Go.
READ: Luke 16:19-31
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