LUKE 16:14-31 GOD KNOWS It is a sad commentary on some of those who profess to know God, that they believe prosperity and wealth is a sign of God's blessing on what they do. The Pharisees believed their material wealth was because they were zealously guarding the law. They made faces at the Lord Jesus when He taught what stewardship and the right use of money was to be. Their derisive sneers revealed their avarice and love of money. Money was very important to them and they would have hated the words of the Lord when they heard what they esteemed was an abomination to God. It still is. Accumulating money is a passion to many today. Even Christians who have become wealthy will say, "God has certainly blessed us." "An abomination" is that which has an awful smell. We need to consider how we look at the material things God has allowed us to use, and make sure those are not the things we "highly esteem." The Lord Jesus Christ never did teach anything like the "prosperity Gospel" some teach today. That is one reason why "few there be that find it." The narrow gate and the narrow way do not allow for the great accumulation of material things.
The value of the Old Testament and the law has not yet diminished. "By the law is the knowledge of sin;" "They are they which testify of Me" still impacts those who read the scriptures. John was one who assisted in teaching that pointed out the difference between the dispensation of law and the dispensation of grace. When Christ was born, "God was manifest in the flesh." John told of Him and pointed out the Lord Jesus when He came to be baptized. He identified the final lamb of sacrifice - "Behold, the Lamb of God" who was given for the whole world. Now those who enter the kingdom of God have to press against the prejudices of human opinions. Those who enter will be laughed at and scorned; will have to face opposition. No, the purpose of the law had to be fulfilled in every way because it reveals the perfections of God's standard and the holiness demanded of those who enter the kingdom. That is why the "righteousness of Christ" has to be imputed to us. The blessing we need is not money or what can be gained from it. It is the perfections of the Substitute God has provided that is the source of our blessing.
The religious leaders not only had wrong thoughts and practices regarding money, but they had wrong thoughts and practices about marriage. The idea of "any cause" divorce was an opinion of men, not the teaching of the law. God always intended marriage to be a lifelong relationship in which each person is committed to the other. The Jewish practice of the Hillel school of thought was not right back then and it is not right now. It has always been God's intention is that marriage is for life. Some have experienced any cause divorce before they were saved by God's grace and made a new creation in Christ. Others have experienced being wronged by the adultery of the other after God saved them. The problem of moral looseness has come as a result of those who for one reason or another, love money. A wrong estimation of what is important to God leads to wrong actions on the part of people in more than one way.
Flamboyant living, giving the wrong estimation of what money produces, is behind the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The accumulation of wealth often leads to ostentatious living and spending what one has been allowed to have, on things that are only for "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life." The contrast between the two was very plainly defined so there was no question about the benefits of misused wealth and the needs of others. But both men had one thing in common - they both died. "It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment." The poor beggar was treated with indifference by the rich man. He made no effort to help him in any way. Money has a way of creating a careless indifference toward others. We may think we deserve it, and if the other person would do the same, he would have what he needs. We need to remember, "What have we that we did not receive."
Death is no surprise. It is the wages of sin - both physically and spiritually. Death cannot be escaped even by the best of care provided for by great financial expense. It is impossible to avoid this common denominator of all humanity. Whether a person is buried with great pomp and another is burned to ashes, each one has gone from the place where money, or the lack of it, defined them. Beyond the veil the Lord lifted as He told the story of these two men, we can see the results of life lived here on earth. Privilege in life does not guarantee blessing beyond the grave. It just increases our responsibility in life to use what God gives us for the right reasons. Friendships and family ties are not a consideration after the death of one who is in hell. The man who was blessed after death was no longer in pain or concerned about what he had or didn't have. He had lived with eternity in view. The wealthy man had only lived for the present and found that the false standards of men only leads to eternal punishment. The Pharisees were hostile towards the Lord and loved their money. Like them, lost souls will never be persuaded to turn to the Lord for salvation unless there is a consciousness on their own part of personal sin. They must face their need of God and come to Him in repentance and put their faith in Christ alone to receive the righteousness of Christ.
When moral light is given and deliberately ignored, The gains we could have had in life are gone. Accounts of money accumulated and goods which we have stored, Bring no lasting benefits when life is done. So live each day on earth as if this one is the last, And lay up your treasure where it will never rust. There is no place to repent once this life is past, Repentance is not just a choice; it is a must.
What God has given me to use I must carefully appraise, So that it is not wasted on things that never count. It is up to me to make decisions that are right and wise, And not be too concerned about the real amount Of money that I have or material things around That can be lost to me as quickly as they're gained. These things that are unseen are the ones that do abound, Unseen eternal things can be maintained.
The things we see are temporal, they can go quickly up in smoke, By nature, they are only for the here and now. The words of the Lord when here and the truths to men He spoke, Are the way we learn the what and when and how Of living life that counts for the present and eternity, So, our every-day living should only be for God. Then when life is over it will be easy for us to see, Why when we first were saved, we gladly called Him, "Lord."
A glimpse into the future to life beyond the grave, Gives insight into what is important here today. We may not realize the value of the things we gave, That others may be helped and hear what we have to say. Some in heaven will bless the interest that was shown, And continued until salvation's light had finally dawned. Others down in hell will remember what they had known, And realize then their opportunity is forever gone.
"Heavenly Father, the things that happen here on earth seem to take up much of my thoughts. I pray that this day I might realize how closely tied together the things going on now are to the final result of the efforts of life. My prayer is that Thy servant will in some way make each day count for eternity. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."