June 18, 2015

“There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy upon 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.” Abraham said, “Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you many not be able….” Luke 16:19 – 26

“I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists in being put back on the right road. A wrong sum can be put right: but only by going back til you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on. Evil can be undone, but it cannot “develop” into good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit, “with backward mutters of dissevering power” — or else not.” “The Great Divorce” C. S. Lewis (1898 – 1963) “For All The Saints”, volume II (p. 102-103)

I was spending the weekend as the chaplain for a local youth event, when I was summoned to a small group with a young woman who had a question. She wanted to know if Hell was a real place. For her argument, she referenced this text from Luke 16 and the story of Lazarus to state that she believed in Hell. I took a moment to collect my thoughts, because I wanted to make sure I was clear in my opinion, because I had the same opinion as C.S. Lewis – at least in this manner of thought: that we must take some responsibility for the separation we experience from our Lord. If we ignore that relationship, then this separation can continue into the “age to come”. (I was also influenced by the writings of Rob Bell, and in particular the book “Love Wins”.) Because the text from Luke mentions the place “Hades”, Jesus is using a place that the Jews clearly understood as having two realms — the realm of bliss (Abraham’s Bosom) and the place of torment. I went on to explain that our lives are in torment when we separate ourselves from G*d.

Whether there is a place of eternal torment is yet to be determined (in my mind), but my efforts now are to be in relationship with G*d. I would never believe that this entitles me to eternal life, but I believe that Jesus has won that right for me. Any attempts I make to remove myself from a relationship with G*d places me in torment now, and when I come to myself and realize the road I find myself on, I rework my thoughts and actions to place my self back on the right road. It cannot be accomplished by wishes or “plans” — it takes the work of setting ourselves back on the right path.  Ultimately our work is not so that we will receive eternal life, but “because” Christ brings us eternal life now, and in the age to come.

Pastor Dave