Where there is Hope – there is Life

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How is Abraham able to speak to the rich man in hell if there is a chasm between them? (See the chapter of Luke 16 below)
And Abraham is speaking with Lazarus who is in hell/Hades?
Is there really such a place in the underground where God torment ungodly people day and night?
Or is it a man made belief, originated by people who want to put Satan’s evil character upon our Heavenly Father?

How is this conversation in Luke 16 even possible since we have a great chasm between us?
Does God give efficacious grace for us to speak to people in hell? I don’t think so because than we would be sad and miserable.
So why does Abraham speak to someone in Hades?

“So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Then 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 in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ‘for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to 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 one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ (Luke 16:22-31, NKJV)

Notice this is not a reality – it is an PARABLE by Jesus, so people would have a better understanding. In this case; if people wouldn’t listen or understand, and act upon the warnings from prophets (like Jesus) – they also wouldn’t repent from their evil ways even if someone came back from death (where people sleep until the Day of Resurrection) and warned them!
Jesus is also talking about Himself. He raised from the dead and showed Himself to those who believed in Him.

Matthew 28:5-10 (NKJV) “But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
“He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
“And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go [and] tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

I believe one way to urge people to even start thinking over what happens after our physical bodies dies, when God takes back the spirit that was given to us, and to realize the miserable situation we are in, where all lives unquestionably will cease to exist – is to explain this fact, but also; there is HOPE for those who understand and who want something better than what this Life on Earth can ever give or satisfy them.

We will all die, that’s an undeniable fact. So that makes our situation hopeless.
Where there is no hope – there is no life …

But if there is Life (eternal, in Christ’s righteousness) – there is Hope (Jesus, the Gospel and the Good News)!

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