The Ten Virgins

This episode delves into the parable of the Ten Virgins from the Bible, exploring themes of preparedness and vigilance in the context of Christian faith and eschatology.

1. The importance of being spiritually prepared for Christ's return.
2. The significance of living each day with an eternal perspective.
3. Insights into different interpretations of eschatology while maintaining focus on the core Christian doctrine.
4. The dangers of procrastination in spiritual readiness.
5. Encouragement for listeners to engage actively in their faith and evangelism.

1. Introduction and Series Context

Costi Hinn introduces the series focus on parables, emphasizing the need for sound interpretation and foundational understanding. He sets the stage for discussing the Ten Virgins. Costi Hinn: "We've now covered the rich fool, the unforgiving servant, and now we're at our third parable, the ten virgins."

2. The Parable of the Ten Virgins

A detailed walkthrough of the parable, highlighting the actions of the wise and foolish virgins and the consequences of their preparedness. Costi Hinn: "Five were foolish, five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps."

3. Theological Implications and Personal Application

Exploration of the deeper meanings behind the parable and how it applies to modern Christian life. Costi Hinn: "Christ is going to return. His promises are going to come true. He will establish his kingdom."

4. Call to Action

Hinn urges listeners to reflect on their readiness for Christ's return and to live out their faith actively. Costi Hinn: "Are you ready to meet the Lord if you died today or he returned? Are you like those who think you know? I just need to go get some more oil for my lamp, friend. It'll be too late."

1. Regularly assess your spiritual preparedness and relationship with Christ.
2. Engage in daily Bible reading and prayer to strengthen your faith.
3. Participate in community and church activities to foster a supportive Christian network.
4. Share your faith actively, reflecting the urgency of the gospel message.
5. Remain vigilant and avoid complacency in your spiritual life.

Some people are ready for Christ to return or call them home, and some are not. Some people are living for themselves but think they are saved, while others are humbly living their life for God’s glory. In the parable of “The Ten Virgins” Jesus arrests the eternal perspective of His audience by showcasing how once the Lord returns, it will be too late to be saved. Today is the day of salvation.

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Kosti Hin

Welcome to the further gospel podcast where we provide sound doctrine for everyday people. I'm your host, Kosti Hin, and I want to welcome listeners on Apple and Spotify and those of you enjoying this on our YouTube video podcast format. Thank you, as always, for your written reviews on Apple. Those go a long way to encourage others that they should listen to the podcast, and it's been a blessing to you. And then thanks for subscribing on YouTube.

It lets us know that you are consistently getting these resources. And obviously, people look and see if a channel is worth subscribing to to see if others have. And hopefully they'll end up hearing the truth and being strengthened, or, as we've heard testimonies before, even people getting saved through this content. So thank you so much. On today's episode, I'm continuing with part four of this series in the parables.

I'm covering eight parables, and we started with episode one, how to interpret the parables so you'd have a strong foundation heading into these. We've now covered the rich fool, the unforgiving servant, and now we're at our third parable, the ten virgins. Now, this parable comes with some modern day baggage, and I think there's good reason, since we could have spirited debate about what precise view of eschatology that's the study of the end times is the right one, and. And interpreting things correctly should matter to everyone. Still, there are some really clear truths that every single person who's a Christian can draw from this parable.

And there's important things we actually must agree on. We don't want to miss the forest for the trees here, and so don't approach this parable with kind of that that I like. Well, how is, you know, what are they thinking and what are they. Just think about the principles and the truth that we can draw. And I'll add a little more clarity after we kind of get into it.

As with each parable, I want to put the text in its context here. So we're in Matthew 25, verses one to three. If you want to grab your Bible in a minute, I'm going to read it. But as with each episode, if you're on a run, you're lifting, you're driving, wherever, whatever you're doing, I got you covered. I'll read you the text and unpack it for sure.

But Jesus is teaching about the kingdom of heaven. Now, that's Matthew's favorite go to phrase for kingdom of God. He uses it about 32 times, and he does this because he's writing to a jewish audience, and they would take offense to using the word God. So I don't know about you, but I have some jewish friends. We email once in a while, and they'll actually write G d in email.

