Your Actions
Jesus told this parable,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“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.’ ”
Luke 16:19-31.
Question: How do you treat others? If you claim to be a Christian are you truly exhibiting the attributes of a Christian.
The apostle Paul noted,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22,23.
If you are truly a Christian you should be exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit. We should be living a lifestyle that is in keeping with what Jesus would do.
The apostle Peter writes,
“Dear friends,
I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.”
1 Peter 2:11,12.
So dear Christian do you live a life that shows God to the world? How do you treat the people around you?
If you’re an employer do you pay good wages and benefits? Do you treat your employees with respect and dignity?
You should treat all people equally, with the respect and dignity they deserve even if you disagree with them.
Jesus told us to love God, our neighbour and even our enemy. The way I see that is, we cannot discriminate against anyone even if they are of a different faith, lifestyle or race.
We must show respect to all.
In the above parable Jesus points to the rich man who treated Lazarus badly. The rich man obviously didn’t believe the words of Ecclesiastes who said,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
The man may not have even believed in God. OR if he did, did not practice his faith.
The Talmud while not considered an inspired word of God by Christians has truths that I believe can be understood by Christians. One such note states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?” Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual? “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
The Talmud.
That rich man who mistreated Lazarus more than likely knew there is a God. The society he would have grown up in would have told him that. Yet he failed to fear God and paid the consequences.
As Christians we need to put to memory and bring to mind constantly the words of Jesus who said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12.
If we remember just this verse and do what it says, we will treat others dignity and love because we ourselves would want to be treated not other way.
And that is something we should not have to think about.
Jesus told this parable,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“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.’ ”
Luke 16:19-31.
Question: How do you treat others? If you claim to be a Christian are you truly exhibiting the attributes of a Christian.
The apostle Paul noted,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22,23.
If you are truly a Christian you should be exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit. We should be living a lifestyle that is in keeping with what Jesus would do.
The apostle Peter writes,
“Dear friends,
I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.”
1 Peter 2:11,12.
So dear Christian do you live a life that shows God to the world? How do you treat the people around you?
If you’re an employer do you pay good wages and benefits? Do you treat your employees with respect and dignity?
You should treat all people equally, with the respect and dignity they deserve even if you disagree with them.
Jesus told us to love God, our neighbour and even our enemy. The way I see that is, we cannot discriminate against anyone even if they are of a different faith, lifestyle or race.
We must show respect to all.
In the above parable Jesus points to the rich man who treated Lazarus badly. The rich man obviously didn’t believe the words of Ecclesiastes who said,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
The man may not have even believed in God. OR if he did, did not practice his faith.
The Talmud while not considered an inspired word of God by Christians has truths that I believe can be understood by Christians. One such note states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?” Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual? “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
The Talmud.
That rich man who mistreated Lazarus more than likely knew there is a God. The society he would have grown up in would have told him that. Yet he failed to fear God and paid the consequences.
As Christians we need to put to memory and bring to mind constantly the words of Jesus who said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12.
If we remember just this verse and do what it says, we will treat others dignity and love because we ourselves would want to be treated not other way.
And that is something we should not have to think about.
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