NUGGETS: Two Different Standards of Living
“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon [self]. And the Pharisees also who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided Him. And He said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men: but God knoweth your hearts: For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:13-15).
The Bible tells us about the different lifestyle of two men as we read this whole chapter. They were called, the Rich Man and Lazarus. Now the rich man had fine clothes, a fine house and plenty to eat. He had a fine life. He was unrighteous. Well, it was not so good for Lazarus. He laid at the gate (entrance of the city), full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. He was a righteous man. Not because he was poor, but because he did what was right in the eyes of God.
Lazarus died and was carried to the where Abraham was and the rich man also died and wound up in hell, not because he was rich but because he did not do what was right in the eyes of God. He begged God to send Lazarus to drop just one drop of water on his parched tongue. Abraham reminded him of the past. How he had, had so much and Lazarus had nothing (he didn’t help Lazarus). Besides there is a great gulf between us and they could not cross over. The rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers. Abraham said no, if they will not listen to the preachers and evangelist and prophets of the day, they would not listen to someone from the dead.
Some things we see in this record of a true happening, is the proof of eternal mortality. We will live forever, somewhere. There is a consciousness of the person after leaving the body. There is torment for the wicked and bliss for the righteous. That is immediately after death of the body. There is no space between. It is appointed to man once to die and then the judgment. There is nothing that will change a person’s place after death. The time we prepare for eternity is right now. On the cross, Jesus told the thief, today you will be with me in paradise. The thief had come to believe in Jesus, right there on the cross. The very moment the body dies, that person is instantly in the eternal state they will spend eternity. Back looking at the first paragraph. Man cannot make up rules to justify the way they want to live. God looks on the heart. Man says “Well, I believe …” You know, it does not matter what a person believes. If it does not line up with the “Word of God” it has no value. Those people will spend all eternity hating the evil that dammed their souls. Who you serve here on earth will be the one you serve for all eternity.
There are only two lifestyles. One is in Christ, with peace, joy and freedom. And the other is in self, trapped in what I want, what I like, what makes me feel good. One takes us to an eternal bliss, the other to eternal damnation and harrow. The choice belongs to you. Why not choose Jesus today. Invite him into your heart, where God looks, and enter that good life today. No, it will not be instant perfect, but it builds to perfection. Now you have help. You are no longer fighting the battle alone.
