Ask a Pastor Column

Q: Will the believers that die and go to heaven be able to have any relationship with nonbelievers?

A:  I wish that I could provide a definite answer to this question. Unfortunately, the Bible leaves a lot of blanks concerning life after death, and the information we have is not particularly clear.

I know of only one passage that contains any mention of interactions between redeemed and condemned individuals after death, and it’s difficult to interpret. It is the account of a rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus found in Luke 16:19-31, (This Lazarus is not the one Jesus raised from the dead). Lazarus the beggar suffers pain and hunger throughout his life while the rich man languishes in luxury. Upon their deaths their situations are reversed; the rich man is tormented while Lazarus is comforted “in Abraham’s bosom.” The rich man calls out to Abraham and is informed that the righteous dead are not permitted to pass over to the unrighteous (vv. 24-26), nor is there any need for individuals to return from the dead to warn the living (v. 27-31).

While this story does contain believers and unbelievers interacting after death over a “gulf” or “chasm” it is difficult to know what to make of it. Some see this account as a parable, which would make it a made-up story which shouldn’t be taken literally in every detail. Others see it as an account of factual events; Jesus telling of two real individuals and sharing what happened to them when they died. There is no consensus among the experts, and I’m unaware of any further information in Scripture.

This answer may leave you more confused than you were when you started, but sometimes pastors are just as confused as everybody else in regards to unclear passages and subjects! If you are feeling lost or confused right now, I encourage you to go back to familiar passages like John 14:1-7, I Corinthians 15:50-57, II Corinthians 5:1-8, and I Thessalonians 4:13-18. These passages are both clear and reassuring; reminding us of the great peace and confidence we can have in Christ concerning life after death. Anything fuzzy or unclear regarding our eternal future can be entrusted to our Father and our Savior; no doubt all will be made clear in due time.

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