Servias Ministries Blog

Will Jesus recognize us for the wedding party?   

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 25:

11 Later, the five foolish virgins came running up to the door and pleaded, ‘Lord, Lord, let us come in!’

12 “But He called back, ‘Go away! Do I know you? I can assure you, I don’t even know you!’

13 “That is the reason you should always stay awake and be alert, because you don’t know the day or the hour when the Bridegroom will appear.”

The Greek word used in here for know is oida (Strong’s #1492), which means to “know intimately, to see, or to perceive.” The Lord was saying to the five foolish virgins: “I don’t know you intimately; we don’t have a close relationship. If we did, you would have obeyed Me.”  In other words, He was saying, “You were not a partaker or a sharer of My Life—My power, My Love. There was no fellowship between us. I know you only by observation.”

The five foolish virgins in this parable obviously are in Heaven i.e. they are believers. But because they didn’t know Him intimately (they weren’t intimately acquainted with His character, His person, His attributes), He didn’t let them in to the wedding. They were not qualified or worthy (axios) to enter.

If we are sanctified and partaking of His Life, we’ll have intimacy (oida) with Christ and good fruit will result. If we are not faithful and we aren’t partaking of His Life, then we won’t know Him intimately, nor will any good fruit be produced.

All ten virgins in this parable represent born-again, Bible-believing, Christian believers preparing themselves for passage into glory. The word virgin means “unmarried, undefiled, clean, chaste, and pure.”  Unbelievers are not virgins.  This means that all ten virgins had on “Christ’s garment of salvation” mentioned in Isaiah 61:10. This is the robe of righteousness that got them into Heaven in the first place. They were all followers of Christ and they all went out to meet Him, which showed their belief in the blessed hope. They all took their lamps and they all, at one time, had oil in them.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 5:

15  See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

16 Rejoice always,

17 pray without ceasing,

18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

19  Never restrain or put out the fire of the Holy Spirit.

20 And don’t be one who scorns prophecies,

21 but be faithful to examine them by putting them to the test, and afterward hold tightly to what has proven to be right.

22 Avoid every appearance of evil.

23 Now, may the God of peace and harmony set you apart, making you completely Holy. And may your entire being—spirit, soul, and body—be kept completely flawless in the appearing of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.

A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways  (James 1:8)

But because the five foolish virgins did not maintain their faithfulness and their watchfulness to the very end, the oil in their lamps ran out and they ended up with no light. Over a period of time, they quenched God’s Spirit in their hearts, which stopped their intimate fellowship with Him and caused the light in their lives to go out. Thus, they became foolish and double-minded and they walked in darkness.

A double-minded believer lives two lives: God’s Life and “self-life.” God’s quenched, “self-life” is ruling in his soul. Thus, when we are double-minded, it’s impossible to partake of Christ’s life Consequently, rather than overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil, this believer is overtaken by the same. This believer does not produce fruit or works of righteousness. As a result, this double-minded believer will become foolish.

It’s too late for the five foolish virgins to acquire the character traits and the faithful perseverance that’s needed for an entrance to the wedding. They were not prepared, not fit, and not worthy of entering.

Each of us is responsible for our own preparedness.   

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 5:

27 All that He does in us is designed to make us a mature church for His pleasure, until we become a source of praise to Him—glorious and radiant, beautiful and holy, without fault or flaw (spot or wrinkle).

The parable of the ten virgins provides much insight to those who will be prepared for the wedding feast.  Jesus prepared us for this parable by first sharing the signs of the times and the End of the Age and we are told to watch, be ready, and endure to the end, for you know not what hour the Lord comes.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 25:

1  “When My coming draws near, Heaven’s Kingdom realm can be compared to ten virgins who took their oil lamps and went outside to meet the Bridegroom and His bride.

2-4 Five of them were foolish and ill-prepared, for they took no extra oil for their lamps. Five of them were wise, for they took flasks of olive oil with their lamps.

5 When the bridegroom didn’t come when they expected, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep.

6 Then suddenly, in the middle of the night, they were awakened by the shout ‘Get up! The bridegroom is here! Come out and have an encounter with him!’

7 So all the girls got up and trimmed their lamps.

8 But the foolish ones were running out of oil, so they said to the five wise ones, ‘Share your oil with us, because our lamps are going out!’

9 “ ‘We can’t,’ they replied. ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. You’ll have to go and buy some for yourselves!’

10 “While the five girls were out buying oil, the Bridegroom appeared. Those who were ready and waiting were escorted inside with Him and the wedding party to enjoy the feast. And then the door was locked.

11 Later, the five foolish girls came running up to the door and pleaded, ‘Lord, Lord, let us come in!’

12 “But He called back, ‘Go away! Do I know you? I can assure you, I don’t even know you!’

