Jesus spoke two parables back-to-back in Matthew chapter 25: The Parable of Wise and Foolish Virgins and, The Parable of the Talents. The first looks at and judges the inner condition (inner life) whereas the second looks at and judges the fruitfulness of your works (outer life).
Many have only been born again but have not totally surrendered their lives to Christ. They have been delivered from the penalty of sin (justification), but not from the bondage of sin (sanctification). And that’s going to affect one’s place, our position, and our inheritance in the coming Kingdom.
Having a Kingdom perspective here and now is of the utmost importance. It will affect every choice you and I make, determine every decision we come to, and influence every action we take.
Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in his 2nd Epistle, chapter 3:
10 The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night and take everyone by surprise. The atmosphere will be set on fire and vanish with a horrific roar, and the heavenly bodies will melt away as in a tremendous blaze. The earth and every activity of man will be laid bare.
11 Since all these things are on the verge of being dismantled, don’t you see how vital it is to live a Holy life? We must be consumed with godliness
12 while we anticipate and help to speed up the coming of the Day of God, when the atmosphere will be set on fire and the heavenly bodies consumed in a blaze.
13 But as we wait, we trust in God’s royal proclamation to be fulfilled. There are coming heavens new in quality, and an earth new in quality, where righteousness will be fully at home.
14 So, my Beloved friends, with all that you have to look forward to, may you be eager to be found living pure lives when you come into His presence, without blemish and filled with peace.
15 And keep in mind that our Lord’s extraordinary patience simply means more opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul wrote to you with the Wisdom that God gave him.
A Kingdom perspective will continually remind us that we are preparing our wedding garments now for what we are going to wear there!
Imagine the devastation we would feel if the Lord turned to us at the entrance to the wedding ceremony and said, “I’m sorry, but you are not ready; you are not prepared. You are not qualified to enter. I simply don’t know you.” And then He would shut the door.
The salvation of our spirits (our justification) is a free gift and there is nothing more we need to do to receive it, other than simply accept it. Entering the Marriage Ceremony, attending the Marriage Feast and inheriting the kingdom, however, is another matter. It only comes with endurance, perseverance, suffering, and personal crucifixion.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Philippians chapter 3:
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind (as Wise Virgins with sufficient oil).
Extra oil denotes “Spiritual preparation.” Because the foolish virgins had none, they had to remain behind. Works done by one person cannot be credited to another. Each of us must personally and daily be filled with God’s Spirit, in order to produce our own good work and earn our own reward. An extra oil supply simply means we are Spiritually prepared.
Don’t be devastated at Christ’s return, be prepared!