Skip to main content

Suffer Now or Later?

 In Luke 16:25, a rich man cries out to Abraham for mercy from Hades, "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony'" (NASB, 1995).


There is a saying that this is the short side of life, meaning that eternity will last forever, while the life experienced here and now will soon pass away. This idea may at first seem depressing. However, those who will be in Hades for eternity need to understand that the pleasures they seek in this life will only last briefly, while their torment will be long-lasting. Believers in Christ need to know that this side of life, the short side will include persecution. What kind of persecution? Everyone will experience the persecution that is personal to them. No one should judge another's persecution as being worse than theirs, for everyone suffers. Abraham made the point to the rich man that what he experienced in his life was the best that he could expect to receive. However, that life is over now that he has died. Lazarus, though, suffered during his lifetime. So, believers in Christ expect to suffer in life, but God will make their suffering useful to their growth. So, when someone argues that God will not spare believers from the final judgment and the dramatic suffering that comes with it, remind them that God wants to spare everyone from eternal suffering but sadly some refuse.


Bibliography

"Luke 16 (NASB95) - Now He was also saying." Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 7 Dec, 2024. https://www.blueletterbible.org/nasb95/luk/16/1/s_989001

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Story?

For 2021, I am reading through the Bible with the Bible Project-Biblical Storyline Reading Plan on the YouVersion App. This devotional will follow along with the daily reading. The reading for January 14 is: Genesis 41-42 We find in Genesis 41:8 that no one could interpret the dream of Pharaoh. In Genesis 41:16 Joseph makes it clear that God is the One who interprets dreams.  In Genesis 41:39, Pharaoh tells Joseph that because God has revealed this to Joseph, surely Joseph is the most discerning and wise. We find that Joseph finally understood the meaning of the dreams he had about his brothers bowing down to him. Joseph's story was really about God all along. God had put Joseph in exactly the right place with the gift of dream interpretation that only comes from God. God shows Himself through the life of Joseph.  I am not the hero of my story. So, when I feel left behind in my own life, I need to remind myself. God is here too. God will handle my deepest needs when the time i...
1 comment
Read more

Aroma Of Christ To God

What keeps our fire burning for God is the courage that comes from growing in the grace, that is, obeying God in doing what we cannot do without God’s divine empowerment, His grace. So, why are there people who call themselves Christians who do not do what God wants them to do? These are people who want something apart from God. Maybe they became aware of the good they ought to do by reading their Bible or in prayer, but instead of obeying God’s plan for their gifts, they put God out of their mind and went the other way. Maybe they weren’t willing to quit leaning on their favorite crutch when God called them to be free of its burden. Maybe they were afraid that they were not good enough to do what God called them to do.  The result of disobedience is dullness. If we fail to turn everything in us over to God for His glory, then we lose the power of God’s grace in our lives to bring joy from obedience. If we refuse to give ourselves fully to God, then the Bible only reminds us that...
Post a Comment
Read more

LAYOUT OF THE PSALMS

  LAYOUT OF THE PSALMS DIVISIONS Book I Psalms 1-41 Book II Psalms 42-72 Book III Psalms 73-89 Book IV Psalms 90-106 Book V Psalms 107-150 AUTHORS David 2, 3-9, 11-32, 34-41, 51-65, 68-70, 86, 95, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 133, 138-145 Asaph and family 50, 73-83 Sons of Korah 42, 44-49, 84-85, 87-88 Heman + Sons of Korah 88 Solomon 72, 127 Moses 90 Ethan the Ezrahite 89 Anonymous, a Psalmist 1, 10, 33, 43, 66, 67, 71, 91-94, 96-100, 102, 104-107, 111-121, 123, 125-126, 128-130, 132, 134-137, 146-150   MINOR COLLECTIONS Psalms 44-49 Psalms of the Sons of Korah poetic priests of David’s time ...
Post a Comment
Read more