The Wider Mercy #1 The Missing Bride

The parable is to teach believers to be ready by watching and praying and living a life worthy of his sudden appearing.

The bride of the bridegroom is not in the parable.

The virgins are young women who are not yet married who are friends of the bridegroom, in a Jewish wedding custom scenario.

The illustration does not require identifying the bride or talking about how the church is the bride of Christ. That is adding a level of information that Jesus was not trying to discuss at this time.

His point was not to think that you can wait to the last minute when the Lord comes back and get right before you experience the judgments that will be poured out at that time, and be shut out of eternal life and the everlasting kingdom.

Too much is made of oil, and virgins, and brides, and doors. The theological concept is to watch and pray and live ready. Don't fall for the deception that you can get ready when you see the Lord coming. Too late.

If anything the illustration should be, If you have to have your light shining to enter in, and if Doing the Word of God is wise and being a hearer only is foolish, and having your light shining is letting men see your good works so that they may Glorify God then, be wise and be doing good works now, and don't think you can start doing good works at the last minute when the voice of the Archangel announces the rapture of the church. Or something similar to that kind of interpretation.

I think the efforts to apply allegorical meanings and insist on finding the bride in a parable that does not need to include the bride simply because other scriptures refer to the church as the bride is utter confusion.

You are preaching salvation by works ... a subject I hope to deal with next.

Thank you.

Yes. Faith without works is dead. But that is not salvation by works, it is more like fruit of salvation.

Jesus did indeed give us enough parables to paint a proper picture that when He comes back many will not be able to enter in who think they qualify because of their mental assent and because they once voted "yes for Jesus theology" will not be accepted as true faith.

You are saying that the wise maidens were saved by works, as were the sheep rewarded for their deeds. I say that not argue the point but as a simple statement of fact .

If I get around to The Wider Mercy # 3 Sundry scriptures and considerations. I hope to address this matter.

I am afraid I am out of your teachings. a) there were no chapter breaks in the original scriptures b) it has been shown that the parable of the 10 virgins is a continuation of the warning of the Lord to be ready and a good steward. Which continues on into the 25 chapter. If you would go to the recommended starting point in the previous and listen you may just hear all that you were intended to . Nothing more nothing less, Evmur. Rather than breaking down lamps, virgins, etc. Don't camp there or use it as a segway to "/wider mercy. Don't add to the Word, however unintentionally . This parable is not a doctrine. Nor designed to be fit into any other context than a continuation or further expounding of the Lord on the difference of being ready and not being ready which began in the previous chapter. If it fits into your theology , honestly I don't care because it wasn't meant to. In the previous chapter one shall be taken one left one shall be taken one left , you know not the hour, be ready. This parable was never intended to be other that exactly what the Lord was saying In his teaching . I am not sure you have ever been clear as to what the Lord was saying here. Go back 10 scriptures from the parable and forward 10 scriptures. Trust that Gods Word is The Authority . And is forever settled in Heaven. You are missing the Lord Jesus testimony by trying to expand its place in scripture. It has nada to do with a wider mercy nada . nada All He requires is that you Love mercy , do justly and walk humbly with your God. The Word of God is profitable for doctrine for correction for instruction in righteousness. Let it correct you, read what Lord is saying as underlined above .

Just a few thoughts, brother, before responding properly.

I am still trying to pin down the reference from the bible you cited. Do you have the ISBN number for the bible please?

Why do you say this parable of the sheep and the goats is the Great White throne judgement?

What do you believe the Bema Seat judgment means?

And do you have an eschatological crononoly that differentiates in time where and when these judgements take place? Specifically the Bema Seat and the Great White Throne?

I agree that the Sheep Nations are not the these my brethren else the expression these my brethren could scarcely be an appropriate judgement when speaking in answer to the sheep nations asking when did we do these things unto thee? Yet neither can that reality of its self explain who the these my brethren are. But I can see that you have given a Greek transliteration to imply your own meaning - so I'll do a Greek parse to open that up a bit later today.

By inference the sheep needing to be identified is as important as needing to identify the these my brethren.

Are there four groups?

The Sheep nations.
The Goat nations.
The these my brethren.
The first resurrection and the raptured saints.

I am well aware of what the story is teaching "not designed to be fitted into any other context" eh, you are sure of that. Most folks see God's word as being multi-aspect.

... to be ready ,,, the question is WHO is being warned to be ready. The bride? no, because this return of the groom is after the marriage and on the way to the wedding feast. God doesn't just pluck stuff out of the air to illustrate the truth even in parables. Every illustration represents doctrinal truth.

Gave it a shot , tried to help you . Good luck with your work Evmurs Expanded Version the EEV version . Better thee than me I tried.

well it's "Evmur's expanded version" as opposed to "Riverhooks expanded version" I have not altered anything, I just read it differently.

