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Here is the scene of the text from Matthew 25:1-13. Inside the Kingdom of Heaven (the visible church) there are ten virgins. They have all been told that the Lord will return soon, to be ready, to watch, to pray. Jesus said, “and Behold, I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:10).
Now five of them were wise, and five foolish…
Matthew 25:3
Among the virgins, there are only five wise virgins. The other five are foolish. The foolish are those in the church who are with the wise virgins but are not prepared to meet the bridegroom when he suddenly and swiftly returns. What can we learn from the foolish virgins?
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Since the earliest days of the church there have been those who desire to look like Christians but in their hearts have no faith in Jesus Christ.
We may not know all the reasons that Judas followed the Lord for three years before betraying him and committing suicide but clearly he wanted to look like a true disciple of Christ (Matthew 27:3-5). Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-25) desired to look like a Christian because he desired the power that the apostles possessed by the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, Saul wanted to look properly religious by offering sacrifices but he would not obey the Lord. Israel would often practice syncretism, blending the worship of God with the worship of idols. Some have come into the church for the sole purpose of deceiving with an appearance only Christianity (Matthew 24:24). Paul makes a case for the Corinthians to, “have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart” (II Cor. 5:12b).
Through Christ’s teaching on the foolish virgins, He is highlighting that in the kingdom of Heaven there are those who look just like the wise virgins but have not been born again of the Spirit. Their outward lives may have looked at times like the lives of wise virgins. They sometimes behaved like the wise virgins. Perhaps from human vantage points the foolish virgins were even thought of as wise virgins. But when the Lord returned they were revealed to be who they truly were, foolish virgins with no part in the Bridegroom and no place at the marriage supper of the lamb.
Perhaps the foolish virgins desired the peace which the Christian possesses, but they despised the Prince of Peace. Perhaps they contented themselves with the outward look of a Christian and cared little or nothing at all for the inward man where the Lord looks, tries, cleanses, and purifies. Perhaps they admired some of the attributes of the King of the Kingdom and came near to Him but never came into the Kingdom through faith in Christ.
Like the scribe in Matthew 13 was near the kingdom of God but not in so were the foolish virgins – close in proximity but so far away from entrance. This is a dreadful position to be in. To be near but not in. To look at but not take hold of. To see afar off but never embrace by faith. This was the wretched position of the foolish virgins – desiring to look wise but never gaining that wisdom of God that leads to salvation.
If you were to join Christians witnessing outside of abortion clinics you might be surprised by how many people, in the act of sin, desire to be recognized as fellow Christians. The father bringing his pregnant wife or girlfriend to murder a child says, “I am a Christian, you just don’t understand my situation. I have two kids, God doesn’t want me to have a third.” The mother with the cross necklace around her neck wants you to know that she loves children more than anyone else but this baby is too much. God understands and respects her decision after all He wants her to be happy. The clinic guard may tell you he believes in God and even goes to church. While wearing Christian symbols , owning Bibles, knowing some verses by memory, and even attending church, there is a desire by many to look like Christians on the outside but inside they are far from God and are therefore foolish.
God never said, “whoever looks like they are born again will enter the kingdom of God.” God said, “unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The foolish virgins wanted to look like the wise but did not want to embrace the most wise God by faith. God called but they refused. God stretched out His hand but they would not regard it (Proverbs 1:24). For this reason they are called foolish.
God is not mocked and will not be mocked. Those faking Christianity will be made known to all the world when the Lord returns. Do not be cast into the lake of fire at that great day of the Lord but in this salvation hour, while the gospel trumpet still sounds, repent of your sins, and cry out to the merciful God. He will have mercy!
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Copyright ©, LikeTheGreatMountains.com, 2022
1 Comment
David S. · August 17, 2022 at 7:45 pm
This hits home on the error coming out of a highlighted event in the PC(USA)’s official general interest magazine, Presbyterians Today, back in 2020. The feature article was about this husband and wife ministry team at some PC(USA) church in flyover country. Apparently, they didn’t like how the parable of the Ten Virgins played out. Apparently, they thought it was harsh that the five unwise virgins were not admitted to the party. So, rather than accept the point of Jesus’ message, they decided to reimagine the parable and turn it into a “He’s a God of second chances” story. There are a number of stories in Scripture for which one could make that point without rewriting the parable and essentially stripping it of its meaning and turning it into a promotional piece for universalism. But no, they rewrote. Jesus says, “Try again.” And guess what! (this should be easy)…of course the five virgins get it right the second time and are admitted to the party! That Jesus is so much better than the other Jesus. But of course, had I complained, I would have been patronizingly told that I was not allowing my thinking to be challenged and that there was absolutely nothing wrong with what that pair had done by rewriting Scripture to suit their theological fancy.