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The Truth About The Rich Man and Lazarus

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Read this amazing story: One day a rich man and a poor man both die. Instantly, they both awaken—but to find themselves in very different circumstances.

The Truth About the Rich Man and Lazarus

The most common interpretation of Jesus' parable of Lazarus and the rich man is that we all have immortal souls that go to either heaven or hell immediately at death. But does this parable really say that?

No One Has Ascended to Heaven*

*That is, except Jesus Christ, who came down from Heaven (John 3:13). But when you read in Luke 16:22 that "the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom," it's easy to assume this means Lazarus was taken to heaven.

Was the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus a Real Story?

One of the most important questions to consider about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is whether or not the story is based on actual events. Some argue that, since Jesus specifically mentions Lazarus' name and talks about his and the rich man's fate, it must be a true account with a literal meaning.

The State of the Dead

Let's go back over the second part of Luke 16:22, which states, "The rich man also died and was buried." Let's pause once again to ask a fundamental question. What does the Bible reveal about the state of the dead? "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing…For there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going" (Ecclesiastes 9:5, Ecclesiastes 9:10).

The Rich Man in Mental Torment

What did the rich man do next? "Then 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'" (Luke 16:24).

The Wicked Will Be Completely Burned Up

It's essential to understand the truth about the lake of fire.

Live a Life of Righteousness Now

What have we learned about Jesus' parable about Lazarus and the rich man? We discovered the biblical truth about the resurrection of the dead and the fallacy of an immortal soul going to heaven or an ever-burning hell at the time of death.