The Solemn Fate of the Foolish Virgins
"The state
of the Church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as the
Laodicean state." E.G. White, Review and Herald,
8/19/1890. "The church
is in the Laodicean state. The presence
of God is not in her midst." E.G. White, Notebook Leaflets, p. 99, 1898. "To the end of
time, the
presence of the Spirit is to abide with the true church." E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 55.
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The three statements in the heading prove the
following facts:
·
The Laodicean state of the church, the 7th church, is
represented by the foolish virgins.
·
The presence of God is not in any Laodicean church.
·
There is always extant—to the end of time, a true church wherein
is found the presence of God.
·
How can Laodicea be the noble ship that goes through to port
heaven, when it represents the foolish virgins and is void of the presence of
God as its Captain?
·
If there is a true church other than Laodicea, wherein the presence
of God exists, would that be an 8th church? No. It would be of some
of the other 7 which God makes favorable comment.
·
If the true church exists, having the presence of God till the
end of time, this is proof that a church triumphant exists at all times in
every generation. This fact is further proven by the following E.G. White
statement:
·
"The members of the church triumphant--the church in heaven--will
be permitted to draw near to the members of the church militant, to aid them in
their necessity." E. G. White, The Southern Watchman,
Sep. 8, 1903.
·
There is a group of folk in every generation who are registered
(written) in the church in heaven, Hebrews, 12:22, 23, to wit:
·
"Characteristics of True
Reformers.--Here
are given the characteristics of those who shall be reformers, who will bear
the banner of the third angel's message, those who avow themselves God's
commandment-keeping people, and who honor God, and are earnestly engaged, in
the sight of all the universe, in building up the old waste places. Who is
it that calls them, The repairers of the breach,
The restorers of paths to dwell in? It is God. Their names are
registered [written--Heb. 12:22, 23] in heaven as reformers, restorers, as
raising the foundations of many generations." E. G. White, SDA Bible
Commentary,
Vol. 4, 1151.
·
In every generation there have
been true reformers, and this is additional proof that the church triumphant
has existed on earth in every succeeding generation.
·
There have been true reformers
in every succeeding generation, to wit:
·
"The Sanhedrin had rejected Christ's
message and was bent upon His death therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem,
from the priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people who had been
instructed in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim His message, and
to gather out those who should carry the gospel to all nations.
As the light and
life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of
Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again
and again the history of Christ's withdrawal from Judea has been repeated.
When the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating
themselves from the established church but the religious leaders would not
tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class,
who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers
of the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the
voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented.
Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away
from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word
of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching
obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience."
E.G. White, Desire of Ages, 232.
The
Solemn Fate of the Foolish Virgins
By Mrs. E. G.
White.
The
solemn fate of the five foolish virgins, presented in the parable of the ten
virgins, is recorded to warn those who, while
professing the faith of Christ, have become cold and backslidden. {ST, August
13, 1894 par. 1}
The
five foolish virgins represent the careless, indolent, self-satisfied professor
of religion. They have a calm expectation of entering heaven sometime, yet they have not purified their souls by
obeying the truth. They understand the theory of truth, but have no vital
connection with God. They trust to feeling, and neglect to search the Scriptures.
They are satisfied to walk in the sparks of their own kindling. We are all
exhorted to be diligent, that we may make our calling and election sure. But I am greatly troubled, fearing, yes,
knowing, that there are many who profess the truth who
are not testing their lives and characters by God's great moral standard of
righteousness. They are careless; they have not the oil of grace in their
vessels with their lamps. They are cherishing hidden
sins, which no human eye can see. They know that they are not pure,
and without spot, and should diligently seek God, that they may cleanse
themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in
the sight of God. {ST, August 13, 1894par. 2}
Note by Ron: The foolish virgins are not open
sinners, but they are cherishing hidden sins which no human eye can see. They
lack the oil of grace, which is the righteousness of Christ, as empowered by
His Holy Spirit, and is imparted and imputed to our account.
"The
oil of grace." Christian Service 263.
"The oil is
the righteousness of Christ." Bible Echo 4 May 1896.
"In the
Scripture, oil is used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit." Signs of the
Times 6 August 1894.
JUSTIFICATION IN THE SANCTUARY SERVICE
“Fallen man's
Justification is taught in the Sanctuary service. People are to see that the
lamb slain upon the Altar of Burnt Offerings, day by day, for 1500 years, pointed
forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God, dying for their sins upon Calvary. Then they
are to believe that He is indeed, not just an ordinary man, but the Son of God,
who came to this earth to shed His precious blood for their salvation. Only in
this way can people receive God's wonderful Gift of JUSTIFICATION for all their
past sins. Those who then take Jesus as their personal Saviour, and who reach
out, by faith, to touch even the hem of His garment, HAVE JUSTIFICATION, FULL
AND COMPLETE - IMMEDIATE, INSTANTANEOUS JUSTIFICATION. "The moment true
faith in the merits of the costly atoning sacrifice is exercised, claiming
Christ as a personal Saviour, THAT MOMENT the sinner is justified before God,
because he is pardoned." Manuscript Releases Volume
Eight 357.
"The grace of
Christ is freely to justify the sinner without merit or claim on his part.
Justification is a full, complete pardon of sin. THE MOMENT A SINNER ACCEPTS
CHRIST BY FAITH, THAT MOMENT HE IS PARDONED. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IS
IMPUTED TO HIM, AND HE IS NO MORE TO DOUBT GOD'S FORGIVING GRACE." SDA Bible Commentary Vol. 6, 1071.
THE IMPUTED AND
THE IMPARTED RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST
"The
righteousness by which we are JUSTIFIED is imputed the righteousness by which
we are SANCTIFIED is imparted. The first is our title to heaven [Justification], the second is our fitness for heaven
[Sanctification]." Messages to Young People 35.
"Christ
actually bore the punishment of the sins of the world, that
His righteousness might be imputed to sinners, and through repentance and faith
they might become like Him in holiness of character. He says, 'I bear the guilt
of that man's sins. Let Me take the punishment, and the repenting sinner stand
before Thee innocent.' THE MOMENT THE SINNER BELIEVES IN CHRIST, HE STANDS IN
THE SIGHT OF GOD UNCONDEMNED FOR THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IS HIS CHRIST'S
PERFECT OBEDIENCE IS IMPUTED TO HIM. BUT HE MUST CO-OPERATE WITH DIVINE POWER,
AND PUT FORTH HIS HUMAN EFFORT TO SUBDUE SIN, AND STAND COMPLETE IN
CHRIST." Series A, No 7, page 25.
"In ourselves
we are sinners but in Christ we are righteous. Having made us righteous through
the imputed righteousness of Christ, God pronounces us just, and treats us as
just. He looks upon us as His dear children. Christ works against the power of
sin, and where sin abounded, grace much more abounds. 'Therefore being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.' (Romans 5:1,
2)." Selected Messages Book 1 394.
Justification is
instantaneous. Sinners do not need to wait, or try to make themselves
better, before coming to Jesus for justification. All they need to do is to
come to Him just as they are, and to believe that Jesus died for their sins
upon Calvary - then reach out and accept Him as their personal Saviour. That is
Bible Justification - but after Justification takes place in our lives, it will
be followed by true, genuine, Bible Sanctification. You cannot have one without
the other. Sanctification accompanies Justification, and cannot be divorced
from Justification. JUSTIFICATION WITHOUT SANCTIFICATION IS NOT TRUE
JUSTIFICATION. Sanctification is a daily work of growth and development in our
lives, leading us towards Christian perfection in Jesus it is obedience to all
God's requirements, and it consists in keeping all of God's Commandments.
JUSTIFICATION IS INSTANTANEOUS. Sanctification is NOT instantaneous - it is the
work of a lifetime.
