Selfishness    Luke 16:19-31

This post concerns selfishness in the face of opportunities to help others

Selfishness discusses a story told by Jesus to His disciples in the hearing of the Pharisees. Before, they ridiculed Jesus. So, He told a story about a rich man who exemplified their attitude about money, Luke 16:29-21. “… 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.”

Apparently, Lazarus received nothing. Both men died. Angels carried Lazarus to Abraham for comfort. But not the rich man. He found himself in torment.

Immediately, the rich man begged Abraham for help, Luke 16:24. “…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.’”

Then, Abraham told him that his selfish life had decided his current fate, and a giant gulf prevented anyone leaving one state for the other. Consequently, the rich man asked for the return of Lazarus as a warning to his five brothers so they would not come to this place of torment. However, Abraham explained that they should listen to Moses and the prophets.

The rich man insisted that if Lazarus would go to them from the dead, they would listen. Abraham disagreed, Luke 16:31. “‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

So, what did we learn?

1.Death leads to a conscious intermediate state—either torment or bliss—before judgment.

2.Uncaring in life—selfishness—determines the status after death.

3.Jesus does not mention purgatory as a possible exit from torment because dying seals the future after death.

4.All people get the same chance in life—obey God’s word or go to torment.

5.Jesus authenticates the Old Testament as God’s word.

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#richman #Lazarus #torment