Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 17)

Thank you for joining us once again as we continue our series regarding the doctrine of Eternal Security.

Today, we'll be taking some time to look at another parable regarding salvation.

Matthew 25:1-13
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 

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'. 

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. 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'..

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Here we have the parable of the 10 virgins.

Those who deny the security of God's salvation interpret like this...

All 10 virgins initially have salvation. While waiting for the bridegroom, the 5 foolish virgins run out of oil in their lamps. The oil represents the Holy Spirit, which means that the Holy Spirit left them... which means they were no longer saved. The bridegroom comes, and takes the 5 wise virgins and leaves the foolish ones. See, we can lose our salvation.

What is the problem with their interpretation? They stopped reading too early.

You see, the end of the parable is that the foolish virgins knocked on the door asking to be let in and the bridegroom replied, 'I never knew you'. This reply changes the entire perspective of the parable.

Now, we have to look at the parable like this...

The 5 foolish virgins were never saved at all. We know this is the case because the bridegroom says He never knew them. The bridegroom was never coming to get them, only the 5 wise virgins.

From the beginning of the parable Jesus calls them foolish.

The issue wasn't that they ran out of oil (the Holy Spirit), because we are told from the beginning that they didn't bring any oil with them. The wise virgins brought oil in their vessels.

If oil means the Holy Spirit, not bringing any oil means they didn't have the Holy Spirit.

Look at the picture that Jesus paints.

These 5 foolish virgins without oil, were amongst the 5 wise virgins with oil. There is no indication that the wise virgins felt the foolish didn't belong with them. They're all together, with their lamps, waiting on the bride groom.

They also must've forged some kind of relationship for the foolish virgins to feel it was ok to ask the wise virgins for some of their oil.

When the bridegroom leaves without them, they go to Him.

You see, they expected to be picked up. They expected to be with Him. But not only did He leave them, but He wouldn't let them in when they came knocking.

In other words, they were deceived. They thought that by looking like the wise virgins, and by doing the things they do, they would be accepted. But that wasn't the case.

The reason for all of this is that they had no oil.

This parable isn't showing the loss of salvation but the mixture of the wheat and tares.

The reason that people mistakenly give the wrong meaning to this parable is because they take it out of it's context by leaving off the last verses without which, you would easily make the same mistake.

We must always seek to read and understand scripture in the context it's given, making sure to include all the verses that pertain to the text.

This parable, just like the previous ones, highlights the issue we have today. It's not that people lose their salvation. It's that we think people are saved when in reality they are not. Unless God gives us a clear indication that a person isn't saved, like allowing us to see that they don't believe Jesus is God or that they are didn't die on the cross, a lot of times we will be none-the-wiser. Those people as well will be just as deceived. It's the same reason why Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they are Christian and saved.

Join us next time as we jump into the book of Hebrews.