They won't even say the name of God, let alone write the name of God. And so Jesus is using the phrase kingdom of heaven, or Matthew is using the phrase kingdom of heaven. And I want to help unpack this for you. So if you want to turn your Bible to Matthew, chapter 25, I've got my bible for this episode as well. And we'll read these particular verses together and dig right in.

All right, here we go. Matthew 25 one. Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins. They took their lamps, they went out to meet the bridegroom, and five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. Don't miss that.

That's key. Verse two is a big, big anchor point for this parable. Five were foolish, five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil and flasks along with their lamps. Now, while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

But at midnight there was a shout, and behold the bridegroom, or behold the bridegroom is what was shouted, come out to meet him. Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, he, give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the prudent answered, no, there will not be enough for us. And you too instead.

Go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in, and they went in with him to the wedding feast. And the door was shut. Later the other virgins came, saying, lord, lord, open up for us. But he answered, truly, I say to you, I do not know you.

And Jesus says, be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. There is a sobering statement, reminds me of Matthew seven. Remember when people come to Jesus and say, Lord, Lord, I did this, I did that. And he says, depart from me. I never knew you.

Well here, in the same way, verse eleven. Lord, Lord, open up for us. And he says, truly, I say to you, I don't know you. Now, regardless of your view on eschatology, it needs to be incredibly concerning that one day people will face Christ and say, Lord, let me in or Lord, I did all this, Lord, Lord. And he'll say, I don't know who you are.

Now, I hold a premillennial view on eschatology. That's generally the bent that we come at in in our ministries when we're talking about the end times. And yet still, my interpretation of this parable shouldn't really rock your boat all that much, even if you're a mil or you're post mil, because, well, everyone still comes to the text the same way, looking at that takeaway, and thinks, this is horrible. There's people that won't know the Lord, or they think they do, and they're not actually saved. There's people even now that are walking around the earth with that lord, lord mentality.

I'll tell you, the only people we really need to be concerned about when it comes to eschatology and causing issues might be the crazy people labeling themselves as premill dispensationalists. And they keep predicting the end of the world and the rapture. They drive me crazy, too. They make all the premill guys look bad. I promise you, 99% of us pre millennial guys aren't that crazy.

And you know that if you followed our ministry. We all have convictions when it comes to eschatology, but we should all get along in the family of Christ as long as we are collectively zealous for good works and zealous for gospel proclamation. We got souls to win. We got eternal joy and fellowship with Christ and the new heavens and the new earth to look forward to. And that leads to some key truths here that we should all agree on, and we should be living in light of number one.

This parable makes it clear. Christ is going to return. The kingdom of heaven is going to be like this. Some people are going to be ready, some aren't. Some are going to be living their way, and they're not prepared.

And then they think, well, now let me in. And others are going to be living in light of eternity. Know this, friend. Christ is going to return. Jesus never leaves the what?

Unclear. This parable is very obvious. He will return. It's only the when that we're not given. He's going to return.

His promises are going to come true. He will establish his kingdom. I believe that's going to be a literal thousand year reign. But even after that is the part that we all need to just say yes and amen to that. There will be a new heavens and a new earth, and God will dwell with his people.

He'll have put an end to all wickedness. He will rule and reign forever. All will know and all will see, and all will have declared that Christ is Lord. Every single one of us need to be rallying around that reality. Jesus will return.

Truth number two or principle number two, from this parable is live like he is. So Jesus is going to return live like he is. Now, wouldn't it be nice if God had told us the date of his return? Sure, in the flesh, you're thinking, it'd be really nice to know how this plays out. But imagine, as humans, how we would live.

We would procrastinate. I mean, you procrastinate, and I do. If I know, live six months before that. So I'm fine. We would say, I got plenty of time.

Some people would say, hey, perfect. I know the date. You know, he's coming back on the 30th. So I'm going to live how I want till the 29th, and then I'll get right just before he returns. Could you imagine the pride and the mayhem that would cause?

God didn't tell us the time because that's what's best for us. His ways are above our ways. But what do we know? We need to live like he is going to return. Paul the apostle, he would often encourage the view that Christ's return is imminent.

