Wedding Feast Parable (Full scope of time)

In my opinion they were invited (called), because that is clear from the text. They were also clearly not chosen, for they were cast into outer darkness. Well then, if these were called (responded to the call of Christ) but yet did not go on through sanctification by the washing of the word, then they didn't prepare themselves as the bride. This is why the Father asks where is their wedding gown. They were stained and spotted by the world and did not walk in the light as Jesus was in the light. They by their lifestyle were disqualified.

It was to them a cheap Grace. Easy salvationism. The benefits of salvation without any personal cost or sacrifice. No obedience. No picking up their cross and dying daily. No loving their neighbour as commanded by the Lord.

These would be the Goats, Tares and Slaves. Possibly as you say, the thieves that tried to enter in another way.

What do you think?

When you first believed in Jesus, you were justified. The word justified implies a few things so that you fully understand it. It firstly means (1) PEACE WITH GOD. Up to this point you were alienated from him because of the stain of your sins. Jesus (God and Man) in One was able to bridge the divide. Before Jesus, we could not ascend to heaven because God is too Holy, nor could God descend to Earth (like he used to walk in the garden) because He is too holy. We could not survive in His presence. That is why Jesus came via the Holy Spirit to the Virgin Mary. He condemned sin in the flesh, so that just as though one man (Adam) all were under the death penalty, now through one man (Jesus) all who believe in Him have eternal life. (2) You are made positionally RIGHTEOUS - meaning justice has been served, and you are in right standing with God. It was Jesus who paid your penalty. This is accessed through faith, and His (Jesus') Righteousness is imputed to us (in our favour). (3) AT this point we are BETHROTHED to Christ. To understand this we need to look to the Jewish wedding customs to gain better insight. When a Man wishes to Marry a Woman, He pays the bride price (in this case it was Jesus' sacrifice upon the cross). We are legally married even though the wedding ceremony hasn't happened yet. The Groom goes away to prepare a place for his bride (Jesus goes to the Father, and prepares a place for us. In His fathers house are many mansions...remember that verse?). During this year that the Groom is away, the Bride is to prepare herself (more on this in sanctification below). Without Justification, there could be no Union with God (God could not dwell in the believer)

The bride is to prepare herself. One of the things that the Groom leaves behind is Gifts for his bethrothed bride. The equivalence is the Gift of the Holy Spirit (and the Gifts of the Spirit). This equates to us being filled with the Holy Spirit and the process of Sanctification begins. This bethrothed bride is not free to run around with any other man, not free to fornicate, not free to commit adultery. (Joseph had initial concerns about Mary during this phase when he found out initially that she was with child). The process of sanctification (separation) is directly comparable to the call to Holiness for the believer. We have been given the Holy Spirit who helps us and empowers us in the call to holiness and separation from the world (worldliness). The OT Law was given but the law of righteousness was pursued by the works of the law instead of faith, and Israel was not able to attain it. We have the fulfillment of the law of righteousness through the body of Christ, such that the walking out of our life in faith is in obedience to God. God called Israels unfaithfullness Adultery in the OT. They ran after other gods, broke the commandments, and pursued their own will. They had not a heart for God. They worshipped Him with their lips but their hearts were far from Him. So too we have the new covenant (Justified by Christ and the Sanctification by the Spirit). You should think of yourself as this bethrothed bride in waiting. Are you going to run around with other lovers whilst bethrothed to Jesus? How are you as the bride in waiting conducting yourself whilst awaiting your Groom? God is a jealous God, and does not want to share you with another. He is coming for a bride that is pure, spotless and holy. Does that describe you? Its not too late.

Matthew 22
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
22 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king (God the Father) who arranged a marriage for his son (Jesus Christ), 3 and sent out his servants (Prophets) to call those who were invited (Israel/Jews) to the wedding (Eternal Life-Revelation21v2); and they were not willing to come (Rejected God's ways). 4 Again, he sent out other servants (More Prophets), saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 5 But they made light of it (Their own will be done, not God's will / A disobedient and wayward people) and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business (living for self, and not for God). 6 And the rest (Israel/Jews) seized his servants (the prophets), treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king (God the Father) heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. (Israel and Judah Taken into captivity into Assyria and Babylon respectively, and then later the Roman Empire overturning Jerusalem) 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy (They rejected the last Prophet, Jesus Christ). 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find (Gentiles/Expansion of the Church), invite to the wedding.’(Opened the path to salvation). 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good (Many are called). And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king (God the Father) came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment (Ephesians 5 26 that He might [g]sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.). 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Those who reject the message of holiness and sanctification, those who will not repent, those who refuse to be led by the Spirit but rather yield continually to the flesh, those who wilfully keep on sinning----will be left without wedding garments). 14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

For few are Chosen.

Matthew 7
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 [c]Because narrow is the gate and [d]difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

I think you are on to it.

This man did not change. He did not change his clothes in this case.

When someone comes to Christ something in them ought to change. They should make effort to change and hopefully make some success in changing because of God's power in them.

Matthew 22
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
22 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king (God the Father) who arranged a marriage for his son (Jesus Christ), 3 and sent out his servants (Prophets) to call those who were invited (Israel/Jews) to the wedding (Eternal Life-Revelation21v2); and they were not willing to come (Rejected God's ways). 4 Again, he sent out other servants (More Prophets), saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 5 But they made light of it (Their own will be done, not God's will / A disobedient and wayward people) and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business (living for self, and not for God). 6 And the rest (Israel/Jews) seized his servants (the prophets), treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king (God the Father) heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. (Israel and Judah Taken into captivity into Assyria and Babylon respectively, and then later the Roman Empire overturning Jerusalem) 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy (They rejected the last Prophet, Jesus Christ). 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find (Gentiles/Expansion of the Church), invite to the wedding.’(Opened the path to salvation). 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good (Many are called). And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king (God the Father) came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment (Ephesians 5 26 that He might [g]sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.). 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Those who reject the message of holiness and sanctification, those who will not repent, those who refuse to be led by the Spirit but rather yield continually to the flesh, those who wilfully keep on sinning----will be left without wedding garments). 14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

For few are Chosen.

Matthew 7
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 [c]Because narrow is the gate and [d]difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.