We can gauge the importance of Christ’s Second Coming by contrasting the number of times it is mentioned in the Scriptures alongside other teachings:
1) The “new Birth” (conversion) is mentioned 9 times in the New Testament.
2) Baptism is mentioned 20 times
3) Repentance is mentioned 70 times
4) The Second Coming is mentioned 380 times in the New Testament alone!
Matt 25v1-13 states:
"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying,'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”
The question is: “What does the oil in the lamps represent”?
The “virgins” represent Christians who are waiting for the return of the Bridegroom (Christ), 5 are wise and 5 are foolish, the wise have extra oil the foolish do not. The Bridegroom tarries and they all fall asleep, suddenly at midnight a cries goes up, “The Bridegroom cometh.” They all awake, the foolish find that their lamps have gone out, but the wise are prepared. The foolish try to get the necessary oil, but it is to late, there just isn’t time!
This is what the oil is NOT
It is not grace, for we receive grace for the day.
It is not holiness, for all were virgins, all were pure.
It is not prayerfulness and watchfulness every moment, for all (including the wise) fell asleep.
It is not constantly being filled with the Spirit, for the oil was something they (the wise) acquired before they fell asleep.
It is not the Baptism in the Spirits and the gifts of the Spirit, for these don’t need to be “stored”, they can be received anytime and many will receive these things things when they are converted during the Great Tribulation. You only get Baptised in the Spirit once, thereafter you keep getting refilled. There are a lot of Christians who get Baptised in the Spirit who are not ready for the Great Tribulation. The gifts of the Spirit do not constitute extra oil, for once a gift has been given it is always there; and there are many with the gifts of the Spirit who are scared to death to even think about the Great Tribulation.
What difference is there between the wise and foolish virgins? All were pure and ready to meet the Bridegroom. All were waiting for the Bridegroom to return. The wise were not more watchful and prayerful than the foolish for all fell asleep. The ONLY difference was the wise took extra oil. What for? For THE DARKNESS! They wanted to be sure they had light for the darkness! The foolish didn’t bother about the darkness. They didn’t need lamps to meet the Bridegroom, they needed the lamps for the darkness that they knew they WOULD HAVE TO pass through BEFORE they met the Bridegroom!
Part 2