Hi Frank,

Great post!

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/july2013/frankm711-2.htm

The ten virgin parable IS for the Church today.

We know this because the Lord said so!

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins..." [Matt.25:1]

Notice the Lord didn't say, "the kingdom of Israel is likened to ten virgins..."

Who are the ones that make up the kingdom of heaven?

All who acknowledge and confess the Lord, have repented from sin and are DOING THE WILL OF GOD

The Lord said,

"...Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [Matt 3:2]

These words are for us.

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." [Matt.7:21]

These words again are for us.

Of the ten virgins we read that,

"...five of them were wise, and five were foolish." [Matt.25:2]

The wise who have oil are those who hear what the Lord says in His Word and  DO IT.

While the foolish hear the very same Word and DO NOT DO IT.
Hearing the Word and not doing it, is not having oil.

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man..." [Matt.7:24]

"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them NOT, shall be likened unto a foolish man..." [Matt.7:26]

The very thought of being responsible for what we do or do not do scares many Christians!

They do not want to take responsibility for there actions.

They want to believe without doing!

This is what demons do!

"...demons believe - and tremble." [James 2:19]

When the truth is, believing IS doing!

The Holy Spirit inspired words of James will not go away!

"Faith without works is dead..." [James 2:20]

"...a man is justified BY WORKS, AND NOT BY FAITH ONLY." [James 2:24]

Some have chosen to twist Paul's letters to come up with a doctrine that absolves them from any responsibility for their works.

"...the dead were judged according to their works..." [Rev.20:12]

Do we really believe that God will judge to hell the spiritually dead for their works and not us who have eternal life?

If we have spiritual or eternal life we WILL produce works.

OUR WORKS are the tangible evidence that we have eternal life, that we have the Holy Spirit, that we have oil and that we are wise.

Ola.