One of the amazing revelations spoken by the lips of our Savior Jesus Christ is the story of a conversation that takes place between two souls of dead people. The Lord gives it to us for edification and as a warning, so that we do not find ourselves in the other world in an unexpected position.
Let's read this incident in the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Luke:
The first thing that follows from these words is the fact of the existence of hell and torment in it. In this story, the words of the terrible cry of the deceased rich man are repeated several times: "for I am tormented in this flame," "have mercy on me," "so that the end of your finger can be dipped in water and my tongue cooled."
Disbelief in the existence of hell is a favorite and very convenient trap of the devil, which lulls the vigilance and leads people to hell.
Notice how radically the picture is changing beyond eternity. On earth, Lazarus was a beggar, and the rich man lived in conditions inaccessible to the poor. The rich man saw the suffering of the hungry Lazarus and did not consider it necessary to help him. In the other world, Lazarus sees the suffering of the rich man, but cannot help him. The moral and physical abyss that separated the rich man and Lazarus on earth, after the death of both turned into an impassable spiritual abyss.
Do not think that Christ by this narration says that all the rich will end up in hell, and the poor will all go to heaven. Abraham was one of the richest people on earth. However, he and everything he had was completely devoted to God. And we meet him in the story of paradise.
Promotional video:
The peculiarity of the rich man from the story of Christ was that he lived only for earthly life. His god was the womb, wealth and glory. He lived only for himself. Throughout the rich man's dialogue with Abraham, the rich man never mentions the word "God." Yes, a person who lives on earth without God dies without God. The rich man in despair turns to Abraham to send Lazarus to the house of his father and warn his living five brothers about this place of torment so that they do not get here.
The guidance of a lost soul comes from the mouth of a rich man who asks Abraham to "send Lazarus." He does not say "send me", no, for he knows that the gates of hell have closed behind him. He is only concerned about the fate of his five brothers. He wants to save them so that they repent. He does not allow thoughts of his own repentance. Apparently, in the other world, repentance does not free the soul from hell, for as such repentance is impossible there.
The rich man really wanted his brothers to know what hell is. He assumed that if they established themselves in his existence, they would do their best to avoid him. Many today, like a rich man, living here on earth, do not even admit the idea of the existence of hell after death. Christ warns us with the words:
Abraham's answer indicates that a miracle will not convince people and that in the hands of the rich man's five brothers there is a much stronger proof of the existence of hell - Holy Scripture. He replied to him: "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, then if someone rose from the dead, they will not believe" (Luke 16:31). This warning of Jesus Christ says that we must decide the issue of our salvation immediately, and not postpone it for the future. Everything that is required for our salvation is available to us.
How little Christ illuminates the earthly life of these two people, the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, He focuses all attention on their afterlife, when they found themselves in eternity in two opposite places and an impassable chasm lay between them. Dear friends, each of us, without exception, must answer this most important of all questions: where will I spend eternity?
Think, my friend, what to choose: eternal bliss with God in paradise or eternal torment with the devil in hell? One of two, the third state is not given. The border separating this world from the other world is so fragile that everyone's life can be interrupted at any moment. We do not notice this, but the life of each of us hangs in the balance. Therefore, that Word of God also says:
My friend, you don't have to go to hell. God does not want the death of the sinner; He loves us. God loves you just the way you are. Whatever your sin, He is ready to forgive you, wanting to save you from eternal torment. He so loved all people, all sinners, that He gave His Son to die on the Cross of Calvary in order to save us from our sins and give us eternal life.
Oh my friend, do not postpone the day of your salvation. You can have it now. Bow your head where you are and say: Lord, I have sinned against You. Forgive my sins and wash me with Your precious blood! Make this decision now. Believe and you will be saved! May the Lord help you to do this!
Jarl Nikolaevich Peisti