"Justification
means the saving of a soul from perdition, that he may obtain Sanctification,
and through sanctification, the life of heaven. Justification means that the
conscience, purged from dead works, is placed where it can receive the
blessings of sanctification." Bible Commentary Vol. 7
908.
"God has made
every provision for our justification AND sanctification. He has given Christ
to us, THAT THROUGH HIM WE MAY BE MADE COMPLETE."
Review and Herald February 18 1904.
"Obedience to
the Law of God is Sanctification....Sanctification is not an instantaneous but
a progressive work...Just as long as Satan urges his temptations upon us, the
battle for self-conquest will have to be fought over and over again but by
obedience, the truth will sanctify the soul." Faith and Works, p. 85,
"THERE IS NO
SUCH THING AS INSTANTANEOUS SANCTIFICATION. True sanctification is a daily
work, continuing as long as life shall last." Sanctified Life 10
"The
sanctification now gaining prominence in the religious world carries with it a
spirit of self-exaltation and a disregard for the Law of God that mark it as
foreign to the religion of the Bible. Its advocates teach that Sanctification
is an instantaneous work, by which, through faith alone, they attain to perfect
holiness. 'ONLY BELIEVE,' say they, 'AND THE BLESSING IS YOURS.' NO FURTHER
EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE RECEIVER IS SUPPOSED TO BE REQUIRED...The desire for
an easy religion that requires no striving, no self-denial, no divorce from the
follies of the world, has made the doctrine of faith, and faith only, a popular
doctrine....THE TESTIMONY OF THE WORD OF GOD IS AGAINST THIS ENSNARING DOCTRINE
OF FAITH WITHOUT WORKS. Let none deceive themselves
with the belief that they can become holy while willfully violating one of
God's requirements. The commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice
of the Spirit and separates the soul from God." Great
Controversy 471,472.
"The moment a
sinner accepts Christ by faith, that moment he is pardoned." Bible Commentary Vol. 6, 1071.
"The moment
true faith in the merits of the costly atoning sacrifice is exercised, claiming
Christ as a personal Saviour, that moment the sinner is justified before God,
because he is pardoned." Manuscript Releases Volume
Eight 357.
That is true Bible
Justification.
"Come to
Christ JUST AS YOU ARE. Take Him as your personal Saviour." This Day with
God 38
"Let the
sinner come JUST AS HE IS, and contemplate the love that has been bestowed upon
him, all unworthy as he is and the first thing he knows, he will realize that
Christ's love has broken every barrier down, and that he exercises repentance
which is not to be repented of." Review and Herald September 3, 1901.
"We can do
nothing of ourselves. We must come to Christ JUST AS WE ARE." Steps to
Christ 31
"He that
realizes his guilt and helplessness may come JUST AS
HE IS and receive the blessing of God. The promise belongs to him if he will
grasp it by faith." 5 Testimonies 438.
"Those who
desire to find pardon for past transgressions [justification] must come to
Christ just as they are, saying, 'Lord...Take me as I am, a poor, sinful
creature, and cleanse and purify me from all sin by taking my sin upon Thine
own dear self. I do not deserve this, but Thou art the only one who can save
me. Take away my sin and give me Thy righteousness. I do not want to remain in
sin one more day [one more hour, one more moment]. Impart to me Thy
righteousness, and keep me from all transgression of Thy holy Law.'" This Day with God, 153.
"Jesus will
receive us, all polluted as we are, and will wash us in His blood, and cleanse
us from all pollution, and make us fit for the society of heavenly angels, in a
pure, harmonious heaven." Maranatha 57.
"We have
nothing to recommend us to God but the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition that makes His redeeming
power a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the Cross of
Calvary and say - 'In my hand no price I bring simply to Thy cross I
cling.'" Desire of Ages 316, 317,
"The peculiar
work of the third angel has not been seen in its importance. God meant that His
people should be far in advance of the position which they occupy today. But
now, when the time has come for them to spring into action, they have the
preparation to make. When the National Reformers began to urge measures to
restrict religious liberty, our leading men should have been alive to the
situation and should have labored earnestly to counteract these efforts. It is
not in the order of God that light has been kept from our people--the very
present truth which they needed for this time. Not all our ministers who are
giving the third angel's message really understand what constitutes that
message. The National Reform movement has been regarded by some as of so little
importance that they have not thought it necessary to give much attention to it
and have even felt that in so doing they would be giving time to questions
distinct from the third angel's message. May the Lord forgive our brethren for
thus interpreting the very message for this time." {5T 714.2}
The people need to
be aroused in regard to the dangers of the present time. The watchmen are
asleep. We are years behind. Let the chief watchmen feel the urgent necessity
of taking heed to themselves, lest they lose the opportunities given them to
see the dangers. {5T 715.1}
If the leading men
in our conferences do not now accept the message sent them by God, and fall
into line for action, the churches will suffer great loss. When the watchman,
seeing the sword coming, gives the trumpet a certain sound, the people along
the line will echo the warning, and all will have opportunity to make ready for
the conflict. But too often the leader has stood hesitating, seeming to say:
"Let us not be in too great haste. There may be a mistake. We must be
careful not to raise a false alarm." The very hesitancy and uncertainty on
his part is crying: "'Peace and safety.' Do not get excited. Be not
alarmed. There is a great deal more made of this religious amendment question
than is demanded. This agitation will all die down." Thus he virtually
denies the
716
message
sent from God, and the warning which was designed to stir the churches fails to
do its work. The trumpet of the watchman gives no certain sound, and the people
do not prepare for the battle. Let the watchman beware lest, through his
hesitancy and delay, souls shall be left to perish, and their blood shall be
required at his hand." {5T 715.2} Present Truth N.Z. End note by
Ron.
There are many ideas in the world as to what is sin. The deist says that
sin is dishonesty, a lack of patriotism, honor, and manliness. Those who have
little idea as to what constitutes religion will tell you that sin is murder,
adultery, robbery, and crime. But what does the word of God define it to be?
John writes, "Whosoever committeth
sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law."
Without the law we have no knowledge of what sin is. Those who have no respect
for the law will be deceived by entertaining hopes of entering heaven. {ST,
August 13, 1894 par. 3}
But
a knowledge of the law is not enough. He who accepts
the law, who acknowledges the claims of the law, who yet feels satisfied with
himself, and has no experience in being born again, will fail of keeping the
law, and will come under its condemnation. God's
law not only covers every deed of outward life, but also penetrates to the
intents and purposes of the heart. The man who will meet Christ in peace will be
the man who follows in his footsteps, who takes him for his example and
righteousness. Jesus said, "I have kept my Father's commandments." He
was perfect, pure, spotless. His life was the
embodiment of all that was noble and holy, and whoever obeys Christ, fulfills
the law of God, meets every claim upon him, treats
every being as the purchase of the blood of Christ. {ST, August 13, 1894 par.
4}
He who does not yield to the claims of the law of God, sets
himself above God, breaks away from God's rule of right, and becomes disloyal,
as did the great deceiver in the beginning. Would
that some who claim to be commandment keepers could see how their cases stand
in the register above. Oh, that all who are falling short of the principles of
righteousness might realize that they do not meet the broad, far-reaching
claims of the law of God upon them! Repentance for
sin is the first step in conversion. Repentance is an intense hatred of sin in
all its forms. Phariseeism permits of
self-complacency, and those who are self-righteous,
appear to have a form of piety, but at heart they are corrupt. They may talk of
their hope of heaven, when, in fact, they have not taken the first step toward
heaven. {ST, August 13, 1894 par. 5}
Note by Ron: The Pharisee and Sadducee types refer
to true reformers as Pharisee type legalists. That is like modern day democrats
calling Tea Party members terrorists! End note.
