In Defense of the Faith

The Rich Man and Lazarus

For further proof of his contention Mr. Canright cites the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which he quotes and comments upon in the following manner: DOF 254.2

“See the same doctrine so definitely taught in the case of the rich man and Lazarus. Luke 16:19-31. ‘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; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 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. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 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. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou would send him to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham says unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.’ ... DOF 254.3

“These events occurred between death and the resurrection, while the brethren of the rich man were yet alive on earth. Hence immediately after death and before the resurrection the rich man is in hell and Lazarus is rewarded. They are both conscious. Abraham is alive over there. Both think and talk. Hence the dead certainly know something. Had we no other text, this alone would disprove the sleep of the dead.”—Ibid., pp. 406, 407. DOF 255.1

In arguing against Spiritualism on page 398 of Seventh-day Adventism Renounced, Mr. Canright states: DOF 255.2

“Further, the Bible forbids seeking to the dead, and states plainly that they know nothing of things on the earth. See Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Job 14:21; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6; Luke 16:19-31.” DOF 255.3

Note carefully the contradiction here. In one place Mr. Canright says that the Bible states plainly that the dead know nothing of things on the earth, and he cites four Scriptural references to prove it. In another place he takes a parable as though it were a literal happening, says the things in it “occurred between death and the resurrection,” has the dead in heaven and in hell talking together about five brothers of the rich man who are still on earth, and closes by observing, “Hence the dead certainly know something.” In one place the dead “know nothing of things on the earth”; in the other place a dead man in hell carries on a perfectly rational conversation about five brothers of his who are still on the earth! Perhaps Mr. Canright’s admirers who circulate his book so freely will also want to smooth this glaring contradiction up a bit before the next edition is published. It really needs it. It looks bad as it is. DOF 255.4

Try to picture in your mind what heaven would be like, and how much enjoyment you could get out of being there, if this parable of our Lord’s were to be taken as an indication of actual conditions existing there between death and the resurrection. Lazarus is in heaven, the rich man in hell; and Abraham. is seen holding Lazarus in his bosom. The rich man and Lazarus decide to have a visit together. Really, these two places must be in pretty close proximity to each other. The inmates can converse freely. A saintly mother in heaven can visit now and then with her wayward son who is in hell. She can hear his cries and entreaties for mercy. She puts him off, saying that he had a good time on earth and now he must be tormented. This goes on for a year, two years, ten years, a hundred years, and the mother realizes that it must continue to all eternity! Can anyone possibly imagine such a state of things existing in heaven, where the redeemed are promised “pleasures for evermore”? DOF 256.1

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus was not given to teach the conscious state of man during death. This parable was to serve as a rebuke to covetousness and self righteousness. just before Luke records it he reports the words of Christ: DOF 256.2

“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. You cannot serve God and mammon.... And He said unto them [the Pharisees], You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:13-15. DOF 257.1

Those haughty Pharisees thought the fact that they had succeeded in accumulating riches was evidence of God’s favor. No matter if they got it by grinding down the poor and suffering, refusing them even the crumbs that fell from their tables. Let the poor suffer; it only showed that the curse of God was upon them. None of these things mattered to the Pharisees. If they were rich-as the most of them evidently were-then they felt sure of heaven. DOF 257.2

It was this spirit that Jesus sought to rebuke by the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. He was teaching that riches make no difference with God-are no evidence whatever of His love. The rich man is no surer of heaven than is the beggar who lies at his gate. God is no respecter of persons. The poorest widow in the slums is as dear to His heart as is the king in his palace. It is character alone which counts with God, and not worldly possessions. DOF 257.3

This parable shows clearly that in the future the cases of many will be entirely reversed from what they have been in this life. Then the first shall be last and the last first. Many of those who have filled their coffers here and have had all that heart could wish, but who have forgotten God and been disobedient to His law, will be consigned to the fate of the enemies of God. Also many of those who have been poor in this world’s goods, who have felt the pinch of want and the pangs of hunger, who have suffered from cold and nakedness, but who have been faithful in their obligations to God, will in that day be made kings and priests unto God, and will reign with Him forever. Many a person who spent his last days in the almshouse will then be exalted above those who lived in kings’ palaces. DOF 257.4

In God’s estimation no man is valued by what he possesses. All that men have is lent them of the Lord, and a misuse of these gifts places the richest of the rich below the poorest sufferer who reveres God and loves his fellow men. DOF 258.1

Also Christ taught by this parable that after death there is no further probation for the sinner. The rich man is represented as seeking for mercy after death, but he is told that a great impassable gulf has now been fixed. If during this life no provision is made for eternity by acceptance of the gospel, at death it becomes forever too late. The gospel commission is limited to this life. All preparation for eternity must be made this side of the grave. After death the gulf is fixed, and no one can pass over. DOF 258.2

Christ was also teaching in this parable that those who were lost would be altogether without excuse. God has made full and abundant provision for the salvation of every man who desires to be saved. DOF 258.3

The rich man is represented as saying: DOF 258.4

“I pray thee therefore, father, that thou would send him to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” Luke 16:27, 28. But: DOF 258.5

“Abraham says unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Verses 29-31. DOF 259.1

Thus the rich man is represented as suggesting that if men only had additional light, they would be more likely to do right and avail themselves of the plan of salvation. But the answer is given concerning those who refuse the light of God’s word found in Moses and the prophets, that any additional evidence would be of no avail. Even though one rose from the dead to carry to them a message of warning, they would still not believe. God has done all that infinite love could do to save lost men from sin. He asks: “What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it?” Isaiah 5:4. DOF 259.2

No one therefore will be able to rise up in the judgment and justly claim that he was lost because of any failure on God’s part. Every lost man will be entirely without excuse. If he has rejected the light shining from the Word of God, there is no clearer light that can be given, and he proves himself unworthy of eternal life. DOF 259.3

It evidently was to make these truths plain that this amazing parable was spoken, and not to teach that people go to heaven or hell as soon as they die, and that they are such close neighbors that they can converse with each other. (Compare this parable with Judges 9:7-15. Here the trees are represented as talking, but surely no one would say because of this that all trees actually have the gift of speech.) DOF 259.4

It has already been shown that this parable could not possibly apply literally to conditions existing between death and the resurrection. During that time the dead are asleep; their thoughts have perished, and they know not anything. They have no portion “in anything that is done under the sun.” During this time, therefore, the righteous and the wicked dead cannot see one another or talk together. They do not enter into their reward until after the resurrection from the dead. DOF 260.1