All 10 virgins had oil in their lamps. Oil represents the Holy Spirit. What non-Christian has the Holy Spirit? I have at least a couple dozen reasons more why all 10 virgins are saved. The virgins are not referring to rapture but rewards, that is, who gets to return with Christ to reign during the 1000 years-the marriage feast-to reign over the nations with a rod of iron.Originally Posted by Wendy B. Howard
Only in two points do the two classes of virgins differ: (1) the wise ones carry oil in their vessels while the foolish do not; and (2) the wise virgins go in to the marriage feast whereas the foolish ones are rejected. Their similarities are many, such as they all (1) are virgins, (2) have lamps (the appearance), (3) they bear light (the conduct which glorifies God), (4) have oil (the Holy Spirit), (5) go forth to meet the bridegroom (waiting), (6) sleep, (7) hear the midnight cry, (8) arise (resurrection), and (9) trim their lamps (prepare oil). Yet however numerous are their similarities and seemingly limited are their differences, the consequences for each group are far, far apart. What care must we therefore exercise! Whatever may be the cause, that will be the effect. Today’s difference will produce tomorrow’s divergence. The glory or shame in the age of the millennial kingdom to come is decided today.
Would Jesus say "I know you not"? Well look at it. “I know you not”—Will the Lord ever say to the saved that He does not know them? However, we need to examine this answer of our Lord’s very carefully:
(1)”But he answered and said”—The word “but” shows that the answer is unusual and out of all expectation. In Luke 15.22 the same word indicates how totally unthought-of, unhoped-for, and unexpected by the prodigal son were the father’s words to his servants. The word “but” here proves that the “know not” is not an ordinary not knowing.
(2) The Lord knows all who are saved (2 Tim. 2.19, Gal. 4.9, John 10.14). Two Greek words are used for “know” in the New Testament: ginoskoand oida. The former signifies an objective knowledge while the latter signifies a subjective and deeper knowledge. Now oidais the Greek word employed here by the Lord.
(3) How is oidaused in the Scriptures? It is recognizably employed to mean approve, commend, endorse, or applaud. What follows are a few examples from the New Testament which illustrate the use of this Greek word. In each example, the verb “to know” or “to not know” is oidaor its variant. “In the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not” (John 1.26). In this situation, of course, the Jews know (ginosko) the Lord, but they do not really know (oida) Him because they do not love Him. “I knew him not” (John 1.31). Since John and the Lord Jesus are cousins, the Baptist certainly knows Jesus objectively (ginosko) but not subjectively (oida)—that is to say, John does not know Him deeply. “Ye know neither me, nor my Father” (John 8.19). Though the Jews know (ginosko) the Lord quite well externally, they do not approve of Him nor do they receive Him. “I know you not whence ye are” (spoken twice in Luke 13.22-30). Here the Lord speaks of the situation in the kingdom. Some who have eaten and drunk with the Lord and have also heard Him teaching in their streets doubtless know objectively (ginosko) the Lord well, yet they are referred to by the Lord as “workers of iniquity”—a phrase which in the original is worded as “workers of unrighteousness”—that is to say, those who do not walk according to rule. “Ye know the house of Stephanas” (1 Cor. 16.15). The Corinthian believers know deeply (oida) and not just know objectively (ginosko) the house of Stephanas. Hence from all these examples we learn that oida is subjective knowing of a person, which implies a sense of trust.
(4) “Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10.33; cf. also Luke 12.9). These two instances of the word “deny” have reference to things in the kingdom. Secret Christians will not perish, yet neither will they be approved by the Lord in the kingdom. “Deny” (arneomai) is to not know (in the oidasense of not knowing) (see Matt. 26.70). It is to contradict, refute, or overturn.
(5) There are similar examples of this matter of knowing and not knowing in the Old Testament, as for instance in 1 Samuel 3.7 (“Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah”) wherein Samuel had indeed objectively known Jehovah, but he had yet to know the Lord in a subjective way.
(6) The reward of the kingdom is based purely on righteousness. For the Lord to deny has about it the flavor of righteousness. Just as a judge must ask the name of the offender even if the latter is his own son, so the denial here in Matthew 25.12 (“I know you not”) refers to the action and not to the person. It means the Lord cannot accept or approve.
Since all 10 virgins have oil in their lamps then all are saved. They all have the imputed righteousness of Christ. But the 5 unwise virgins do not have a close relationship as they do not fill up their vessels with extra oil they also carry in addition to their lamps. Hence they lack of the righteousness of the overcomers, the 5 wise virgins. Since the Scriptures teach not just the righteousness of Christ imputed to believers, but also the righteousness of the saints to grow in that new life, we should not forget the latter while emphasizing the former, for then our work because cold, impersonal, non-relational and irresponsible. As was said..."And they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7.14b). "Robes" is in plural number, and these robes signify righteousnesses, even the righteousnesses of the saints. They do not refer to the Lord Jesus Christ as our righteousness. Indeed, the robe (singular) is righteousness (Is. 61.10), and it is the Lord himself (Jer. 23.6), for Christ is our righteousness (1 Cor. 1.30). We are clothed with Him as we come before God. But this righteousness has no need to be cleansed by the blood.
There is a distinction made in the Bible between wheat and tares, some say, but no difference made between wheat and wheat; consequently, all wheat must be raptured. In reply, it should be noted that the times of ripening for wheat are not the same. Thus there are the firstfruits and the later harvest.
We are not robots so it is not all of grace. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world and God's grace is sufficient for all to have the choice. His grace and wooing of His Spirit supplies us. The Bible doesn't consider Christians filthy rags, but new born children of God with the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness of the saints shall be rewarded. "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints" (Rev. 19.8)-"our righteousness" (Is. 64.6).
Only the overcoming believers are related to the new city during the millennial kingdom. In the new heaven and new earth, both the saved and the overcomers partake equally in the New Jerusalem. The wedding gown is worn only for a time; the believers who overcome are joined together as the bride. At the marriage of the Lamb it looks as though the door of the New Jerusalem is opened for the first time to let in the overcomers. The five foolish virgins are not able to enter during the millennium.
Hence we have two robes: the one we are clothed with when we are saved, by which we stand before God; the other is our own righteousnesses—even our victories—in which we may stand before Christ. The white garments spoken of in Revelation 3.18 require a price, whereas redemption is that which need not be bought.
No Christian will be judged and condemned before God (John 5.24); but no Christian will be exempt from having to stand and be judged before the judgment seat of Christ according to what he has done (2 Cor. 5.10).
Believers’ robes are washed clean, yet not because of the great tribulation but because of the blood of the Lamb.
The very fact that the robes of the saints are washed in the blood of the Lamb shows how they once were defiled on earth yet they have followed the instruction of 1 John 1.9, and thus they are cleansed.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks