What Should a Christian Buy?
There are four things cited in the Bible which must be bought in relation to Matthew 25.8-9:
(a) “Buy the truth” (Prov. 23.23). In order to know the truth, one must be determined to practice the truth and to seek earnestly after it.
(b) “Buy . . . gold refined by fire” (Rev. 3.18). Such buying of refined gold and white garments and eye-salve is not action for the unsaved to take, because God cannot ask the unsaved to buy. Laodicea is, after all, a church. “Gold refined by fire” signifies that faith which has gone through trial and has been proven undefeated. It is the faith which overcomes environment (see 1 Peter 1.7). God allows you to go through a trial in order to show His love to you, and also for him to be glorified before Satan (such as in the case of Job).
(c) “Buy. . . white garments” (Rev. 3.18)—There are two kinds of white garments spoken of in the book of Revelation: (1) those white garments we received before God, which garments are the Lord Jesus himself. We are clothed with Christ, and thus are we cleansed. Whoever does not have this white garment is not saved. (2) those white garments we wear before God, which represent the righteousnesses of the saints (Rev. 19.8 Darby) that are the result of the operation of the Spirit of the Lord within us. Whoever does not have this white garment is naked before God and will not be rewarded.
(d) “Buy. . . eyesalve” (Rev. 3.18)—This is the revelation of the Holy Spirit, without which no one really sees.
(5) Such an injunction here in verse 9 hints at the fact that oil must be bought. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is not something you can decide. Sooner or later you must be filled with the Holy Spirit. Do not think that those who are like the five wise have gone to an extreme. One day God will force you to go to such an “extreme”: for Ephesians 5.18 is a command.
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5.18).
(6) “Go ye rather to them that sell”—Where will they be able to buy this oil? We can only take it as signifying that they must pay a price for obtaining their extra oil.
(7) The injunction in verse 9 touches upon this question too: How can there be suffering after resurrection? Such notion that there is no suffering after resurrection is erroneous. For all who shall suffer in the lake of fire will have themselves been resurrected too. Some people are resurrected to enjoy life, while others are resurrected to suffer eternal death. If a person has not been able to control his temper while living, his death will not automatically change him. God will take this believer and cast him into outer darkness (which is not hell) and discipline him to be ready for the new city in the new earth. For let us realize that the lusts, pride, and selfishness of the rich man spoken of in Luke’s parable remain with him in Hades (16.19-31). Therefore, after the virgins arise they all are found trimming their lamps. Yet the statement—“Our lamps are going out”—made by the five foolish virgins (v.8) indicates that the lamps will not be completely extinguished. God gives us life that is once and forever. Although in the Christian’s experience of the Holy Spirit there are many times when it looks as if his lamp is going out, nevertheless the Holy Spirit will never leaves us: He will not leave, even in the face of our unfaithfulness.
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