Brohamus you need to stop majoring in minors. Read 24 and 25 again . That's the version. You corrected me on the oil . They were in the lamps. I doubt that will happen again. I don't use anything but the KJV I am not going anywhere trying to get people to know anything other than what saith the scriptures. As the disciples at Berea search the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. I don't need my own understanding. I need The Living God. Curiosity is good . But what pleases the Lord ? What are His priorites ? God is light and in Him is no darkness at all . He lays it out like a shining light that gets brighter and brighter. No need to make a simple thing complex. Thank God I never got into theology. You don't need another man to interpret for you . One of the Greatest if not the greatest priviledge is to know the Holy Spirit and His ministry in a personal way. He wrote the Book. And it points to a personal relationship with God. The Word of God, By Him all things consist. The pursuit of knowledge without a deep intimacy with Christ is not where the Bible is meant to lead us. Anyway from one grouchy old man to another. I have to say, I challenge you to stay in context with scripture going scripture and verse and believe that The Word of God is the final authority. Cause if the Bible don't say so , and you don't reference the correct scripture in context . You will be pursuing the wind . What does the Bible say ? You are a minister of reconcilation , what should your priority be , "We aim to lead me to Christ". Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Let God be God

I am well aware of what the story is teaching "not designed to be fitted into any other context" eh, you are sure of that. Most folks see God's word as being multi-aspect.

... to be ready ,,, the question is WHO is being warned to be ready. The bride? no, because this return of the groom is after the marriage and on the way to the wedding feast. God doesn't just pluck stuff out of the air to illustrate the truth even in parables. Every illustration represents doctrinal truth.

So we know that Christ is the Bridegroom, it is your opinion that the five wise maidens are the bride ... right?

So we know that Christ is the Bridegroom, it is your opinion that the five wise maidens are the bride ... right?

Who is he warning ?? Who is he warning ?? Who can read the Bible and understand it ?. Is it not true that the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God.? He is warning you. He is warning me. He is warning His people. Until one is Born Again the Bible is encrypted the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them . I read the Bible without understanding prior to conversion. It was not possible that I could understand it . Until the author took up residence in me. Do you believe the Bible is the final authority. ? I am not most folks.

I think the 5 with oil in their lamps are probably representing the church.

"probably huh?" OK we disagree.

Well make me an offender for a word , OK I BELIEVE it's the church . Happy ?

Matthew 25. 31 - 33.
When the son of Man shall come in His glory and all His holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory.
and before Him shall be gathered all nations and He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his shep from his goats.
And He shall set the sheep on His right hand but the goats on the left.

In my first little treatise I attempted to show that St Jerome faced a dilemma in depicting who should be the church, I concede that lacking better scripture support it is a weak case although it is my firmly held conviction that it is so.

Here I believe in this same chapter of Matthew he encounters the very same problem, he knows that he cannot have the church twice depicted in the same story, he has already determined that the sheep set at the Lord's right hand are the church and the goats set upon the left are everybody else.

The word presented to him as "all His holy ones" he translates as "sacredos" which may indeed be translated into english as "holy angels" it may also be translated as "saints."

If it is saints then they are the church and suddenly the whole story takes on a different meaning and I might say makes better sense to the way it has been understood down the centuries.

I don't know how other folks read their bibles, when I read a passage like this I actually visualize the scene in my mind. I can see the Lord sat upon His throne surrounded by His saints and I can see stood before Him and facing Him the sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left.

Now suddenly the interchange makes better sense "Lord when did we see Thee naked and hungry etc" and His reply "in as much as ye did it to one the least of these My brethren ... " I can visualize Him waving His hand toward the saints around Him ... it doesn't quite make sense with Him commending the sheep for ministering to the needs of themselves.

The sheep are not the brethren.

Now whereas in my first post my scripture support was weak in this instance it is very strong indeed for we are quite definitely taught that we the church are not subject to this judgement at all, "we are" says John "passed over from judgement to life" Jesus has been judged on our behalf, found guilty [although innocent] and executed all on our behalf.

Paul teaches us that when He comes God will bring us with Him "don't you know" ... he cries ... that the saints are to judge the world?"

But look here I have something more.

This judgement related in Matthew is the same judgement that is related in Revelations, the Great White Throne judgement. The living and the dead are the sheep and goats. But this judgement takes place AFTER the 1, 000 year reign of Christ. The church will have been raptured 1, 000 years prior to this judgement and will have reigned with Him from heaven for 1, 000 years. The Jews will have reigned with Him on earth for 1, 000 years.

There is no way we will be judged at this judgement, whatever judgement we face for loss or reward it is not this judgement of final destinies for our destiny is already determined. hallelujah.

So who ARE these sheep? they do receive an inheritance. I believe they are the meek who will inherit the earth. There is to be a new earth as well as new heavens and someone will dwell there. Our dwelling is in heaven.

Are you saying only christians understand the words "do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" or even simple words like "repent" or "Jesus is Lord?"

They may not believe them or obey them but they do understand them.

By the way this is a blog, I deliberately chose to post it here to avoid endless arguments. You have said your piece, I'm glad you did but we disagree.

I understood repent I understood Jesus is Lord but like I said I read the Bible I knew those words I saw the relevance after I was converted I saw the necessity of repentance, God gave me a conviction of Sin, faith that came by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. You may understand the language Jesus is Lord but until you receive the ability through reconciliation you cannot know eternal spiritual wisdom If you disagree . You don't believe Gods Word. You have to download the key to break the encryption in other words. Until you are saved and Born again you cannot understand the Word of God Evmur are you disagreeing because you are counting on salvation by election and selection ? eh ? just a little bit ?

I don't see goat nations . Just goats . In Matthew 25