Jump to content
IGNORED

A MYSTERY : Rapture / Parable of the Ten Virgins


rollinTHUNDER

Recommended Posts

Guest C.D. Light
However, since you brought up the "parable of the ten virgins" and make continual reference to the Church (even if only part of it) being the "bride" of Christ, I challenge you (very lovingly and friendly of course) to prove that the Church is the "bride" based solely on Scripture

God Bless.

hello again RCruise,

I also never said that the church is the bride. So I won't try to prove that. I did say, however, that the bride would be taken out of the church. I am against the idea that the entire church is the bride. I have already made a strong case for it, without using the KJV, but the result would be the same. I like the KJV, but I chose the NIV so more people could understand this subject, even though most won't understand it no matter what version I use. But the wise will know and understand. :brightidea:

rollin -- describe what "the church" is then.

I can only agree that the bride sits within the church, but not all who are sitting in the church (buildings) are the bride of christ.

I consider the REAL Church as consisting of only the Bride of Christ. And in that sense, it is all one and the same, no?

Maybe we have just a problem of semantics here.

cd

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 67
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Guest C.D. Light

Dr Luke -- Those "saints" spoken of in Revelation are those who are not believers at the time that Rapture takes place.

They become believers afterward. Therefore they are not ready at the Rapture.

Secondly, the revealing of the AntiChrist and the Mark are not signs to the Bride of Christ at all, because neither of these things come into being until AFTER the Rapture, but immediately after the Rapture; maybe a week or so after.

The AntiChrist is revealed when the First Seal is opened. And the First Seal is not opened until After our Lord has Raptured us.  (He doesnt "start the show" without us, u see?)

One of the most important things to remember here is Gods CHARACTER.  It is NOT his character to mix things together. He NEVER has and never will.  He first completes one thing, BEFORE he starts another thing.

You can look all thru the Bible and see this.

And in this instance of Rapture, He is clearly removing us born agains, the Bride of Christ, OUT OF THE WAY, so that he can deal with those unbelievers on earth.

God didnt deal with the salvation of the Jews AND the salvation of the Gentiles at the same time.  He FIRST cut off the Jews, THEN opened up salvation to the Gentiles.

This is Gods mode of operation; his characteristic way of doing things.

Even with Noah, at the FIRST destruction of the Earth, he FIRST put Noah in a safe place, OUT OF THE WAY, BEFORE he dealt with those ON the Earth.

He did it then, and He will do it again, no doubt about it.

Do u see my point here?  We MUST look at Gods Character.

The whole purpose of the 7 yr Tribulation is God's dealing with the Earth FOR THEIR UNBELIEF.  There is not even any reason or purpose for God to leave Believers mixed in together with unbelievers, since it is his dealing of unbelievers.  This would show God as having lost his mind to suddenly do a switcheroo on us like that.

2Thes 1:8 ...Jesus, in flaming fire, taking vengence ON THEM THAT KNOW NOT GOD and OBEY NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ

1:9  THEY shall be punished with everlasting destruction

Now that is Tribulation.  And He specifically tells us just WHO this vengence is intended for and the purpose of it and WHY.

NONE of this pertains to the Bride of Christ, and that is why He Raptures us out of the way FIRST.....just as he did with Noah.

He didnt mix it together then, and he wont now.

Neither will anyone find anywhere in the Bible that God tells us to prepare for this 7 yr terror on the earth; if we needed to prepare for it, he would have told us so.  But he didnt.

He told us ONLY to be prepared and READY for Him to take us out of here.

"When we see ALL these things BEGIN to take place, THEN LOOK UP for your redemption draws night. "  He didnt say after the first half of Trib your redemption draws nigh...nor did he say at the end of it, your redemption draws nigh......but at the beginning of these various signs, which BTW we are NOW seeing already.

No, we shouldnt be looking for when the AntiChrist is revealed, nor the Mark.........we should be looking at the signs OF these thing ....and if you've been WATCHING just this year there is all kinds of talk about the chip implant suddenly being talked about.....so we can already SEE the BEGINNING of the Mark, because the Mark is an implanted Chip.

Now, look UP for our redemption is drawing Nigh.

cd  :thumb:

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Group:  Royal Member
  • Followers:  6
  • Topic Count:  83
  • Topics Per Day:  0.01
  • Content Count:  2,985
  • Content Per Day:  0.37
  • Reputation:   433
  • Days Won:  2
  • Joined:  04/23/2002
  • Status:  Offline

rollin -- describe what "the church" is then.

I can only agree that the bride sits within the church, but not all who are sitting in the church (buildings) are the bride of christ.

Hi C. D.,

I agree totally. There are many people who come to church, but this does not make them true members of the church. Some of these may even attend faithfully, but it still isn't enough. Jesus said that you must be born again.

