Exclusive Assignment
But he said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.”‘ (Luke.16.31).
The interaction between the dead rich man and Father Abraham is both interesting and instructive at the same time. It reveals a lot about the spreading of the Gospel as an exclusive assignment of the living (you and I). The dead wasn’t given the assignment to preach the good news.
There has been numerous “testimonies” of people who have visited hell or heaven at the various times to see “Jesus” and got “commissioned” to preached the gospel. This is not in tandem with the example Jesus set for us. It also violates the principles of the scriptures.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts.1.8).
We are empowered to preach the gospel as witnesses after the Holy spirit has come upon us NOT after we are dead and resurrected. Also, God is a God of the living and not of the dead. He is God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob not late Abraham.
We will do well to accept the assignment we have been given and face it squarely. Neither angel nor a person from the dead will preach the gospel. It is only the living saints that would accomplish the task and the earlier we start, the better for us.
© Olusola John.