REPENTANCE MEANS WE ARE SORRY!
Luke 16:31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Jesus spoke of this as fact and not as a parable. He gave us a glimpse into life after death for people. Every single person that has ever lived has continued to exist after their physical death. Prior to Calvary’s cross where Jesus made atonement for the sins of humanity, people would go to the abode of the righteous dead or the abode of the unrighteous dead. The rich man must have been unrighteous, and the poor beggar named Lazarus must have been righteous. The two places were separated by a chasm that made it impossible for anyone to cross to the other side. While the righteous side was not heaven, it did not have the torment that the abode that the unrighteous had. The unrighteous people had a full remembrance of their past, and why they were where they were at. And while those in the abode of the unrighteous resented being there, it doesn’t seem as though they had any desire repent of their sinfulness. And this points to the difference between the two abodes. Both sides have committed sins in their previous life, but some people are sorry for them.
I would think that Abraham would be wrong. Surely people would repent of their sinfulness if they knew someone that had been raised from the dead, but we know that is just not the case. The problem is not with people believing in life after death, because most people believe in that. The problem is wanting to stop their sinfulness.
Even after we become a Christian we still continue to sin. We sin by doing what God said not to do, and we sin by not doing what he said to do. It seems in some ways we are doomed to sin. Paul said of this himself in Romans 7:15b, “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do.” To answer this he tells us in 7:24, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!” In spite of our sinfulness, we have hope in Jesus!
Before Jesus went to atone for the sins of the world on Calvary's cross, everyone went to the abode of the dead. They either went to the abode of the righteous where Abraham was at, or on the other side of the great chasm where the rich man was at in torment. No one could go to heaven at this time, because even the righteous had sinned and fallen short the glory of God. The righteous were good people, but sinful just the same. Remember it is not enough just to disobey God by doing what he said not to do , but not doing what he said to do. At the time of the rich man and Abraham the difference was evil versis good. Both stood in need of a savior as we all do. All have sinned and fallen short the glory of God. This is why Jesus went to the abode of the dead following his resurrections as we read in I Peter 4:6 where it says, “For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regards to the body, but alive according to God in regards to the spirit. Because God is just and treats everyone the same, Jesus wanted to give those that had died before his atonement on Calvary's Cross the same opportunity for salvation by his grace. Those that wanted forgiveness could receive it, and those whose hearts were hardened by the evil in their life would not. These people would remain in the abode of the dead until judgment day. Those that wanted to receive Jesus forgiveness through his grace could go to be with him in heaven.
Today when a person dies they go immediately to heaven to be with Jesus if they are a Christian. If they are not they go to the abode of the dead. If the person is good they go to the abode of the righteous dead to await for the White Throne Judgement. The evil will go to the abode of the unrighteous dead, and they too will wait until judgment. At the White Throne Judgment both will have the salvation of Jesus explained to them if they have never heard or understood. Then there will be a separation with those rejecting Jesus’ forgiveness by going to hell to spend eternity.
Sin is a great frustration as well as a great tragedy. It hurts us, and it hurts God as well. While like Paul we all struggle with it, we do have the the blessed hope in the grace of Jesus’ forgiveness. We can say like Paul in I Corinthians 15:55-57 where it says, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your great sacrifice for us on Calvary’s cross. We are weak and sin much too much, but your grace is sufficient and where sin abounds in our life your grace abounds exceedingly more. Thank you for loving us so much, and your patience to forgive and love us. We love you Jesus!
