This is a parable of the Kingdom of Heaven (the Kingdom of God). It is speaking of believers in Christ, not of unbelievers. These were people who were waiting for Christ to return.

I am emphasizing that all ten were believers because some, in their haste to prove once a person is "saved" no harm can come to him or her, insist that five of these virgins were Christians and five had not accepted Christ. This shows you the length that Bible teachers will go to support the current unscriptural traditions.

Five of them were foolish and five were wise. (Matthew 25:2)

Please note that the difference among the virgins was that five were foolish (or careless or indifferent or lazy or complacent or indifferent) and five were wise (or diligent or interested or industrious or fervent).

Have you ever heard a sermon about the dangers of foolishness or carelessness or indifference or laziness? I never have. Maybe some of us pastors need to get busy with this topic. After all, the Lord said if we were lukewarm He would spit us out of His mouth. I suppose lukewarm kind of means "careless."

So much for eternal security!

The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. (Matthew 25:3:)

One of the characteristics of foolishness, or carelessness, is the inability, or unwillingness, to thinking ahead. Thinking ahead is the act of putting ourselves in the future and deciding if our present behavior is going to cause us to be joyful or anguished in the days to come.

For example: every one of us Christians need to think seriously about the Day of Resurrection. We do not know if we will be alive tomorrow. But there is one thing of which we can be certain: the moment will come when we hear the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ calling us forth from the grave. At that moment we will receive what we have done while living on the earth.

I realize only too well how the unscriptural teaching of the "pre-tribulation" rapture has destroyed the true concept of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. But for those who have ears to hear, the truth is, each one of us is going to hear the voice of Jesus and come forth to receive at His hand the things we have done during our lifetime. The believer is careless and foolish who does not live his life so in the Day of Resurrection he will be joyful and not anguished.

The lamp represents our knowledge of the Bible. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. All ten virgins kept their lamps with them. However, five of them did not remain filled with the Spirit of God.

To be continued.