TEN (10) VIRGINS PARABLE WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Subtitled: The Importance Of Keeping Extra Oil For Your Lamp
(By: Norm Rasmussen)
God gave us parables in the New Covenant to help born again Christians (Truly reborn of the Holy Spirit) to help them primarily understand spiritual truths and to help them grow in spiritual wisdom and understanding.
From the parable of the ten (10) virgins, what is God purposing to communicate to born again Christians?
God does NOT want Christians thinking this is to be some big MYSTERY that needs to be unraveled, as to what we're to understand about the parable.
If a person does an Internet Search on this topic, it is nothing short of amazing how many writers and video commentators attribute this parable primarily to the rapture of the Church. I believe this is an important PART of what God wants born again Christians to understand about the parable, but IT IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT understanding we are to receive from it.
What IS the most important understanding we are to receive from this parable then? This is what I believe:
The answer is remarkably simple: WALK CLOSELY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE, STARTING NOW AND NEVER STOPPING.
Saying it a little differently: DISCIPLINE YOURSELF TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE, STARTING NOW AND NEVER STOPPING.
Why did Jesus have to tell us to walk in the Spirit DAILY through this parable? Because He knew that as time passes, and the world grows more evil -- as spiritual darkness steadily increases -- it was going to be harder for Christians to keep walking in the Spirit DAILY.
When Christians become less and less concerned about walking in the Spirit DAILY, their spiritual discernment diminishes. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:4 to stay intimately aware of spiritual deception in the last days, prior to His return, because obviously it was going to grow more and more sophisticated.
God tells us in John 10:10 that Satan's intense desire is to find every way possible to rob Christian believers of their peace, joy, and faith in Jesus Christ. To walk in maximized peace, joy, and steadfast faith (unshakable trust) in Jesus Christ...one MUST walk in the Spirit DAILY. Spiritual deception is designed to make it more difficult for believers to walk in the Spirit DAILY. We are doing ourselves NO FAVOR by allowing Satan greater opportunity to rob us daily of peace, joy, and confidence (faith - trust) in Jesus Christ.
When Christians become less and less concerned about walking in the Spirit DAILY, they are more easily tempted to fulfill lusts of the flesh. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. (Galatians 5:16)
When Christians become less and less concerned about walking in the Spirit DAILY, their desire to stay engaged in the advancement of God's Kingdom in the lives of others diminishes. When that happens, there will be fewer rewards they are laying up for themselves in heaven.
None of us know when our time is up ' when our heart will stop beating. By walking in the Spirit DAILY, when our heart stops beating, we won't have to hang our head in shame when we stand before the King of Kings to give an account of our lives.
Dovetailing with the above...God the Father wants Christians understanding from this ten virgin's parable that being "filled" with "oil" has exclusively to do with putting one's TOTAL TRUST in Jesus Christ and Him alone as their provider, protector, emotional - spiritual - physical - healer and sustainer. Literally - their ALL in ALL (which He always has been and always will be. That will become abundantly CLEAR in heaven - for all eternity! "In HIM, all things hold together."). It is impossible to make that happen without walking intimately in the Holy Spirit. Learning how to do that starts NOW...not trying to play "catch up" as this world increasingly shakes, rattles, and rolls.
In this parable is another significant clue God is giving us. "Lamps" speaks of God's Word - His New Covenant Holy Scriptures (NOT implying His Old Covenant scriptures AREN'T, however: They BOTH are beyond sacred to God). Anyone refusing to place their total trust in God's New Covenant Word has either cracks in their "oil jars" or perhaps had them all filled up with religion provisioning stored neatly away in their religious cellars). Dear reader: If you struggle with believing with everything in your being that the New Covenant (New Testament) Word is fully trustworthy...make it TOP PRIORITY to dig in with God and get delivered (from a major demonic stronghold of DOUBT) - NOW!
'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path' (Psa.119:105).
'My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life' (Pro.6:20-23).
The lamp represents the laws, precepts, and principles of God that are to guide a person in the righteous way of life.
[Here is a highly recommended writing about the crucial importance of God's Word in the life of a Christian: What Is The Word Of Our Testimony?].
Finally, I believe there is another very important "heads up" God may be giving Christians in this parable. Matthew 25:5 speaks of the bridegroom being delayed to come for His bride. I'm writing this in mid-September, 2015. There are a lot of Christian voices shouting to all who will listen: "Jesus is coming back SOON!" Suppose the Father delays the return of Jesus Christ for many years yet? Will degrees of spiritual apathy set in the Body of Christ? Will spiritual coldness toward the things of our Lord and Savior become more and more prominent? Will soul winning take on less importance? Will walking in spiritual purity - spiritual devotion - obedient righteousness - take on less importance? I strongly believe God is telling us it's going to happen, and the only way you and I can keep it from getting to us is to purpose to STAY FILLED - STAY INTIMATELY IN TOUCH - with the Holy Spirit each and every day.
It is my own personal experience that it is so easy to go about one's day and never give two second's thought about the Holy Spirit. May I recommend to you, dear reader, that the very first thing you do when you wake up each morning is say this out loud: "Holy Spirit: I invite you to rule in my life this day. Keep me reminded that there will be nothing I do this day that is more important than trying to please You."
Then at the end of the day, before you drop off to sleep, ask the Holy Spirit: "How did I do today?"
Here is a highly recommended writing that addresses issues of the Parable of the 10 Virgins: Maybe You're Not Ready For Christ's 2nd Coming Afterall!
Dear Reader - are you at peace with God? If not, you can be. Do you know what awaits you when you die? You can have the assurance from God that heaven will be your home, if you would like to be certain. You can even have that assurance RIGHT NOW! Either Jesus Christ died for your sins, or He didn't (He did!). Are you prepared to stand before God on the Judgment Day and tell Him that you didn't need the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross to have your sins forgiven and get in right-standing with God? We plead with you...please don't make such a tragic mistake.
To get to know God, to be at peace with God, to have your sins forgiven, to make certain heaven will be your home for eternity, to make certain that you are in right-standing with God right now ... please click here to help you understand the importance of being reconciled to God. What you do about being reconciled to God will determine where you will spend eternity, precious one. Your decision to be reconciled to God is the most important decision you'll ever make in this life, because in Christ, it is impossible to put a value on the worth of your soul in light of eternity.
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Remember: All that we do in this life comes back to our God-given purpose which is to serve and glorify God. The money and assets we accumulate, the fame and power we've attained or seek to attain - all of the things of this nature will one day pass away, but those lives of others we impact for Jesus Christ will last for eternity, and we will be rewarded for the part we helped play by impacting those lives ... for eternity. (Matthew 6:19-20 is our assurance)