The Deception of Money. Luke 16:19-31 It is important for us to remember, when reading the story of the rich man and Lazarus, that the main point is to teach us the difference between the spiritual and the carnal, between the eternal and the temporary. By lifting the veil between the present and the future, the Lord Jesus offers us a brief glimpse of heaven and hell. After He finished recounting this true story, the Pharisees were silenced; we should be as well, as we reflect on the consequences of living for the wrong things. It stirs us to silence when we consider where those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ actually go. Lazarus is in heaven, and the fact that he is named by the Lord in the story indicates that this is a true account of two real men.
In the Gospel of Luke, there are sixteen references to the “rich” and eleven to the “poor.” Lazarus was a poor believer. The rich man was an unbeliever who had everything he could want. Lazarus was too weak and sick to work. Dogs, despised by the Jews, provided him with the only relief he could find by licking his sores. Someone who worked in the rich man’s house must have brought him some food scraps while he sat on the street. This illustrates the grip that riches have on a self-centered man and the consequences of his thoughts about money. The story's setting is conveyed in very few words. A glimpse into the future awakens the heart and soul of every honest reader.
Lazarus, who had no money or status, died and went to heaven, where all those who have put their faith in the Savior of sinners are comforted. The unbelieving rich man went to the place of the dead, where the lost are tormented in flames. There was nothing anyone could do to relieve his pain of thirst, nor could anyone assist him. He had to accept the consequences of his choices. There is no way to express what it means to be lost because the final destiny is the lake of fire. Even though both men were descendants of Abraham, that did not pave the way for them to enter heaven. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.”
In providing us this brief glimpse into the future and the people who are already gone, the Lord made it clear that those in the afterlife remember their past experiences and the individuals they once knew. They can also experience both pain and comfort. They are capable of thinking clearly about the past, present, and future. “The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” It is in the good and perfect will of God that the righteous and the wicked will be separated from each other for eternity. The mixture of this present day will not always exist.
The condemnation in this story arises not from the wealth of one man but from how he chose to use his riches to live solely for himself. The futility and deception of such a life may not be recognized immediately, but it will become evident in the future. Not only can nothing be done to alter one’s eternal destiny, but after death, nothing can be done to change anyone else's fate. If people refuse to heed the teachings of the Bible or reject what they know it states, they have no hope of being saved now or in eternity.
The Pharisees and the disciples had seen evidence of who the Son of Man was, and decisions were made during their lifetimes regarding whether they would believe in Him or not. No miracle that God performs will convince a person who chooses not to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that they need to be saved now. Those whom God has saved, and who know the Bible, have the answers to important questions about the future as well as the present, and need to ensure they tell others what we know to be true. People need to understand that this present life and this world are not the end of everything. The divide between heaven and hell cannot be crossed. There is no second chance to be saved after we die. God’s judgment is based on our response to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is revealed to us through the scriptures of truth.
LUKE 17