Message 8 - By
Jerry D. Green
Foolish
Virgins
Introduction
“Be ye therefore PERFECT, even as your
Father which is in heaven is PERFECT” (Matthew 5:48). The word, perfect,
seems to frighten most people as they conjure up something in their minds which
they perceive as being beyond the ability
of any mortal man to do or be, that
being, to live without sin and
without sinning. In that, they are
correct. This is especially true since the vast majority of today’s ministers
tell us that we are all sinners and
always will be, and that Gods answer for our sin problem is simply to forgive us each time we sin; then when we die, we’ll all be
instantly changed into sinlessness.
Or maybe He’ll just take sinners to
heaven with Him. Either scenario couldn’t be farther from the truth. This is
what the true gospel is all about, to do
that which, concerning sin, IS
beyond the ability of any mortal man to do; that is, to be perfect. Let me quickly say that in the King James Version of
the Bible, there are at least ten (10) different Greek words in the New
Testament which were translated perfect,
all with various meanings. One of the words more rightly means exact. In other cases, complete would be a better translation.
The Greek word translated perfect in
the above scripture, Strong’s #5046,
means “complete (in various
applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as
noun, with 358) completeness.” This
particular Greek word was also translated man
and of full age. So I believe a
better translation in this case would have been complete, (grown up, or mature, meaning) of full age. I say this in light of what the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 3:19. “And to know the LOVE of Christ, (The AGAPE LOVE that carried Him
to Calvary; John 3:16; Ephesians 5:2) which passeth knowledge (cannot be comprehended by the
natural mind), that ye…be FILLED with all the FULNESS of God.” And what is this
FULLNESS which the apostle speaks of? It is EVERYTHING that was and is IN Jesus. “For IN Him (Jesus, the Christ) dwelleth
all the FULNESS of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). “And ye are COMPLETE (Strong’s #4137) IN Him….” Thayer’s says
one usage of the word (#5046) means
“wanting nothing necessary to completeness.” So no matter which word you chose,
perfection, completeness, or fulness;
IT is ONLY found IN Jesus Christ. That is where the truly born again, sinless, Christian walk begins, IN
Christ, and from there, we grow up
IN Him. Hopefully this little introduction will help the reader to better
understand the message.
JDG
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Foolish Virgins
Many times I have read the parable of the
foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1 through 13),
always considering the difference between those who were wise, and those who
were foolish. They were all virgins, and they all had their lamps. They had all
kept themselves from the world, and they were all going out to meet the
bridegroom (Jesus). And even though the
foolish were taking their lamps, they took no oil with them. “But the wise took
oil in their vessels with their lamps.” The only difference between the
wise and the foolish seems to be that the wise had a supply of oil that the
foolish did not have. They all slumbered and slept as they waited for the
bridegroom, but when the critical moment came, the foolish had no oil; they
were just not ready. They tried to borrow from those who were, but that was not
an option. They had to go to them that sell, and it was too late. They had
waited too long. They had procrastinated.
Whatever it was they lacked, there wasn’t time now to get it. The bridegroom
came and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage and the door was
shut. “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us,
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (Then the
exhortation,) Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh.”
What a sad story. But sadder yet is the
fact that many today are still not
heeding the warning. The enemy of their souls has beguiled them with “…another gospel…,” a perverted gospel that has no power to
save or to make free from sin (Galatians 1:6-9): no power to make
ready to meet the bridegroom. One day I heard a person say, we’re not there
yet, but were getting there; and the Spirit spoke to my heart, foolish virgins.
I had never really understood this parable until that time. I had heard much
speculation as to what the virgins lack was, but I had never seen it as I did
that day. Foolish virgins, are those who are always getting ready, but never
quite there, always preparing, yet always lacking, and will be until the day
that the “…cry (is) made, Behold the
bridegroom cometh; go you out to meet Him.” Will you be
ready when that cry is made?
There is hope for all who find themselves
in this situation. For many years that was me: always getting ready, always
preparing, always struggling with sin,
but never free. I was always trying ever harder to be what my carnal mind told me
God would be pleased with, when in fact, there is absolutely nothing that I
could ever do or produce that could or would please God. Then one day my
understanding was enlightened to the truth of the gospel.
There is only one answer. We must “…go to them (He) that sell(s), and buy for…” ourselves. Jesus
counsels the church of the Laodiceans “…to buy of me
gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou
mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness… (does) …not appear; and
anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see” (Revelations 3:18). Whether its gold,
white raiment, or oil, Jesus is the only one that sells that which is
sufficient to meet the need. It must be His provision or it will never be
acceptable; and His provision is the true
gospel of (Him), Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16).
Buy of Him, but there is no charge. Buy
of Him, but there is no money or anything else of value exchanged. Buy of Him,
but it is freely given (Isaiah 52:3;
Revelation 22:17). So what are you
waiting for? He is the only one that has that which will make you ready and you
will never find a better bargain. Quit shopping around. Religion doesn’t have
the answer and its cost is eternal death.
Stop hanging on to the old man. Stop trying to make him acceptable. He will
never be accepted, no matter how good of a job you may do. Let him go. Go
ahead, let him be hung on that cross (in union) with Jesus. Cry with the crowd,
“…let him be crucified.” He’s “…worthy of death. The soul that sinneth it shall die.” Let him be
buried (in union) with Jesus, put away forever, and let that new man be
resurrected (in union) with Him; in the
newness of His pure, holy, abundant, never ending life. Sit together in
heavenly places in Him (in union with Him). This is the only thing that will
ever please God, so let that old man go. You’ve nothing to lose (except the
condemnation [the death sentence] that is upon all sin and all sinners),
and everything to gain. All you have to do is come to Him in true repentance
and believe from the heart that this is so. For this IS the gospel of Jesus Christ and it’s already done; Already
accomplished; Already finished. And it can never be reversed or undone. It is
forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89).