We
are not under a system of mere requirements, mere justice, and unsympathizing rigor. The penalty of transgressing the law
has fallen upon our Substitute and Surety, and for a
time has been suspended, so that the guilty do not feel its weight; but the object of this suspension is not to
teach us that its claims are over, its exactions set aside, but to attract us
to holiness, to obedience. Nothing is changed except the manner of bringing
men to obey the law. Obey its claims we must. The first step toward obedience is repentance.
We are to see the excellence of its requirements by beholding the wrong of
disobedience. {ST, August 13, 1894 par. 6}
He
who is truly repentant, he who is regenerated, hates sin. All manner of
selfishness is distressing to him. Indifference to God on the part of those
around him grieves him. He is not led
to exalt self in the performance of his duty, but abhors self. "I abhor
myself" is the language of the godly of all ages, who
have had a clear view of the purity and holiness of Christ. But those who
are but superficial Christians seek to exalt self by depreciating others. The clearer the views of the character of Christ the more humble
will be our views of self. Like Job, Isaiah, Daniel, David, and Paul, we shall feel that
our comeliness is turned in us into corruption. {ST, August 13, 1894 par. 7}
Those who are represented by the foolish virgins have not this sense of
their own unworthiness. They have no oil in their vessels with their lamps. The same
principles of truth are presented in the parable of the two builders,--one
built upon the rock, and the other upon the sand. Jesus says: "Whosoever
heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise
man, which built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended, and the floods
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was
founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth
them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the
sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat
upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall of it." {ST, August
13, 1894 par. 8}
Note by Ron: The foolish virgins believe that
Christ has done it all for them OUTSIDE OF THEMSELVES, rather than indwelling
them by His Holy Spirit which causes faith to work by His love. We are to
receive grace as power for obedience and discipleship, Romans 1:5. End note.
It is not a matter of little consequence
to us as to how we hear and how we treat the truth of God. To
misunderstand the truth, to fail to appreciate it, because we do not cherish
light that comes to us, will tend to make us careless in our character
building, and we shall have our foundation laid upon the sand. The wise
builder builds upon the Rock Christ Jesus, no matter what may be the
inconvenience. He builds not upon human but upon divine merit, accepting the
righteousness of Christ as his own, and as his only hope of salvation. The foolish
builder built upon the sand, and through his carelessness, or prejudice, or
through the deceptions of the natural heart, he cherishes a self-righteous
spirit, and places human wisdom in the place where God's wisdom should have the
supremacy; and how terrible are the consequences! {ST, August 13, 1894 par. 9}
Note by Ron:
Those who stress justification above sanctification,
actually believe that they have accepted the righteousness of Christ as their
own, but this is not the case. Proof that one has accepted the righteousness of
Christ is faith that works by the indwelling self-sacrificing love of Christ
and obedience to Him. Recall that this is God’s test to man. He tells us how we
can KNOW that we love Him and are dwelling in Him and He
in us—by whether or not we keep his commandments and love the brethren.
"No
one can believe with the heart unto righteousness, and obtain justification by
faith, while continuing the practice of those things which the Word of God
forbids, or while neglecting any known duty....As God works in the heart, and
man surrenders his will to God, and co-operates with God, he works out in the
life what God WORKS IN by the Holy Spirit, and there is harmony between the
purpose of the heart and the practice of the life. Every sin must be renounced
as the hateful thing that crucified the Lord of life and glory....It is by
continual surrender of the will, by continual obedience, that the blessing of
justification is retained." E.G. White, Selected Messages, Vol. 1,
pp. 396-397. End note.
There are many unwise builders, and when the storm of temptation comes and
beats upon them, it is made evident that their foundation is only sliding sand.
