Tag: Luke 16:22-26
Everlasting destruction
Scripture reading for September 19: 2 Thessalonians 1
“Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, for which you are also suffering–since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of everlasting destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might, when He comes on that day to be glorified in His saints and to be marveled at among all who believed, . .” 2Thessalonians 1:4-10
There is much debate in the world concerning heaven and hell and a loving God. Some professing to believe in Jesus, find that they cannot believe that a God Who loves man made in His image would ever send anyone to a place like hell. But God describes hell as a place of everlasting darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus taught that there was no escape from there once a person dies. (Luke 16:22-26)
Here in this passage, Paul explains that it is God’s prerogative to repay sin and evil. He is just and will give each person exactly what is deserved. All sin and rebellion leads to death and not just physical death. Each person has an eternal existence and God prepared a place for the devil and his angels and for those refusing His offer of forgiveness and deliverance from God’s justice. Paul emphasized that God would repay. People refusing the Gospel of Jesus Christ would suffer ‘everlasting destruction’ shut away from God’s glorious presence and light forever. God Himself has set a day when this final judgment will be rendered to the lost and rewards given to those who have repented and received mercy.
How would you describe your world view regarding God’s justice and love in punishing the disobedient with everlasting destruction? What have you done to insure that you will be marveling at Jesus Christ when He returns? How do you understand God’s heart of love offered to all mankind?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the gift of salvation from everlasting destruction through Jesus Christ. I am resting in Your Word that all who call on Jesus Christ will be saved. Use me today to share the Gospel to those still in darkness and disobedience. Reach my family that all may marvel at Your return. Amen.
Jesus teaches an impossibility!
Scripture reading for October 25: Luke 16-18
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.” Luke 16:13-14
Jesus spoke very plainly: “You cannot serve both God and Money.” In Christian circles today, there is a popular variation of the Gospel called the “prosperity” teaching. This teaching says that God wants you to be rich in order to use your riches as a testimony to the world of the blessings of God’s kingdom. Now God’s Word does proclaim blessing on God’s people for obedience and faith. Those who walked in faith were often blessed and obtained great wealth in this world. But God is more concerned about our hearts. He said it is impossible to serve two masters.
The Pharisees had a teaching very similar to this prosperity message of today. They taught that God’s blessing was on the rich and that if a person was poor, he was under a curse. This had some scriptural truth to it from Deuteronomy 28 and other places in the Old Testament. However, Jesus came to help them see things in a different light. He told a story about a rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. These two real people lived on earth and both died. At death there was a great reversal. The rich man ended up in the torment of Hell. The poor beggar, Lazarus, ended up in Abraham’s bosom, a place of comfort and blessing. They could see each other but were separated by a great gulf. (Luke 16:22-26)
This in itself struck at the hearts of those who loved “money”! Jesus went on to tell about the conversation in the underworld between this rich man and Father Abraham. The rich man asked to have Lazarus come and bring a drop of water to comfort him in his torment. This request was refused. It was impossible! This rich man then asked about sending Lazarus back to earth to warn his five brothers so that they would not end up in Hell. This request was also denied. The Law and Prophets provided all the warning that God was offering to them.
We have this Word from Jesus today to warn us as well! He has risen from the dead and is speaking to us with an unchanging Word. Pursue the kingdom of God and His righteousness, not money! Beware of the spirit of the Pharisees, who loved money. Beware of those who preach a false prosperity gospel! It is impossible to serve Jesus and money!