The parable of the reveal two distinct paths to walk in, one leading to eternal life and the other to destruction. It’s short but reveals a sure pathway to redemption for all men.

Poor Lazarus is a symbol of those who, by faith, have turned away from the things of men in this present material realm to wholeheartedly seek the glory that is above. In the language of the Spirit, they have become poor in relation to this world of appearances in order to attain the infinite riches of God’s Kingdom. This means walking in the Spirit—for the Lord is the Spirit—and no longer in the flesh.

You begin this walk by faith, navigating the invisible realm while being led by the inner unction. By faith, the believer learns to walk in the celestial model revealed to us through the Gospel. It is a new reality of oneness, marked by pure spirituality, love, brotherly kindness, patience, humility, washing the feet of the brethren, and keeping oneself unspotted by the world below. The Lord is the Spirit, and He is in the midst of us all. Every person must awaken to this reality, for to attain it, mere human sentiment must give way to divine awareness.

The dogs—the carnal mind—that lick the wounds of poor Lazarus will never understand as the true believer exercises faith in the invisible Lord of glory by confessing the life of the Father. Indeed, the one who walks this narrow path of godliness, confessing the Lord from heaven as his life, will suffer persecution and derision from men. He will be considered a fool for reaching toward that which the Lord has revealed to him. Yet with patience and steadfastness, he will be lifted on high into the place of eternal peace and delight—likened to the bosom of Abraham—and all shall behold the glory of the Lord being unveiled in him.

Abraham’s bosom represents the place of the eternal gathering of the Lord, where all the saints in heaven and on earth are united in one Spirit—perfect, holy, and without blame before His glory. Those who have believed and sought the Lord with holy zeal and dedication are lifted into the angelic state, gaining unhindered access to the infinite resources of the Lord. The curse of the law is no more—there is no more death—because the resurrected saints have rediscovered themselves in the unity of the faith: one Father, one Lord, one baptism, one Spirit upon the heights of Zion. In this reality, they reign in life eternally.

Let every man awaken his inner hearing to listen to the witnesses in the Law and the Prophets who testify of this place of life and glory. If your spirit is attuned, you will hear: “The Lord is the Spirit, and you have been a part of God from the beginning.” If you are alert, you will hear the Lord in His great mercy and compassion calling you to return to union with Him, that you may rediscover true life in His presence.

Let us not be like the proverbial rich man, unable to hear the voice of the Lord as he indulges in the vanities of this age. He is consumed with temporary earthly things and cannot discern the Lord’s presence, which fills all things as the waters cover the sea. In his pride and ignorance, he sinks into the pit—a place reserved for those who forget God. Unlike poor Lazarus, who is raised to life, the rich man is buried with the solemn chant: “Dust you are, and to dust you shall return,” because he refused to retain the knowledge of the living God.

After living in the illusion of being rich and prosperous in this world, he suddenly discovers how poor, wretched, and miserable he truly is. He finds himself utterly deprived of faith in the living God and sinks into the abyss of nothingness. In his mind, an impassable gulf is formed between him and God. Unable to reach Him—an orphan without the Father—he endures the torment, fear, and emptiness of those who go down to the pit. This is the pitiable state of many men in the world today.

In all of this, God’s unfailing love reveals an escape route for all humanity. To bridge this gulf and rise from the graveyard of human consciousness—where God seems but a distant reality—each person must listen to the true witnesses who testify of Christ and His Kingdom. Humble yourself, receive the pure milk of the Word, and embrace the Lord and His holy Kingdom. For the Law and the Prophets testify of “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” and of your inheritance in the heavens. If you have heard and glimpsed the immeasurable glory that awaits beyond the veil of human understanding, let go of the outer man of this present world and hold fast to the inner man, who is the Lord of Glory.