Lazarus and the Rich Man

Makestraightpaths.com examines the teachings of the religious group variously known as “the Family,” “The Family International,” the “Children of God,” or the “Family of Love,” and evaluates these teachings from a Christian perspective.

This page is one in a series examining the Family teachings about spirit helpers.

Lazarus and the Rich Man

Luke 16:19-31

One of the most controversial Family teachings concerns their long-standing belief that Christians may freely communicate with “spirit helpers.” To the Family, spirit helpers are people who have died, or angels, or other spiritual beings who are active in the ‘spirit world,’ an unseen dimension that coexists with the visible material world. According to the Family, these beings are unrestricted by human limitations and actively assist Christians in their work for the Lord.

In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, the paths of two people are followed after they die. There is much it has to say about communication between the world of the living and the realm of the dead. This page does not analyse the parable in detail. Instead, it is posted as a comment on the Family's belief that the dead may come to earth to bring messages to people from the Lord.

Luke 16:19-31

19 "Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20 "And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22 "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23 "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.' 25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' 27 "And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house — 28 for I have five brothers — in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 29 "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' 30 "But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' 31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"

NASU

Lazarus and the rich man both died and went to their respective destinations. Lazarus went to the place where Abraham was and the rich man went to Hades. Lazarus received comfort for the "bad things" he had suffered during in life, while the rich man was tormented in agony.

Points to note from the parable:

Lazarus remained in heaven ("in Abraham's bosom") after he died.
The rich man remained in hell ("Hades").
It is impossible for anyone to travel between heaven and hell.
It is unnecessary for anyone to travel between heaven and earth.
God has provided the Bible for people to find salvation.
If people do not believe the Bible, the ghost of a dead person would not convince them.
The dead do not have any special 'powers.'

The key point to note is that Jesus affirmed the written word in the Bible as the source of truth. In doing so, he also showed marked disinterest in the value of messages from the dead. If people do not believe the Bible they will not believe "even if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:31 NIV). If they do believe the Bible, then they do believe one person who rose from the dead - Jesus - but no other such resurrection is necessary.

It may be that the Family's fascination for spirit helpers is evidence of unbelief in the Bible, rather than of the faith of which they speak.