There are two main types of Christians. They can be called spiritual and carnal, wise and foolish, or loving and lukewarm. In the Bible, they are not only characterized by the ten virgins but by the Philadelphians and Laodiceans, the two feet of the Body of Christ.
When we first accept Christ, we are forgiven our past sins. Therefore, we are pure virgins in the Lord's sight. When we sin, we get our feet dirty and quench the Holy Spirit. Then we have to use I John 1:9 to get back in fellowship with the Lord. It says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." If we confess known sins, the Lord will also wipe off the slate the unknown sins we have committed. Then we are pure virgins in the Lord's sight again.
Believers have entered into the spiritual kingdom of heaven when they first believed in Christ. They have become sons of God by adoption. However, while we are on Earth, "the kingdom of heaven (can) be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom."
When we believe, Christ baptizes us with his Holy Spirit, thus our spirits (as lamps) are filled to the brim with the oil of the Holy Spirit. We are baptized, immersed in the Holy Spirit. Our vessels are filled to the brim. Our lamps shine brightly.
When we sin, we quench the Holy Spirit. The level of oil in our lamps diminishes and they are at times in danger of going out. We cannot lose our salvation, but our oil level is then very low, too low to be caught up to Heaven in the first Rapture. Our lamps can't be seen from afar at night for they are sputtering, about to go out. To get more oil, we have to confess those sins and get back in fellowship with the Lord. There just isn't any other way. And to go in the Rapture, we have to be ready. It will happen too quickly to try to get more oil.
Revelation 2:5 is something we should pay attention to. Jesus comes quickly at the Rapture. It says, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; OR ELSE I will come unto thee QUICKLY, and will remove thy candlestick out of HIS PLACE, except thou repent.
The candlestick can be removed out of HIS PLACE, which is Heaven. This is what happens to the ones who are cut asunder and assigned their portion with the unbelievers. This is what happens to the Laodiceans and the foolish virgins. The parable of the ten virgins says,
They that were foolish took their lamps (i.e., their spirits were kindled to life), and took no oil with them (i.e., no extra oil): But the wise took oil in their vessels ("earthen vessels" equals bodies in 2 Cor. 4:7) with their lamps. While the bridegroom (Christ) tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom (Christ) cometh; go ye out to meet him (at the Rapture). 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 (lit. going) out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you (we may have to be completely filled, we don't know): 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 (they are chosen as the Bride of Christ); and the door was shut (this is the door that opens for the Philadelphians in Rev. 3:8 and 4:1). Afterward (after the Rapture) came also the other virgins (i.e., the lukewarm Laodiceans), saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (This is when he spews the Laodiceans out of his mouth, out of the Body of Christ temporarily for chastisement, Rev. 3:16). Watch therefore, for ye (the foolish lukewarm Laodicean virgins) know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Mt. 25:3-13).
You see, they were not watching. In Revelation 3:3, Jesus warned, "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." He comes as a thief just before Armagedon (Revelation 16:15,16).
In II Peter 3:10f, Peter told us that
the day of the Lord (the Millennium) will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens (atmospheric) shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?)
Daniel 12:10 says, "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." They understand and are ready. They are "Looking for that blessed hope (the Rapture), and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from ALL iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous (the Laodiceans are not zealous, Rev. 3:19) of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority" (Titus 2:13-15).
And there shall in no wise enter into it (Heaven) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life (Rev. 21:27).
Peter had his feet washed by Christ. Only later did he understand why he needed Christ to cleanse his feet. John 13:6-10 says,
Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.
There is a good reason Jesus emphasized the feet. The Philadelphians and Laodiceans of Rev. 3:7f are the feet of the Body of Christ. We are living in the latter days of this age. Most of the Body of Christ is already in Heaven. Jesus, the head, went to Heaven in 30 A.D. Other believers have followed at their death through the centuries that have elapsed since that time ("absent from the body, present with the Lord"). Here at the end of the age, it is mainly the feet that are still left on Earth.
One foot will be born a little ahead of the other. In Revelation 4:1, we find the "Come up hither" that calls the Philadelphian wise virgins to Heaven. The Tribulation follows this. We find the account in Revelation 6. It starts with the Beast riding forth on a white horse as a prince of peace and ends with "the great day of his (the Lamb's) wrath is come." Only after that, in Revelation 7, do we find the Tribulation saints (i.e., foolish Laodicean virgins) in Heaven. They are caught up between the sixth seal of Revelation 6:12 and the seventh seal of Revelation 8:1. By that time, they have "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14).
The first foot of the Body of Christ is caught up in the Pre-Trib Rapture. The last foot goes to Heaven in the Pre-Wrath Rapture. It takes place on the first 24-hour day of the millennial Day of the Lord. That day is also the Day of God's Wrath, but the last foot is caught up before the wrath is poured out. They are saved so as by fire, out of the fiery furnace, for the asteroid will impact Earth at noon that day (Amos 8:9,10)
Peter tells us how to make our calling and election sure. We should pay attention so we will go to Heaven in the first Rapture, before the Tribulation begins. In II Peter 1:4-11, he said,
Wherefy are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (agape love, God's love). For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind (as the Laodiceans are), and cannot see afar off (Heaven), and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old (i.e., previous) sins, Wherefore the rather, brethren (Christians), give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour JESUS Christ.
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© 1997 Marilyn J. Agee
Updated 1-11-98
