Christianity 105: Manage Money Well
Luke 16:13-15, 19-31
The story Jesus told about the rich man and the poor man is powerfully instructive across a range of truths. Although it is commonly assumed to be a parable, it is not presented as one – and it may very well be narrative given by Jesus regarding real people and their experiences on earth and beyond.
First, there’s Lazarus. This isn’t the Lazarus of Bethany (raised by Jesus). This is a different man, and one whose situation is horrendous.
He is afflicted with multiple sores and who knows what else. He can’t get around on his own, so others place him at the rich man’s gate. He is very hungry and is harassed by dogs that lick his lesions. He is obviously dead broke. It is safe to presume that he was at the rich man’s gate hoping for some help – which, apparently, he didn’t get.
Then, there’s the rich man (some traditions name him “Dives,” which means “rich” in Latin). He is living the high life. He probably knows there is a pitiful, profoundly needy man at his gate. It is safe to presume that he doesn’t help Lazarus.
Fast-forward: Lazarus and the rich man both die. After death, the rich man is in a place of everlasting torment (sounds like hell, or its waiting room). Lazarus, conversely, is depicted as being in a place of everlasting comfort and blessing (heaven).
How did Lazarus get into Heaven, since Jesus hadn’t finished His mission yet? Lazarus had the same kind of saving faith that Abraham did. God counted Abraham’s faith as righteousness. He must have done the same thing for Lazarus. All of that Old Testament-style “saving” was predicated upon the fact that Jesus was going to provide the necessary sacrifice some day to seal the deal.
Lazarus had saving faith. How did the rich man get into hell? It is the default destiny for those without saving faith.
Lazarus didn’t go to “Abraham’s bosom” because of his poverty or his physical suffering. The rich man didn’t go to Hades as a result of being rich.
The fact that the rich man held onto his wealth and didn’t help Lazarus didn’t keep him out of Heaven either. That was evidence of his lostness, not the cause of it. I hope that, if the rich man had had saving faith, he would have helped Lazarus.
We don’t know the connection between the rich man’s wealth and his lostness. There are plenty of folks who are saved and wealthy. But it may be likelier for a poor person to turn to, and depend on, God.
– The ETB writer for the spring quarter is a South Carolinian who formerly served Southern Baptists in a closed country. We are honoring his request not to publish identifying information.