When a baby is born, normal, healthy, and
with all of its members, it is a perfect (complete) human being. It is the son
or daughter of the proud parents. It does not grow up to become a human being
or to become their son or daughter. It is born such. He or she may not look exactly
like mom and/or dad or any of the other family members. It may not look like
any of the other babies on the block, or in their community, city, state or
nation. Never mind that, this is a perfect (complete) baby human being, made
according to the pattern (the parents). Is this baby grown? Of course not. Does
this baby have some growing and learning to do? Absolutely! Nevertheless, this
is a perfect (complete) baby.
Likewise is the person who is truly born of God. He or she is a perfect (complete), child of God, and just like the natural baby, they are
made according to the pattern, their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. They are “…born again…” of Him, the incorruptible Seed,
the (living) Word of God (Jesus Christ), that lives and abides forever (I Peter 1:23). That same (living) Word of God (Jesus Christ; John 1:1-4 and 14) which by the gospel is preached unto you (I Peter 1:25). They “…are His workmanship (new creations) created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that
we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
They are born again of His pure, sinless
life; His pure sinless spirit. They
are not struggling to become a child of God. Neither are they struggling to be sinless, or perfect (or complete), but
just being that which God has made them to be. As Jesus said, “Be ye therefore
perfect (complete), even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (complete; Matthew 5:48). If so be that you
have truly been born again of the Spirit of God, just be what you are (John 3:5); His seed, His conception,
His child (I Peter 1:3). You can’t be anything other than what you are (Revelations 22:11). Much turmoil occurs
when the scripture says “Be ye therefore perfect…” (complete) and the church pastors
and teachers continually tell that we can never be perfect (complete). Instead,
they tell us we are all still sinners
and always will be, then they laden us with the ten commandment law of God,
plus, all of the ordinances, principles, and traditions of men; which are
supposed to make us complete, but instead they bring us once again under
bondage to sin and death (Romans 6:23). It’s no wonder that many give up and turn back.
Trying to be something that God has already made them to be, and in so doing,
they fall from the grace of God, and find themselves back in a struggle with sin and death (Galatians 5:4; Romans 7:7-11). This is what got Adam
and Eve in trouble, trying to be something they already were, “…as
God….” They were created in
the image and likeness of God. They were as God, but the devil “…beguiled…”
(deceived) them into doing something to be
as God (works), and the result was, they fell from being as God.
The false ministers laden us with the
dead works of ordinances (Colossians
2:20-23; Hebrews 9:14),
principles, and laws, which are the strength of sin (I Corinthians 15:56),
and tell us that we will ever be in a struggle with that old fallen, fleshly, sinful nature. What ever happened to “…the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21)? Paul said, “…I was alive WITHOUT the law once: but when the commandment came (when I went back to the law) sin revived, and I died” (Romans 7:9). When was Paul alive
without the law? When he first got saved, but he returned to the law. Not yet
having the revelation of the gospel,
he once again partook of “…the tree of knowledge of good and
evil…” and just as it
will to any child of God, it brought him back into the struggle with sin and death. “O wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body (all, or the whole) of this death? I thank God (it’s the grace
of God that’s) through Jesus Christ our Lord…,” and the finished
work of His death on that cruel cross. Also, His burial, resurrection, and
ascension into heaven (Romans 7:24-25).
For, in union with Him, we were and are, made partakers with Him of all these
things.
I suppose a more technical term for what
I have been talking about would be progressive sanctification or spiritual
evolution: but whatever term you choose to use, it is a “…pernicious…” doctrine (II Peter
2:1-3). The teaching is that we are saved by grace, but we sanctify
ourselves (works). This is very contrary to what the scriptures say, for Hebrews 13:12 says, “Wherefore Jesus also, that He… (might was added
here by the translators) …sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without (outside) the gate.” And Hebrews 10:10 says,
“By the which will (the will of God) we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all.” These and many other scriptures confirm the fact that our washing,
our cleansing, our total preparation to receive a new spirit (Being born
[again; anew] of the divine nature.) is by faith in the work of the shed blood
and broken body of Jesus, the Christ. He washes, cleanses, and purges us from
our sins before He ever puts a new
spirit (the new, divine nature) within us, but its done in a moment of time.
And yes, we grow in grace; but not into grace. We do not grow gradually or any other way, from being
a sinner into that which pleases God
(that is to say, not being a sinner).
It is a miraculous work that He does
and just like the newborn baby, we are born (again), perfect (complete), a
child of God, a new creation, ready to grow up into Him (Ephesians 4:13-15), into a
perfect man (a complete, mature son of God) ready for His service and His
coming. Will you be ready when that cry is made, “…Behold, the bridegroom cometh….” Whether you’re
one who has never been saved or one who the devil has beguiled through his
trickery, the answer is the same. That which we are, must be His provision. If
you are one who has truly been born again of the Spirit, then hear the word of
the Lord. “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man
take thy crown (Revelation 3:11).” And if you are
one who has never been born again of the Spirit, just come to God, in true
repentance (Godly sorrow for) your sin,
and your sins. Believe the word of
the Lord. For “If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Amen!
Message 8 -
Foolish Virgins
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