I think the Bible is very clear that we must confess that we are sinners, repent of our sins, believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and was raised back to life on the third day. We must believe this in our hearts and confess it with our mouths and be baptised in His name.

Unless we do these things, we can not be born again. And if we are not born again, then likewise, we can not be members of Christ' body or a true member of the church. Some people believe they are christians because they have joined and become members of their local church, but they too are not true members of the Body of Christ. We must be born again. It is the only way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Group:  Royal Member
  • Followers:  6
  • Topic Count:  83
  • Topics Per Day:  0.01
  • Content Count:  2,985
  • Content Per Day:  0.37
  • Reputation:   433
  • Days Won:  2
  • Joined:  04/23/2002
  • Status:  Offline

I consider the REAL Church as consisting of only the Bride of Christ. And in that sense, it is all one and the same, no?

Maybe we have just a problem of semantics here.

cd

I used to believe this myself, that is until about six months ago. I used to be a pure pre-tribber. They believe that the entire church will be raptured out of here before the tribulation begins. I do believe they are right as far as the timing of the rapture, but the scriptures clearly contradict the idea that the entire church will be raptured. Jesus clearly warned us to keep watch and to be ready on several occasions and about the time of His coming. I hope that anyone who has any doubts about this will closely examine the scriptures that I have used in this thread. There are also several articles that I have placed in the first two pages of this thread by Ray Brubaker who uses the same scriptures. If you are a member of the Church, I would highly recommend reading these. These warnings are too important for us not to heed them. You may be saved, but that does not guarantee you will be taken in the rapture.

People, if you are serious about your faith, you owe it to yourself to know the truth. Please don't take the rapture for granted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Group:  Royal Member
  • Followers:  6
  • Topic Count:  83
  • Topics Per Day:  0.01
  • Content Count:  2,985
  • Content Per Day:  0.37
  • Reputation:   433
  • Days Won:  2
  • Joined:  04/23/2002
  • Status:  Offline

THE TEN VIRGINS

Reading: Matthew 26: 30-45

INTRODUCTION

Matthew: 25:1: Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2: And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3: They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5: While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6: And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7: Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8: And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9: But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10: And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11: Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12: But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13: Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

1. VIRGINS

What/Who is a virgin?

I should imagine that in these days almost everyone above the age of 13 knows what a virgin is. But this parable about 'virgins' is not about the physical virginity of young girls. It is about spiritual purity and faithfulness of believers. So we ask the question again:

What/Who is a spiritual virgin?

One answer would be: A spiritual virgin is a true believer who will remain faithful to the Most High when all others become immoral: a holy believer who has not spiritually 'slept around' with pagan Gods and their forms of worship: one who will have nothing to do with error in any form whatsoever. This parable is not highlighting a potential weakness in the fallen church. No! ... It is for the True Church of God; whose members in the last days face the seductions of Satan!

2. THE BRIDEGROOM TARRIED

Every Christian knows that Jesus Christ is the bridegroom. But few, by comparison, know who the bride is, or who the wise and foolish virgins represent. Before the Saviour ascended to heaven, he promised:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)

That promise was made nearly 2000 years ago and he still hasn't come. Millions of Christians have died in the blessed hope that they would be alive (without seeing death) when the Saviour returns. But the bridegroom has tarried. He has tarried so long that unbelievers today scoff at the very idea of him ever returning: that is, even presupposing that he is alive!

2 Peter 3:

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4: And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

3. THEY ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT

The Saviour's unexpected delay - if it was a delay - has wearied the church. Centuries have rolled by and still the bridegroom hasn't come. Has the wedding been called off? The parable states that all ten virgins fell asleep! It wasn't simply a case of some exceptionally holy believers keeping awake and the majority dozing off. Oh no! The whole church fell asleep!

4. AT MIDNIGHT THERE WAS A CRY

The bridegroom's delay was unexpected; but his arrival will be infinitely more surprising! Have you ever attended a wedding where the bridegroom arrived at midnight? I haven't. When eventually the bridegroom's arrival was announced there was blind panic. All ten virgins awoke together, and all their lamps needed attention. Frantically they put on their shoes, arranged their clothes and hair and attempted to trim their lamps. Pandemonium reigned! Five of the ten virgins discovered that their lamps had gone out and - to add to the disaster - they had no spare oil.

5. OIL IN THEIR VESSELS

Notice how the parable states that the 'wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.' In other words they had allowed for the possibility of a delay and not only had they filled their lamps with oil, but also 'took oil in their vessels with their lamps.' This means that they would have a good supply of the Holy Spirit to last till the bridegroom arrived.

