November 1 is traditionally the date when we visit the gravesite of our departed loved ones.
A familiar scene in the cemetery are religious ministers performing religious rites. An important question should be asked — are our religious rituals after someone died can still have an effect in the soul of that someone? The answer of the Bible is NO.
Let us take a look on the story of Jesus about a rich man and Lazarus. It can be found in Luke 16:19 to 31. Let us learn some lessons from this story.
First, there are only two eternal destinations, and these are heaven or hell. There is no purgatory in the Bible.
If you search purgatory the Bible concordance, you cannot find even one word of purgatory. This means that there is no “pre-departure” place or a “half-way house” or a “purging place.” The “purging”, if we will use that word, is happening here on Earth as we go through life.
In the story, the rich man is in hell while Lazarus is in heaven. One cannot simply transfer from one place to another through rituals done on Earth. Luke 16:26 is very clear — “And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.”
Second, all the chances are given by God here on Earth. There is no additional chance in the afterlife.
The rich man in the story realized that he cannot get away from his eternal suffering in hell. He called upon Abraham to tell his five brothers who are still living on Earth to change their ways so that they may not come to the place of torment. Abraham answered that there are prophets who preaches about the Word of God. The rich man pleaded that only someone who comes from the dead will make them repent.
It is very sad that eventhough someone resurrected from the dead, people still have not repented from their wicked ways. The resurrected one is Jesus Christ. The words of Jesus have authority because He has defeated death. Jesus has also prepared a place in heaven for those who have accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior.
Like the rich man in the story, we should not live a wicked and greedy life. No matter how much money you leave behind for a ritual that will transfer your soul to heaven, this will have no effect. Our chance to accept Jesus Christ is here and now.
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Rev. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Director, Office of Communications