Live Poor so as to be Accepted in Heaven
One of the most interesting, educational, and spiritual passages in the Gospels is as follows:
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And 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.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
(Luke 16, King James Version)
A rich man, poor Lazarus, and Abraham made clear what the God intended with Heaven and the hell. The God had Abraham act as an angel in Heaven to console Lazarus who had experienced a poor and miserable life. Abraham took a sever attitude against the rich man and would not save him from the hell. There is a great gulf between Heaven and the hell, so that none can come to the opposite side over the gap.
It is said in the Bible that those in the hell are trying to violently come into Heaven. But as they fail, they gnash in front of the door to Heaven.
But the most educationally valid part should be that Abraham refused to send a soul rising from death to the land of living to tell living men the truth in Heaven and the hell. If people do not hear Moses and the prophets, they will not hear souls coming back from the spirit world.
Likewise, if people of today do not hear Christ Jesus or understand the Gospels, they will not hear souls coming back from the spirit world or the world of the dead. So, the God still would not allow free and easy communications between living people and souls of dead men in the spirit world.
All we have to do is to live poor so as to be accepted in Heaven after death in this world. It is the core of the teaching of Christ Jesus, which could be understood even by poor fishermen, farmers, and tax collectors in Palestine 2000 years ago.
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Luke 8, King James Version
19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.