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We live in a country where a thread runs through the fabric of our existence, one that believes everyone should have a second chance. We tell people that if they fail at something, they need to get up, dust themselves off, and try again. This is the backbone of America, that by the strength of our back and the sweat of our brow, we can have a piece of the American dream.

This is not so in the spiritual world. There is no amount of work or sweat that will help us to achieve eternal life. I know this is very difficult for many to believe because we want to set the standards of what is good and evil. We want to look at others and judge our goodness and compare them to the guy down the street. We desire to have a say about what is worthy of salvation and what is not. For the follower of Christ, we know this to be false, prideful, and foolish.

In Luke 16, Jesus gives an example of this very point. He speaks of the Rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus lay at the gate covered with sores. He was willing to be fed with the crumbs that were falling from the rich man’s table. Jesus tells us that even the dogs would come and lick his sores. To us, that is not such a big deal, but for those from this culture, dogs are filthy, unclean animals. Jesus goes on to say that both men die. Lazarus is carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. Then Jesus says this at the end of verse 22, “The rich man also died and was buried.” The Lord goes on to tell us that the rich man does not end up with Lazarus and Abraham; he goes to his holding place called Hades. Hades, although not hell, is still a place of great pain and agony. The rich man begs for Lazarus to come and bring a drop of water to place upon his tongue. This was not possible because of the great chasm between the two places. Then the rich man gives another request, and that is for Lazarus to be sent to his father’s house and warn his five brothers. Jesus gives us Abraham’s response in verses 29-31, “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.’”

The point is that there are no excuses for those who end up in eternal punishment. We have God’s word; there are many good churches that have pastors who preach truth. Notice the last statement that if people will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead. We have Jesus who has risen from the grave; there have been hundreds of eyewitnesses to this truth, and yet people will still not believe. While we still have breath in our lungs, we must ask Christ for forgiveness because once we go into eternity, there are no second chances.