Like a Veil Lifted! The Rich Man & Lazarus...

[josh]

It was summer time last year and we were replacing out carpet with wood floors. The fella that we had hired had a very odd personality... very quite around my parents, but when they would leave he would become very talkative with me.

He was in his 40's. I in my early twenties, and to say the least it struck me as kind of weird.  After a few weeks of him working in our home he revealed to me that he was a Jehovah's Witness and began discussing the topic of "hell" with me.

He assured me that the word "hell was not found in the scriptures. I pointed him to Luke chapter 16... apparently he was new to the JW's. He turned extremely white and began to look confused. Moments later he told me he was done for the night... and he never returned.

Later that week I was sharing the story with a few of my friends... almost proud of my "higher theological knowledge." I look back and am ashamed that I was ever proud of "proving" the existence of hell.

Now a year later, I am so thankful that my eyes have been opened to the parables... and even though I do not have a full understanding of what they mean, I am progressively learning the truth and unlearning the lies that I have believed for so long.

Yesterday, again on my lunch break... I sat down to read for a bit at a small dinner her in town. I opened up my bible to Matthew chapter 8...  when I reached verse 5, it was as though a veil was lifted from my eyes... I gained new understanding concerning the parable of the rich man and lazarus...

It goes as follows... (NKJV)

5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,

6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented."

7 And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

8 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.


It sounded so familiar, but what did it mean. At that very moment I recalled the parable of the rich man and lazarus from luke 16.

Praise God, that no scripture in and of itself can be self solving. (2 Peter 1:20)

As I finished reading I was reminded of Ray's Paper, the 12 Truths... let me quote #6

TRUTH NUMBER 6

[A] "...that in the mouth of TWO OR THREE WITNESSES every word may be established" (Matt. 18:16).

"...In the mouth of TWO OR THREE WITNESSES shall every word be established" (II Cor. 13:1).

[C] "And I will give power unto my TWO WITNESSES..." (Rev. 11:3).


Praise God! I am making ground slowly, but only through the grace of God who works ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL!

God's Peace my friends.
Josh

[rrammfcitktturjsp]

Josh,

  I can totally understand where you come from.  I was a member at First Baptist Church here in Lubbock and was on the FAITH team.  Basically what the boils down to is going out and evenglising the "Truth".  I prided myself on being able to show others the "truth" and bringing them to FBC and to Jesus.  Whoa, hold on after looking back at this I feel regret. I know that some in the church are there becuase I was out there preaching and teaching truths I had no business of teaching.  Everyday does not go by that I do not think about those people.

  I know now some of the Truth as I have only been able to make it through a small percentage of Ray's website.  I am so thankul, that I am not alone in my regrets and temptations.  I am glad that we all can share what is going on and can edify each other.

  Thanks for posting what you found on your lunch break.  It has offered some peace and comfort in regards to my past regrets with some of the people that I "witnessed" to and brought into the institution known as the church.

  Sincerely,



  Anne C. McGuire

[YellowStone]

Hi Swivel,

I thought I would look a little deeper at the word HELL that is used in Luk 16:23

I think the meaning would surprise many who loved to use this FIERY word.

Luk 16:23 

• And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

The word for Hell in the original Greek Scriptures was:  hades {hah'-dace}  Strongs 86

Outline of Biblical Usage

1) name Hades or Pluto, the god of the lower regions

2) Orcus, the nether world, the realm of the dead

3) later use of this word: the grave, death, hell

++++
In Biblical Greek it is associated with Orcus, the infernal regions, a dark and dismal place in the very depths of the earth, the common receptacle of disembodied spirits. Usually Hades is just the abode of the wicked, Lu. 16:23, Rev. 20:13,14; a very uncomfortable place.

Dark and dismal hardly represents the blazing fires of hell!

I thought that might interest some.

Love,
Darren

[rrammfcitktturjsp]

Darren,

  If there was a hell, I would perfer the dark and dismal rather than the hell fires.  At least I will not have to make that decision considering there is no hell.   

  One of the bumper stickers that I hate the most with a red and orange passions is the <Smoking or non-smoking for eternity?"  Man no wonder so many people are afraid of Christ becuase of how deep hell is.

  Getting back to the FAITH stuff, when we did a presentation over the gospel.  It would open up with Do you know where you would be if you died tonight?  I could never answer that question without a single doubt until now.  With what stuff I have read, I am quite liberated, so the rest is to come is more than I can imagine.

  Sincerely,



  Anne C. McGuire

[Phazel]

I have dealt with the issue of my past as well swivel.  But we have to acknowledge God is in control.


God may use us as only a part of someone elses walk.   You may have proved the existance of Hell to a Jehovas witness, but  your interaction could have been Gods way of getting that man out of the jehovahs witness environment, setting the stage for that persons revelation of truth. 


I used to look back on my life with regret.  Now, I look back on my life with a great appreciation that God had me do exactly what was needed to get me and those who interact with me right as he needs them to be.

This does not mean that I am proud to have done bad things in my life, it is simply an understanding that according to scripture, I could not have done anything else.