"and in Hades, Being in Torment"

And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ "

This parable illustrates the consequences of a life lived without faith in Christ and the stark contrast between the afterlife destinies of the rich man and Lazarus. If you died right now, where would you go, to heaven or hell?

Perhaps you believe in neither. What do you base that on? Were your parents agnostic or atheists? You do not like the idea that you are not in control of your life. Throughout history and today, non-believers have been converted to faith in Christ. Lee Strobel, a famous reporter, tried to disprove Christ and found himself, a former Atheist, converted. Lee's story is documented in the movie “The Case for Christ.”There are so many things God created that we are just now discovering. What if you are wrong?

Today’s scripture is a parable of someone who was rich in the world but spiritually bankrupt. Hell is not where the party is going on. Hell is isolation, a lack of light causing blackness, unending fire, burning, and severe pain. All of this is foretold in scripture, primarily by Jesus. The worst part of hell is it is eternal. There is no changing your mind or getting out, and like the rich man, you know you put yourself there.

Are you trying to run from God? Well, there is no escape from Him in hell. It is not Satan that puts one there but God; He controls heaven and hell. Sin and hell are the reasons Christ came in the incarnation. He came to save humanity from both. The cross opened the door to heaven for all those who place their faith in Jesus as their Savior. Without Him, His birth, ministry, death, and resurrection, we would have no way to reach heaven.

In the Bible, the prophets spoke of Jesus, and Jesus fulfilled every messianic prophecy. Jesus also gave the apostles prophecies about his death and the destruction of the temple, which happened just as he described. Christ spoke of His second coming. What makes you think Christ’s second coming will not occur?

Are you confident there is nothing after death? Are you so sure that you are willing to wager your eternity on your belief? Are you so arrogant to believe there is something you may not know? John wrote, “So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” (4:48) Will you wait until you wake up in hell or see Christ coming on the clouds as he promised? Will you be begging God for His mercy, a mercy that was offered to you during your entire life, but you ignored it and is no longer available to you?

This is not what the Lord wants for you. This is not what any Christian wants for any person. Slow down and think: what do you really know or not know? Be like Strobel, start to search, learn about Christ, why He came, what He did, and how He can change you for the better. Learn about Jesus and how coming to faith in Him is the only way to receive the free gift of eternal life—a life in heaven, not hell. There is nothing you could have done or are doing that would make you ineligible for this gift, to be forgiven for your sins, and to be rejoined to your eternal Father in heaven.

It is your choice to roll the dice or read the Bible. The word of God tells all about salvation by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. This means that salvation is not earned through our actions but is a free gift from God that we receive by believing in the work that Jesus did on the cross. If you have questions about this or anything else, reach out to us here at inmessiah.com. We are always available to spread the Word of God and help you understand His plan for your life.

Grace and Peace!