The Rich Man and Lazarus
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus can be found in Luke 16:19-31. Many use this for teaching what happens after you die.
Lazarus is a poor begger who is filled with sores, longing for even crumbs from the rich man. But the rich man does nothing to help him. They both die. Lazarus goes to the bosom of Abraham, the rich man to Hades. The rich man sees Abraham and Lazarus, and asks if Lazarus could bring cool water for his tongue to ease his agony. Abraham tells him that cannot happen. Then the rich man asks for Lazarus to go and tell his family about this peril so they believe. Abraham answers that they all had a chance to believe the prophets. Not even someone coming back to life will convince them.
What is this story really teaching? The afterlife? Many believe so. But let's look at things both sides agree on. In the afterlife in this story, the doomed are conversing with the righteous. Is that in The Bible? No. They most assuredly will not be interacting with each other. Not only that, but the overseer, Abraham, is also talking to those who were unsaved. This also is 100% not Biblical truth. This is proof that this story cannot be any real teaching of what happens when you die.
So what is the point? Jesus wanted to show others in a very stark manner how people should treat others in this life. Jesus served the poor, the sick, widows, the lame, blind, tax collectors, and others in need. He ministered to them. He fed them. He healed them. The way He treated them was to show us how to love our neighbor.
That is the moral of the story. If you do not treat others right, the Kingdom of God will not be for you.
We should remember that Jesus had to talk in ways His audience would understand. The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection. They believed exactly what this story told. They believed that the dead were transported to Sheol, where the wicked and the blessed were taken to different compartments. Hence, the people in this story are interacting. But these are false teachings that most, if not all, Christians would not believe.
The conclusion is certain. This is not a story to teach what happens when one dies. It is for us to be warned on how to treat others. An aside thought is also about disbelief. We will will all have a chance to believe. Once we die, our choice cannot be changed.
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