Luke 16:27-31 [The Importance and Method of Repentance]

[Things to Meditate On]

1. The passage above is the final part of Jesus’ teaching about “the rich man and the beggar Lazarus” (Luke 16:19-31). Through this passage, we can see that the rich man, who had lived in luxury while he was alive, came to suffer great torment in hell after he died (verses 23-25). Because of this, he did not want his own brothers to come to that place of torment. So the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers (verses 27-28). However, Abraham gave him a somewhat unexpected answer: “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them” (verse 29). What, then, does this word mean?

2. We can see that the rich man firmly believed that if someone rose from the dead, his brothers would see it and repent (verse 30). Then, if Lazarus really had risen from the dead and gone to them, as the rich man thought, would his brothers have repented because of his resurrection? What about us today? If a great miracle, such as someone rising from the dead, were to happen before us, would we also see that miracle and truly repent?

3. Through the rich man’s desire to send Lazarus, who had died, to his brothers in order to save them and make them “repent,” we can learn “the importance of repentance.” In other words, if we do not want to suffer the torment of hell after death, we must “repent” while we are still alive. Therefore, if we are able to repent while we are alive, then after death we will dwell in peace in Abraham’s bosom.

Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

Then what is “repentance”?

[Decision and Application]

The meaning of “repentance” is said to be “to regret and turn away from one’s wrongdoing.” And “wrongdoing” does not mean merely what is wrong according to the laws and moral standards of the world; rather, thoughts and actions that depart from the word of God are called “wrongdoing” or “sin.” Therefore, “repentance” means turning away from disobedience to the word of God and returning again to obey the word of God.

Romans 5:12-21 “12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law... 19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous...”

And Jesus said that repentance must come through “hearing Moses and the prophets” (verse 31). This ultimately means that “we must repent through Jesus.” This is because Moses and the prophets testify only of Jesus (Luke 24:44-48, John 5:39). For this reason, all people after Jesus must now repent “in the name of Jesus.”

John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

Luke 24:44-48 “44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures... 47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things.”

The rich man thought that if Lazarus, who had died, rose again, then all five of his brothers would repent. However, God’s answer was that “they must repent through the word of God.” Even today, there may be people who think, like this rich man, that if a great miracle such as someone rising from the dead were to happen to them, they would be able to repent. However, we must remember that Jesus said that if we do not repent through the word of God, that is, in the name of Jesus, then even if someone were to rise from the dead, we would not be persuaded and would not repent (verse 31).

For example, Thomas, who was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, at first did not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. So he said, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). Later, after touching Jesus with his own hands, he confessed with his mouth that Jesus was his Lord and his God. If we look only at the result, it may seem that Thomas repented of his unbelief and believed in the resurrection of Jesus because he touched Him directly. However, Jesus rather rebuked Thomas, who believed after seeing, by saying, “Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). This word teaches us something very important, because it shows us that the way of thinking that says, “Any method is acceptable as long as it leads people to repentance and faith,” is wrong.

John 20:27-29 “27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Today, through many churches and pastors, many things are being done according to various human thoughts and methods, rather than through Jesus, under the purpose of leading people to repentance and faith. However, no matter how good the intention may be, if the method is not “through Jesus,” then we must know that, regardless of the results we see with our eyes, it cannot be true repentance before God.

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

John 10:1-9 “1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep... 7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Therefore, whether or not great miracles that seem powerful enough to change us take place before us, we must seek to gain faith only through the word of Jesus (Romans 10:17), and we must seek to repent every day in the name of Jesus (Luke 24:47). The reason we must repent every day in the name of Jesus is that the one who can dwell in peace in Abraham’s bosom after death is not the one who seeks to enjoy the pleasures of the world while alive, but rather the one who hears the word and humbly repents. This is the lesson Jesus wanted to teach us through “the rich man and the beggar Lazarus.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Matthew 4:17 “...Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand...”

Amen.