Constantly look forward to his appearing. You know, Peter, when he writes first, Peter, he's encouraging these christians who are going through a lot. I mean, there's this constant looking up, this constant, you are not from here. This constant. You're an alien and a foreigner.

Look forward to the return of Christ. Jude does the same thing in the midst of apostasy. And this generation filled with false teachers and false conversions and false christians. Jude says, waiting anxiously for the Lord's return. Are you eager?

Are you anxious for it? And number three, the principle or the truth that we can draw from the parable of the ten virgins is be born again today. The Bible continually reminds us that tomorrow's not promised. James says, we're just a vapor. We're here today, gone tomorrow.

The book of ecclesiastes actually helps us live life backwards. That's the name of David Gibson's book on the book of ecclesiastes. All of the scriptures shout, be born again today. Place your faith in Jesus today. He's the only one who can save.

He's the only one who brings peace and hope and joy and purpose. He's the only one worthy of our worship, and he's the only one worthy of laying down your life for so be born again today. Those five virgins, they were not prudent. They weren't ready. They thought, oh, well, you know, they didn't have enough to be ready, didn't have what they needed.

I think so many people are living that way. They're living for themselves. They have a myopic, short sighted view, whereas the five prudent ones, they were living every day in light of the bridegroom's return. I remember evangelizing a man one time. He, he, he heard me out.

The gospel was clear. And he says, I want all that. I believe all that. And I said, all right, well, then, trust Christ now for salvation. You know, I'm thinking like, this is it.

I've done what spurgeon would call, you know, I've won a soul. I want to be a soul winner. I expected him to say, okay, I'm in. I give Christ my life. I surrender.

I want to obey the gospel instead. He tells me, okay with you. I agree, but I I'm not ready. He says, I still want to party, still want to enjoy my life. I still want to do the things that I know following Jesus would ruin.

I'll never forget him saying, I know what it means to be a Christian, and I know what he will call me to. I'm not ready to give that up. That heartbreaking moment is what so many people live like. They think, you know, tomorrow I'll consider Jesus. Today.

I've got things to do. Friend, nothing is more important than the state of your soul. Being ready for Christ, living like you're ready for Christ, being born again under and unto Christ. And the Bible consistently teaches us that today is the day of salvation. So we should ask ourselves, number one, are you ready to meet the Lord if you died today or he returned?

Are you like those who think you know? I just need to go get some more oil for my lamp, friend. It'll be too late. Are you ready to meet the Lord today? Number two, are you born again?

In John three, Jesus tells Nicodemus, you must be born again. And I tell you the same thing. Unless you're born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. And the only way to experience the new birth, a total rebirth, a new you, is to place your faith in Jesus Christ. He's the one who gives you a new heart.

The Holy Spirit enters you, he changes you, he grows you, and he enables you to live for Christ. There will be a whole new you when you're born again. Are you born again? You cannot enter the afterlife with Christ forever. You cannot live the spiritually abundant life now here on earth if you are not born again.

And finally, as a believer, are you telling others to get ready? The church isn't here to sit around and stare at each other. We're on the earth to be salt and light. And we're here to proclaim like Paul, I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It's the power of God unto salvation.

And look, I don't care what view your eschatology is, if you don't have the right view of evangelism, you're not living in light of who God has called you to be. Be as a Christian. We're not here to predict the end of the world. We're not here to drop a new video every time apple drops a new product and you think, oh, now this is the mark of the beast. We are here to preach Christ, and we are, with all of our eschatological views, we're staying ready for the king's next move.

Why? Because he's coming. I believe that, and I pray that you would live like it's true. Five virgins had oil and they were ready. Five virgins had some oil, but they were not.

Five virgins were ready for the king anytime. Five virgins weren't fully ready, but thought, you know, I'll get ready down the road. But it was too late. Which group are you in right now? Next time we're looking at the parable of the prodigal son.

Thanks for listening. Thanks for watching. Thanks for your support. Be sure to subscribe on YouTube, drop a review on Apple, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter. I'll be back next Monday with another episode.

Keep on living for the gospel.