by David Brenneman
"The parable of the 10 virgins is given to underscore the importance of being ready for Christ’s return in any event---even if he delays longer than expected. For when He does return, there will be no second chances for the unprepared." - Pastor John MacArthur on Matthew 25:1-13
An interesting caveat to writing these posts is that I know not what the topic will be. This excerpt from MacArthur is just a really good example of preparedness. Add to it that in that same evening I read that, on Facebook I saw a representation of Jesus in the clouds with His arms open wide and thousands of people in glorified bodies walking towards Him.
Being a mediocre Christian does nothing to excuse our actions before Jesus when He returns.
As someone once said if you only pray when you are in trouble then you are already in trouble.
Jesus sends various people into the lives of people to be there to point them to Jesus. His heart is heavy with the burden of seeking to save the lost. He recommended to His Disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers into His harvest.
Being a good person isn't fulfilling God's will for a person. If it was a real relationship with Jesus that's no different than breathing. More than that has to exist in a Believer's life. Trillions of people who were good people are in Hell. They wanted the pride of their idea of good to be enough to make it to Heaven.
Believer's came to Christ for salvation by faith in the Son of God not in anything they did or their parents did or grandparents etc. Nobody is prayed out of Hell. Each person there knows without a shadow of a doubt why they are in Hell and not Heaven. Perpetual, endless, weeping and gnashing of teeth will go on forever in that place. Then comes the judgment where they receive a glorified body and then are cast into the lake of fire.
Jesus brought choice to all of mankind when He arose from the grave. All mankind has a choice to receive the free gift of salvation or to spend eternity completely separated from God in Christ Jesus.
There's no middle ground.
There's no do-overs.
There's no second chances to be had.
It is the great lie of Satan to all when people doubt that God ever said what He did about the need to be saved.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour." Matthew 25:1-13.
People have been trying to tell the world when Jesus will return. This too is of Satan.
This parable has to do with those who came to Christ and received salvation vs those who didn't because they thought they had time. Then the evidences were building up that Jesus was returning and those who didn't take the free gift of salvation had to scramble. They were locked out when Jesus came to receive those who had.
My Dear Reader there's nothing new that was predicted in the Scriptures that we need to see before Jesus returns. Nothing.
Right after this passage in Matthew Jesus explains it another way. The parable of the talents. The last man who went and buried what he was given wasn't saved at all. He wasted his life on himself until the day his master returned. Deep down he knew better. He knew what his master expected. Yet he wasted his life on fear of what might happen rather than do like the other 2 and go all in with obeying their master.
Are you wasting your time that God has given you to find salvation in Christ because of your fears? Jesus said what will happen to people like this guy clearly enough. It's the fate of all who never came to Christ for salvation. Expulsion to that place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.
What are you thinking?
That lie where maybe your good will outweigh your bad?
My Dear Reader you can only have your name written in the Lamb's book of Life AFTER you choose to come to Christ for salvation.
Everyone's lives will be reviewed by God and the final defining moment, final definitive question is asked by Jesus "Is their name written in my book?"
How can you know? How can you be sure?
"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13.
Friend, Jesus isn't going to beat you over the head about this. He's in the lifeboat of Humanity, arms outstretched to bring about your safety but you have to need to want saving.
He gently has been knocking at the door of your heart all your life. People lie to themselves when they say they've never heard from Jesus. Everyone has. We choose to open that door or to lock it. Eternal consequences result from that decision.
You might not get to finish reading this post and Jesus could return. You might get through some perceived wonderful day and in an instant your time on Earth is done. No time to choose anymore.
No time.
When Jesus returns the world will probably figure it out but will be eventually lied to by Satan's Antichrist as to the truth. Bibles everywhere in digital form will be deleted. Physical copies banned. A sentence of death will be on any who have only then come to Christ. The grand threat of the World Court will be a reality in every single nation. If you thought a pandemic was bad its not even a walk in the park by comparison.
Revelation records billions dying at the coming wrath of God upon this planet on several occasions. In all likelihood after the times mentioned in that book nearly 6 billion people will die.
Nobody alive today HAS to see those horrors. Nobody alive today HAS to worship some world leader.
Salvation in Christ Jesus is free to all who would welcome Him in to be the forgiver of their sins and the leader of their lives.
"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1.
Only those who are alive after the Rapture of the Church stand condemned. Salvation is still possible but at great cost. Later on in those judgments we see that those who have come to Christ for salvation finally are martyred. Beheaded.
The Bible says that there is no fear in love, that perfect love casts out fear. That's what happens when you come to Christ. Fear is gone.
Then you find that life is worth the living just because He lives as your personal Lord and Savior. You then can be like those virgins in the parable or the servant's who invested their master’s talents and will joyously look forward to hearing Jesus shout that its time to come home.
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
calling for you and for me;
see, on the portals he's waiting and watching,
watching for you and for me.
Come home, come home;
you who are weary come home;
earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home!
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not his mercies,
mercies for you and for me?
Come home, come home;
you who are weary come home;
earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home!
Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
passing from you and from me;
shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
coming for you and for me.
Come home, come home;
you who are weary come home;
earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home!
O for the wonderful love he has promised,
promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon,
pardon for you and for me.
Come home, come home;
you who are weary come home;
earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home!
- Softly and Tenderly
Will L. Thompson 1880
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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