21/12/12
The Cry of the Dead! (Bishop Macedo's Blog)
Our bad choices lead us to bad results, so each one of us must learn to think before deciding anything, especially with regard to eternity.
Though we have to solve and attend to many worldly needs it is vital to learn to prioritize our spiritual life. Here is the secret! "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness "Matthew 6:33” This should be the foundation of our lives .
Even when in trouble or going through a very difficult moment, the most important thing is to pay attention to our spiritual life and not to circumstantial problems.
It doesn’t make sense to seem perfect on the outside while full of depression, loneliness, fear and resentment on the inside. In this case, there will not be anyone or anything that can help us. It is a useless effort trying to fill the emptiness of one’s inner-self with the things of this world, because it will not produce what is needed.
Jesus tells us of one fact in particular, and that serves as a reference for the future of our soul.
The sacred text says:
"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and every day feasted splendidly. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, and the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom, the rich man also died, and was buried. "Luke 16.19-22
When a person dies having lived a life of righteousness, that is, within the precepts of God… not by having a religion, but by obedience to the Word of God - because not all who attend church are obedient to God’s word - so, despite his social standards or background but due to righteousness, God’s angels will immediately come to take his soul to the Kingdom of Justice. This is an incalculable wealth, worth more than all the gold of this world, because it is a certainty that accompanies the person to death.
"In hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." Luke 16:23
When one lives in sin, theft, hatred, bitterness and whatever is evil, God’s angels will not come to redeem his soul at the time of death, because he died in injustice.
God rescues the just to a special place, but those who refused to surrender to Jesus will be taken straight to the grave. We know that the person who dies without Jesus is brought down to hell. That is, the place of the unjust!
Those who want to preserve their soul must also preserve themselves from injustice, since it is not fit for those who want eternal salvation.
The souls of those who are in hell are crying out because they are tormented.
Those who are born of God do not fear death! On the contrary- they mock it because death has no power over their lives. Yet those who lack the assurance of their salvation will live and die in torment. In this way each and everyday that passes the fear of death increases inside those whose way are unjust.
From hell the rich man saw Abraham in heaven. Abraham stood as an example of faith, the friend of God - characterizing the difference between those who live in justice and those who don’t.
"And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send me Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame." Luke 16:24
Torment is something infinitely worse than suffering because physical pain is relieved with medication, but nothing can ease the torment.
He was not in hell because he was rich, but because he relied only on his wealth, as many rely only in the strength of their arm.
In what have you trusted? Religion? Family members? Possessions? People?
"Then Abraham said; Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you are tormented." Luke 16:25
In the text it might seem that rich people go to hell and poor people go to heaven but it is not so. Both the poor and the rich can go to hell, and it depends only on the very person who decides to live a life of justice or injustice.
When a person dies, he will go where he likes. If here on earth he lives unjustly then hell will call out for his soul.
"And besides, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you can not, neither can they pass to us." Luke 16:26
Once dead, a person’s soul cannot be transferred from hell to heaven.
"Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that they give testimony, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets: let them hear them. And he said, No! Father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. But Abraham said to him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. "Luke 16.27-31
In fact, those who have died and gone to hell are crying out desperately for one who is alive not go there. It is them who are desperate to avoid that loved ones are also cast into hell and have to go through the torment they are going through.
We work daily for your soul’s salvation, but we are not responsible for your life out there, we are not responsible for the decisions you make.
No use of our prayers for those who have died, because each one of us will decide where to spend eternity while in this life.
This is wise reasoning and intelligence!
(Bishop Macedo's Blog)
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