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LAZARUS AND THE RICH MAN



The parable of Lazarus and the rich man gives a chilling warning to members of Gods church. I will print the full parable and add comments and other scriptures.

Luk 16:19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 
Luk 16:20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 
Luk 16:21  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Lazarus was unconverted. He was begging for food, and Gods people don’t beg.

Psa 37:25  I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 

Luk 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Lazarus died and was buried, and some time later was resurrected to physical life. [Abraham had been resurrected with the firstfruits, a thousand years earlier]

Ecc 9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 

Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

The rich man also died.

Luk 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 
Luk 16:23  And in hell [the grave] he lifted up his eyes, [in a resurrection] being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luk 13:28  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves being thrust out. 

The rich man died and was buried in hell [the grave] and was also resurrected to flesh, to be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. The torment is the time between being resurrected and being killed in the lake of fire.

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Both the rich man and the beggar died the first death, and both were resurrected back to flesh.

Luk 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

The rich man was converted and had Gods Holy Spirit. We cannot blaspheme Gods spirit until we have it.

Mat 12:31  Therefore I say to you, All kinds of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven to men.
Luk 16:25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted and you are tormented. 

Herein lies the reason for the rich man being cast into the lake of fire. The full account is in Mat. 25 v 34 to 46. I will just quote a few scriptures from the account. If we don’t do good; when it is in our power to do so; we will go into the lake of fire.

Mat 25:41  Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Mat 25:42  For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink;
Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.


Luk 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

There is no second chance, once we get Gods Holy Spirit of life.

Luk 16:27  And he said, I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,
Luk 16:28  for I have five brothers, so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luk 16:29  Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them.
Luk 16:30  And he said, No, father Abraham, but if one should go to them from the dead, they would repent.
Luk 16:31  And he said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even though one rose from the dead. 

The parable of Lazarus and the rich man shows that it is absolutely imperative that Gods people do good when it is in their power to do so. The rich man blasphemed Gods Spirit, by not doing good when it was in his power to do so. The following scriptures show that the principle applies to us all. There is always someone worse off then we are.

Jas 4:17  Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

1Jn 3:17  But whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother having need, and shuts up his bowels from him, how does the love of God dwell in him?

Pro 3:27  Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Pro 3:28  Do not say to your neighbor, Go and come back again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it beside you:


GOD IS NOT MOCKED: we will eventually reap as we sow.

Doing good is one of the keys of the kingdom, and as such it is absolutely imperative that we do good to others; even our enemies.

Rom 12:20  Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him. If he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.