They are left in gross darkness, without faith, without principles, and without
foundation. The five foolish virgins had a real interest in the gospel. They
knew what was the perfect standard of righteousness;
but their energies were paralyzed with self-love; for they lived to please and
glorify themselves, and had not the oil of grace in their vessels with which to
replenish their lamps. They were often distressed by the enemy, who knew their
weakness, and placed darkness before them in the semblance of light. Truth,
precious, life-giving truth, represented as oil, appeared to them as
unessential, and Satan took advantage of their blindness, ignorance, and
weakness of faith, and they had a fluctuating experience, based on uncertain
principles. {ST,August 13,
1894 par. 10}
All
who wait for the heavenly Bridegroom are represented in the parable as
slumbering because their Lord delayed his coming; but the wise roused themselves
at the message of his approach, and responded to the message, and their
spiritual life was replenished. Their spiritual discernment was not all gone,
and they sprang into line. As they took hold of the grace of Christ, their
religious experience became vigorous and abundant, and their affections were
set upon things above. They discerned where was the source of
their supply, and appreciated the love that God had for them. They opened
their hearts to receive the Holy Spirit, by which the love of God was shed
abroad in their hearts. Their lights were trimmed and burning, and sent forth steady
rays in to the moral darkness of the world. They glorified God, because they
had the oil of grace in their hearts, and did the very work that their Master
did before them,--went forth to seek and to save those who were lost.
{ST, August 13, 1894 par. 11} End of article
by Ellen G. White.
"Thorns
sprung up.--The thorns made it impossible for the wheat to mature (see
Luke 8:14). In the same way secular interests prevent the fruits of the Spirit
(Gal. 5:22, 23) from reaching maturity. Religion is relegated to the
subordinate position of being only one interest among many. For lack of
cultivation it withers and eventually dies. That which the thorny-ground
hearers lack is a moral transformation [E.G. White, Christ's Object
Lessons, p. 50] To them, justification is the sum and substance of
religion, and they fail to realize that the Christian life consists essentially
in the process known as sanctification--the process by which evil traits and
tendencies are replaced by the perfect life-pattern of Jesus Christ." Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 405.
This is precisely
what New Movement Seventh-day Adventists (Selected
Messages, vol.
1, 204-205), teaches when it says that we cannot overcome as Jesus did and by
the same means. That new movement teaches that Jesus had an advantage because
He never sinned. That is a lie. The Holy Spirit Divine Nature which is
proffered to man makes it just as possible for sinful man to overcome as it was
possible for Jesus not to sin. That is the great leveler. The Divine Nature
Holy Spirit is given for the purpose of cleansing the soul of all sin this side
of glorification and it is antichrist doctrine which teaches anything else.
“...The Lord will not write as wise those who
cannot distinguish between a tree that bears thorn-berries and a tree that
bears olives. {EGW, RH, September 7, 1897 par. 15}
Since 1955 and one, professing Seventh-day Adventists
have been returning to the iniquities of their forefathers in Babylon, by
teaching a gospel that stresses justification as the sum and substance of
religion, which is the same gospel taught by Babylonian churches. The majority
of the leaders mock Final/Last Generation Theology as taught by the Bible,
Ellen White and M.L. Andreasen, which teaches that at the end-time a generation
will be total, blameless overcomers as Revelation
14:1-4 affirms. The few SDA leaders who do not teach this false gospel pay
tithe to the same new movement/organization that does teach this false
gospel—thus financing a false gospel and thus being corporately responsible for
that false gospel taught by new movement Adventism.
"There
are fearful woes for those who preach the truth, but are not sanctified by it,
and also for those who consent to receive and maintain the unsanctified to
minister to them in word and doctrine." Testimonies,
vol. 1, p 261-62.
Jesus
and His disciples did not teach two different gospels.
"The plain straight testimony must live
in the church, or the curse of God will rest upon His people as surely as it
did upon ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds His people, as a body
[corporately], responsible for the sins existing in individuals among
them." Testimonies, vol. 3, p.
269.
"The names of those who sin and refuse
to repent should not be retained on the church books, lest the saints be
held accountable for their evil deeds. Those who pursue a course of
transgression should be visited and labored with, and if they then refuse to
repent, they should be separated from church fellowship, in accordance with the
rules laid down in the Word of God." {11MR 208.3}
—rwb