Seven Lessons Learned Too Late
by Don Fortner Luke Chapter 16, Verses 19-31 Here is the story
of the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus died and was carried
up to heaven. Chosen, redeemed, and born of
God, he entered into glory. The rich man also died. What
became of him? In hell he lifted up his eyes,
being in torment. Our Lord here allows us to look
beyond the grave. He allows us to look into hell
itself. He shows us the pains, feelings,
and desires of a damned man, one who is forever shut up in
hell. Here are seven things that the
rich man learned, but he learned them too late. He learned them
in hell. I pray that you will not learn
them too late. One, death does not end all. If a man dies, shall
he live again? Indeed we shall. We all have
an immortal soul that will live on forever after our bodies are
in the grave. Will you spend eternity in the
bliss and glory of heaven or in the torments of the damned
in hell? Two. There is a real place called
hell. Hell is as real as the town in
which you live. The same inspired book that tells
us about heaven and the eternal bliss of the redeemed also tells
us about hell and the eternal misery of the damned. I do not
know where it is and I cannot imagine what it is, but hell
is a real place. The rich man found out too late
that hell is not a myth. 3. A holy God must and will punish
sin. God is so inflexibly just and
holy that when the sin of His people was imputed to His own
dear Son, He poured out His infinite wrath upon Him. In the same way
He who punished His Son for sin, He will certainly punish you
for your sin if it is not removed by His Son. Fourth, hell is a
place of endless torment. The rich man cried, I am tormented
in this flame. Hell is a place of unfulfilled
lust and desire, a place of eternal mental, moral, and physical agony.
Five, Christ is the only way of salvation. The rich man's
riches, religion, and works were of no value to him in hell. Missing
Christ, he lost all. 6. Unless a man repents, he will
surely perish. In hell this man realized that
without repentance, there is no salvation. Verse 30. 7. No one can ever be saved without
hearing and believing the gospel. Verses 28-31. Be wise now and
believe the gospel. Trust Christ, lest you also perish
forever under the wrath of God.