6. OUR LAMPS HAVE GONE OUT!

Imagine the shock that overtook the foolish virgins when they discovered that their lamps had gone out. Sleepy eyes, unkempt hair, ruffled dresses, all these things paled into insignificance when compared to the tragedy that their lamps had gone out and they had no oil. In a frantic effort to re-light their lamps they rushed of to buy oil. Whether they succeeded to obtain oil or not we are not told. But the fact was, the wise could no more share their oil with the foolish, than a believer could give the Holy Spirit to someone else. The lesson here is that we must ask and receive of the Holy Spirit now! before the midnight cry sounds throughout the world. Tomorrow may be too late. We must be ready today!

The Door Was Shut

What does this phrase mean? Does it mean that the foolish virgins will lose eternal life? That, for all their dedication, purity and faith, they would be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven? I doubt it. The Bible teaches in John 3:15-16 and elsewhere that:

'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'

This includes the five foolish virgins. To be sure they were foolish; because they had failed to take into account that the bridegroom would tarry so long. But remember, they were spiritual virgins - true believers! This means that though they were not allowed to get past that shut door, they will not lose everlasting life. After all, in the wedding parable of Matthew 22: 8-10 even the bad gained entrance.

Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found,

both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

What then did the foolish virgins lose when 'the door was shut?' In my opinion, this parable is introducing the virgin church who is to become the Messiah's wife: the morally pure, obedient and dedicated believers who are filled with an abundant supply of the Holy Spirit.

The door that was shut isn't the door to the banqueting hall. Why even the 'bad' were allowed to enter through that door. Methinks that in this parable the door that was shut is the door to the bridal chamber! This is the door that is open only to the bridegroom and his bride. To all others this door is shut.

The Bible tells us that millions of believers will enter the Kingdom of God. Their number will be greater than the stars in heaven and the sands on the sea shore. But not all believers will become the Lamb's bride. That place is reserved for the wise virgins: those believers who are deemed to be absolutely true, stainless, chaste, humble and holy. They will become Yeshua the Messiah's Bride, the virgin daughter of Zion whose beauty and character will astonish the entire universe.

7. BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

The Scriptures make many urgent appeals to believers to 'awake out of sleep,' to 'hold fast,' to 'be filled with the Spirit,' to 'cast off the works of darkness' and to 'put on the armour of light.' Are you doing these things? I can assure you that if you want to be allowed into the bridal chamber as the BRIDE! you will need to be much more than just a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. His bride, remember, is not just an ordinary virgin: she is a wise virgin and she is filled with the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul writes:

Ephesians 5: 14: Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15: See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17: Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18: And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.

8. THE WEDDING CANOPY

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Group:  Diamond Member
  • Followers:  1
  • Topic Count:  49
  • Topics Per Day:  0.01
  • Content Count:  562
  • Content Per Day:  0.07
  • Reputation:   5
  • Days Won:  0
  • Joined:  12/03/2002
  • Status:  Offline

i have come  in on the back side of this thread . however  what about the new born again believers?  Do you believe that they will be left behind? My oppinion i think that they have another standard,  they are not to the age of accountability are they?  I am not comming against you just wanted your oppinion . I know  from past  posts i have seen that you a wise and humble loving christian.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Group:  Royal Member
  • Followers:  6
  • Topic Count:  83
  • Topics Per Day:  0.01
  • Content Count:  2,985
  • Content Per Day:  0.37
  • Reputation:   433
  • Days Won:  2
  • Joined:  04/23/2002
  • Status:  Offline

i have come
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

  • Group:  Royal Member
  • Followers:  6
  • Topic Count:  83
  • Topics Per Day:  0.01
  • Content Count:  2,985
  • Content Per Day:  0.37
  • Reputation:   433
  • Days Won:  2
  • Joined:  04/23/2002
  • Status:  Offline

I love how Jesus saves the best for last so much, that I thought I would try it myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Group:  Royal Member
  • Followers:  6
  • Topic Count:  83
  • Topics Per Day:  0.01
  • Content Count:  2,985
  • Content Per Day:  0.37
  • Reputation:   433
  • Days Won:  2
  • Joined:  04/23/2002
  • Status:  Offline

Also, I just edited this post, so as to include these two excellent passages :

John 10:14-16 - "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - (15)just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep. (16)I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen, I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

2 Timothy 2:4-7 - "No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Group:  Royal Member
  • Followers:  2
  • Topic Count:  297
  • Topics Per Day:  0.04
  • Content Count:  5,586
  • Content Per Day:  0.70
  • Reputation:   193
  • Days Won:  1
  • Joined:  04/09/2002
  • Status:  Offline

Daniel 12:9-10 - "He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. (10) Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but those who are wise shall understand."

Matthew 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

wise

From the word origin: frhvn - to understand

"Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white"

This is to understand, to take God's Word and do what is right with It.  You shall purify yourselves, if you believe His Word and follow Him in It.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...