Hi NNM
Your question is very important so I made a note of it not to forget.
Who were the 5 virgins??
Mathew 5:1-13
As you know, the N.T. speaks a lot about Jesus coming back like a thief in the night and how we must be ready for him.
Here are some verses:
Revelation 3:3 (Jesus speaking)
Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
1 Thessalonians 5:2-6
For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
Revelation 16:15 (Jesus speaking)
“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
Luke 21:34-35 (Jesus speaking)
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Luke 12:35-40 (Jesus speaking)
“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Matthew 25:13
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Mark 13:32-35 (Jesus speaking)
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—
2 Peter 3:10 — But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
If you notice, I've indicated when it's Jesus speaking.
Why?
Because there's this movement in our churches which was begun by Calvin. It states that once you are born again you cannot lose this salvation.
JESUS did not agree with this. If there is any doubt about anything, we must go to what Jesus said since HE IS THE NEW COVENANT, and I do believe He knew why He came to this earth.
He constantly told us that we must be ready for His return.
Ready in what way?
In John 14:26 Jesus says that He will send a helper, the Holy Spirit, who will TEACH US and bring to remembrance all that Jesus had said.
In Mathew 28:19 Jesus sends out the Apostles on the Great Commission. He told them to make disciples of all nations, batpize, and teach them to observe all that He COMMANDED.
JESUS said these things, not me --- as some on these threads might think.
So it's apparent that the five virgins were not lost since they left together to go MEET THE GROOM. They felt they were ready, and left together. But they did not take oil. When they realized what a mistake they had made, they went to get the oil, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. The groom came and took with him the ones who WERE READY.
So if we put all scripture together, we cannot escape the fact that Jesus wants us to be ready. He wants us to remember all that He taught and that the Holy Spirit reminds us of, and all that He commanded.
Some on these threads would have us believe that we believe on Jesus ONE TIME and we are saved forever.
This is not true.
After salvation we must endeavor to follow Jesus as a Master or Teacher or Lord, since we have decided to become His disciples, as He commanded the Apostles to make disciples of all nations. Mathew 28:19
So, I'd say that they were not unbelievers beause they DID LEAVE FOR THE ENCOUNTER. As those who become born again.
But then give no importance to the words of Jesus and teach easy believism, incorrect in the eyes of our Lord.
They were not reprobate since the did WANT TO GO to the groom.
Lukewarm? I don't know, since Jesus said the we only need the faith of a mustard seed, this means that ANY AMOUNT of faith will save you. What you don't have, Jesus will make up.
Mark 9:24
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
So, the amount of faith is not important. What IS important is that we have faith in Jesus and LIVE FOR HIM.
Which means to be His discples, which means to BE and to DO as He instructed.
And where we lack, He will cover us.
But we are not to go around speaking as though all we have to do is believe one time and we will be secure forever.
JESUS NEVER gave us that Assurance. He DID DO SO for as LONG as we stay with Him, and staying with Him means following HIS rules, not the rules man has made up --- one of which is that salvation cannot be lost.
Lost sheep are those that wander off from the Shepherd.
They were WITH the shepherd.
And THEN they wandered off and became LOST.
Just stay with Jesus and be ready by doing your best and be happy!