Accepted in the Beloved

Lk 16:19-31 The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19–21 ““There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.”

Lazarus gk “God, the Helper” - depended on God, the rich man was self-righteous (the theme of the parable)

Cp. a luxurious life to being left at the gate to beg

the dogs were unclean, but they ministered to his needs

Luke 16:22 “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.”

Hades is mentioned 11 x’s in N.T. is used to translate Sheol in LXX 61 x’s

def: the place of the unsaved O.T. dead, awaiting judgement Rev 20:11-15

Abraham’s bosom = a place of paradise for O.T. Saints Lk 23:43 (comfort, protection, no worries)

Carried by angels v. was buried

Luke 16:23 “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

torments - βασανος torments or tortures (the place of torment)

Lifted his eyes, infers some type of body that experiences senses, The soul has self awareness and conscience.

Saw Abraham and Lazarus - recognized them afar off

Luke 16:24 ““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.’”

Had a conversation with Abraham, called him Father (first birth does not save you) calls for mercy, too late. Still thinks of Lazarus as someone to serve him.

Torment ὀδυνάω - pained, distressed - receiving result of life lived Matthew 25:37 ““Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?”

Luke 16:25 “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.”

Son τέκνον child you reap what you sow

Remember? he is cognizant, he knows why

comfort παρακαλέω vs torment ὀδυνάω

Luke 16:26 “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.’”

Great gulf χάσμα fixed

no movement allowed, (ghosts) can’t return from dead to warn anyone

Luke 16:27–28 ““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.’”

Luke 16:29 “Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’”

Abraham is the father of all who believe - Abraham doesn’t represent the Law

Romans 4:1–5 “What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,”

Moses - Genesis 15:6 “And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”

Prophets - Spoke of the Messiah and Resurrection

“Fear of Hell is not the Gospel” That’s the bospel, the bad news

John 11:25–26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

Resurrection - though he may die, he shall live - again (resurrection life)

Life - whoever lives and believes in Me shall not die - spiritually (second death)

VIII. Children of God

Born Again

John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.””

John 3:7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

Quickened - made alive

Ephesians 2:1 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,”

Colossians 2:13 “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,”

Sons of God

1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

1 John 3:7 “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.”

2 Corinthians 6:18 ““I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.””

Galatians 3:26 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Galatians 6:15 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Regeneration

Titus 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

John 13:10 “Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.””

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

IX. Adopted

Spirit of Adoption

Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.””

Romans 8:23 “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”

R.I.B.S. Holy Spirit’s Work

Regenerated - born again 1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,”

Indwelt - 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

1 Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

Baptized into body - 1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”

Acts 1:5 “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.””

Sealed - 2 Corinthians 1:22 “who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

Ephesians 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,”

Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Adult sons Galatians 3:26–4:7 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an …”

Ephesians 1:4–5 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,”

X. Made Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ

Joined to Christ by baptism - granted eternal life John 20:31 “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Made Righteous (Imputed)

Romans 3:22 “even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;”

1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Philippians 3:9 “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”

Positionally Sanctified

1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—”

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

not to be confused with progressive, experiential sanctification John 17:17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

or Final sanctification Hebrews 10:14 “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

Perfected forever

Hebrews 10:14 “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

Made Accepted in the Beloved

Ephesians 1:6 “to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”

1 Peter 2:5 “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Made Meet

Colossians 1:12 “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

2 Corinthians 3:6 “who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”