Mercy

Jesus told a story in the religious language of the times in order to make a non-religious point.  Is that so nonsensical?  Lazarus and the poor man arrive at the same time in the afterlife, one finds fellowship with the God of the galaxies while Lazarus is separated and isolated in great pain.  The conversation between God and Lazarus reveals to us the heart of our God.  Lazarus is chastened for living a life oblivious to the needs of others, i.e. the blind beggar.  Again, the God of the galaxies is about mercy, the mercy each of us needs.

The story should not be used as a justification for a theology of hell, that somehow we choose and earn our eternal destiny by the decisions we make in this life.  According to this theology God condemns the unworthy to the eternal fires of hell.  Volumes of human discourse have been written about who is and who is not worthy.  God becomes the great manipulator in the sky!  This lame theology is preached in most all church’s to this day.  The hell believers of 2000 years ago were the Pharisees, there was not a day in the ministry of Jesus that he could avoid the schemes of the self righteous Pharisees.

The disciples of Jesus, the nonreligious believers were encouraged to be God’s agents of mercy to the people.

G.Goslaw
Landers, Ca