Regarding the question of why some Christians reject the idea that the ten virgins in the parable represents the church, I would have said it was because the ten virgins "go out to meet the bridegroom," according to the parable.  They are not brides, or the groom would have come for them instead.  Rather, the groom has gone for his bride and is now returning with her to the wedding feast, which is what the virgins are waiting for, doubtless along with the wedding party and all the other invited guests.  Also, Christ has only one Bride, not ten, or even five.  The idea of these women as brides of one man, sitting out on the street in the middle of the night with their lamps, sleeping, having all gone out to meet the same groom who was later than they expected - this just doesn't seem to fit the whole Jewish wedding pattern where the groom goes to the bride's home and takes her back to his father's house.
 
I would be the first to acknowledge that many of you have given far more thought to this parable than perhaps I have; but I'm sure we've all given thought to this tension between faith and works.  Surely genuine faith produces works as a natural consequence.  "Faith" without works would be mere lip-service, showing that the heart wasn't right with God to begin with - sort of like the kind of "faith" that the demons also have.
 
On the other hand, we do not want to fall into the error of the Galatians, to whom Paul said, "Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"  And again, "Does He then who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?"  The whole familiar passage is Galatians 2:15 through most of chapter three.
 
While of course I want to live for Jesus right now and to be with Him forever, and definitely NOT to look for "loop-holes" for sinning, I was saved by grace, and I am kept by grace, thank God, since all my own righteousness in His sight would be as filthy rags.  "In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.  But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works [although genuine faith indeed produces them], otherwise grace is no longer grace."  Romans 11:5-6.  If we are wheat, we will naturally produce grain.  If we are look-alike tares, we will not, no matter how good we look.