Trading Places

While the following statement may seem like an odd one, it is one which should be understood. In eternity, you will not be able to swap places with someone. One may ask, “What is the importance behind this statement?” Well, individuals have asked this question before. A person is a faithful Christian but has a friend who is not living according to the Will of God. That person wonders, “Can I spend eternity in Hell for this person so they might live eternally in Heaven?” This author has actually heard an individual speak on this subject, albeit on the side of error. Therefore, it is important to state that no one will be able to swap places with someone else in eternity. How do we know this?

The Rich Man and Lazarus shows the impossibility. Luke 16:18-31 speaks of the Parable that might not actually be a parable in the rich man and Lazarus. Both individuals died but ended up in completely different places. Lazarus was taken to Abraham’s bosom (v. 22) whereas the rich man ended up in torments (v. 23). This rich man cried out to Abraham and asked if he might have his thirst quenched by a drop of water from the tip of Lazarus’s finger (v. 24). The rich man was told during his life the rich man had good things and Lazarus did not. The rich man did not use those things which he had to help ease the pain which Lazarus was going through in life (v. 20-21) and the rich man would not receive it in eternity (v. 26). “And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence” (Luke 16:27). Nevermind the fact there was a great gulf between the two! The point was that it was impossible for one to come to the other. If it was impossible for Lazarus to go to the place of torment solely for the purpose of giving a drop of water to comfort the rich man, it is impossible to trade places in eternity.

God punishes the wicked because of their wickedness. Those who lived in the days of Ezekiel had a problem. They believed that God was punishing them for sins their parents committed. God told them, “After I’ve said My peace, you will not utter this saying anymore.” (Eze. 18:1-3). Countless times he makes the statement, “The soul that sins shall die” and even gives a picture of three generations of a family. Two generations are wicked and one is not. The faithful generation is not punished for the sins of the first and third. Why? We are responsible for our own actions. God wanted the children of Israel to understand this fact and encouraged them to and do right, so as to not be lost because of their actions (v. 30-32).

We have a Biblical example of someone who tried. Exodus 32 speaks of Aaron and others creating a golden calf out of gold. Later in the chapter, Moses knows the children of Israel had committed a grievous crime against God. He tells them, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make an atonement for your sin” (Exo. 32:30: ESV). Moses goes up the mount to the presence of God and speaks of the idolatry of the golden calf. He makes a rather peculiar statement. “But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written” (v. 32). He tried to take the punishment which belonged to those who committed this idolatry upon himself. While this shows us the great love which Moses has for the people, it also serves as a reminder that God is a just God. “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book” (v. 33).

There is only One who can atone for my sins. “That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:2-3).  Paul’s greatest desire was for his kinsmen to be saved. His words must be understood, in this context, as hyperbole (exaggeration for emphasis). There was no way that Paul could find himself accursed so the Israelites could be saved. Why? Paul’s death could not atone for the sins of anyone. Only the blood of Christ is able to do that.

Every person of an accountable age is responsible for the actions which he commits. That means every Christians will likely have friends and family who will not see the splendors of Heaven due to bad choices. Instead of focusing on the possibility of trading places maybe the Christian should be focused on helping these people come to know the Christ, who would forgive their sins, if that one would just come to Him in obedient faith.