The Virtues of the Ten Virgins, Part 2

In yesterday’s post we started looking at Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Virgins, in Matthew 25:1-13. It is one of several illustrations Jesus told in answer to His disciples’ question in Matthew 24:3 (NIV) “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus does not really give the specifics of that Day, rather He focuses on telling them to be prepared and ready for it when it comes. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:13, NIV).

To make His point, He tells this parable using a wedding for the illustration. Jewish custom was that the groom would come to the bride’s house at night with the ancient equivalent of his groomsmen. The bridesmaids would stand about her house when they saw him coming and light the way with their lamps. All ten virgins had lamps for lighting the way for the groom when he came to the bride’s house. The difference being that the wise virgins had plenty of oil with them so that no matter how long they might have to wait, they would be prepared to light the way when he came. The foolish virgins were foolish because they lacked the oil necessary to do what they said they were there to do. We need to watch that our practice matches the faith should are professing. Jesus says in Matthew 7:16-23 (NIV),

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

God given faith manifests itself (gives of light) in how we think, how we relate to our family and friends, how we conduct ourselves in business, and in our relationships. Oswald Chambers said it like this, “God’s grace turns out men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not milksops.”

Faith that does not produce the fruit of the Spirit in our life (Galatians 5:22-23) is not saving faith. Faith like that is akin to a lamp with no oil. Real saving faith is going to move us to do the will of the Father. Profession or creed alone is never looked at in Scripture as the proof of faith in Jesus, it needs to be accompanied by a loving obedience. That is the clear teaching of Matthew 7:21 (NIV) Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ [i.e. who has a profession of faith in Me] will enter the kingdom of heaven but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven [i.e. faith and obedience].

We can fool ourselves or be fooled by looking at the lamp instead of the light the lamp gives off. When it came right down to it, the foolish virgins did not have any oil for their lamps and therefore they went out. In other words, Jesus is telling us that real God given faith is going to be more than a profession of faith. Real saving faith is going to be more than skin deep. You can make a profession of faith in Him, you can join a local church, you can come to worship, financially support the work of the church, you can do all the outward works that a saved Christian is called to do and not be a saved Christian at all!

Listen to what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew Mt 23:23-24 (NIV)

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Our actions are the best test of the authenticity of our faith in Christ. By “best” I do not mean “perfect.” The closest we can get to seeing into a person’s heart is our own heart! And we are not much good that! You can’t see into anyone’s heart. So the best way to have any idea of a person’s heart is by looking at what a person does, by looking at their actions, at their fruit. Scripture gives us some helpful guidelines in discerning the fruit of saving faith in ourselves. Jesus said in John 14:12 (NIV), I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. Saving faith will produce actions that are in line with Jesus’ character and teaching.

Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV) We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. The faith that God’s saving grace produces a loving obedience that over time will be more and more consistent. For instance, true faith is going to not just be forgiving towards some people and some offenses, but will move us towards being forgiving toward all people for any offense.

Longevity of Christian character is as clear an indication of saving faith you can get. We see that in the parable of the virgins. One of the key things that distinguished the wise virgins from the foolish was that the light of their lamps kept shining, while the light of the foolish went out before the bridegroom came.

We need to be pursuing personal holiness. Acting, thinking, and speaking like Christ is not optional. It is essential. Frederick William Robertson said, “Christ did not simply speak the truth; he was Truth-truth through and through, for truth is a thing not of words but a life and being.”

It is the love for Jesus behind our action, not the action itself that counts. That is the point behind Isaiah 29:13, These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. If our outward actions don’t from a new heart that beats with the life of God’s, if they do not come from a broken and contrite spirit that knows how sinful we are and how wonderful and essential God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ is, it doesn’t matter how good we look to ourselves or others. God says in 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV), The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

So what is the state of your lamp? Is the oil of a real love for Jesus in your lamp? It is not enough just to dress as a bridesmaid and have a lamp with a neatly trimmed wick. Because at any time Christ may return. And only those whose lamps are burning and giving light will be welcomed into His wedding feast.