13 “That is the reason you should always stay awake and be alert, because you don’t know the day or the hour when the Bridegroom will appear.”

Five of those virgins were wise because they took extra oil. The other five virgins, however, were foolish because they didn’t bring extra oil.  The number 10  means “the measure of human responsibility” and also the number of “completion.”

The word “wise” is from the root word phren, which means “to rein in or curb the emotions.” These virgins were wise because they allowed God to continually rein in their self-life, which then allowed the Spirit of God (the oil) to come forth and produce fruit in their lives. The word foolish (Strong’s # 3474, moros) means “double-minded” (i.e., two lives are being lived—God’s and ours), and thus, these believers were full of darkness.

Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 11:

33  “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.

34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.

35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.

36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

All the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps (adjusted them), but the foolish found that their lamps had gone out and they had no oil to refill them.

While the five foolish virgins were gone trying to find extra oil, the Bridegroom came and those wise virgins who were ready, worthy, and prepared (who had their lamps lit), went in with Him to the wedding festivities and the door was shut.

Later when the five foolish virgins came, they said, “Lord, Lord, open the door.” But He answered them saying, “I know you not”.

There are two different kinds of garments a believer can wear.   

Isaiah wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 61:

10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

This is our external garment without spot or wrinkle. The second garment and the one that Christ requires for the Marriage festivities is the white linen garment made up of the believer’s own “righteous works” which was expressed in Revelation 19:7–8.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 7:

1  Therefore, having these promises, Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God.

And in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 11:

2  You need to know that God’s passion is burning inside me for you, because, like a Loving father, I have betrothed you (pledged your hand) in marriage to Christ, your True Bridegroom. I’ve also promised that I would present his fiancée to Him as a pure virgin bride.

Overcomers will be clothed in clean, white garments. This speaks of the internal sanctification and the moral fitness that Christ requires of His bride. This second garment, then, is the one that can get defiled, stained, and blackened through the believer’s own negligence.  Paul had a serious corrective interview with the Corinthian church concerning their immaturity and the need to move toward walking as mature saints based on Agape Love.

This second garment is one of our righteousness, Holiness, and Fear of The Lord.

Jesus spoke a warning to the dead church in Revelation chapter 3:

1  Write the following to the messenger of the congregation in Sardis, for these are the Words of the One who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know all that you do and I know that you have a reputation for being really “alive,” but you’re actually dead!

2 Wake up and strengthen all that remains before it dies, for I haven’t found your works to be perfect in the sight of My God.

3 So remember all the things you’ve received and heard, then turn back to God and obey them. For if you continue to slumber, I will come to you like a thief, and you’ll have no idea at what hour I will come.

4 Yet there are still a few in Sardis who have remained pure, and they will walk in fellowship with Me in brilliant light, for they are worthy.

5 And the one who experiences victory will be dressed in white robes and I will never, no never erase your name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge your name before My Father and His angels.

6 So the one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is now saying to all the churches.

This is a warning to all of us!

James wrote by The Holy Spirit in his Epistle, chapter 1:

27   True spirituality that is pure in the Eyes of our Father God is to make a difference in the lives of the orphans, and widows in their troubles, and to refuse to be corrupted by the world’s values.

Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 16:

15 “Behold, I come like a thief! God’s blessing is with the one who remains awake and fully clothed in me and will not walk about naked, exposed to disgrace.”

What happens to those believers who are not ready, not prepared, not fit, not holy, and not chaste? What happens to them? Are they allowed into the Marriage festivities?

The Jewish wedding ceremony is a type and shadow of the true Wedding Ceremony with Christ revealed to us in Scripture.

The Beloved Disciple recorded what he saw and heard by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 19:

6  And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

It is critical that you understand the above passage if you want to be a true overcomer!  First of all, the bride has a responsibility to make herself ready and that means you and I have a serious responsibility to do that.  Secondly, not everyone will be called to the marriage supper.  If you are satisfied with simply making it to Heaven and being on the outside then you will not heed these writings.

The wedding ceremony is made up of three events:

The betrothal: a lengthy time of preparation

The marriage ceremony

The marriage feast

Our salvation represents the beginning of the betrothal.  Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 11:

2 For I am jealous for you with Godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Hosea wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 2:

19  “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In Lovingkindness and mercy;

20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.”

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 5:

25  Husbands, Love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

26 that He might 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.

The process of sanctification that we are all in now as we wait for our Lord’s return, denotes the long wait between the time the Groom leaves to prepare a place for his bride and the time He returns for her. Note the importance placed upon the bride during this waiting period to prepare herself for her Groom’s return—to make her own gown and her own wedding garment. This stresses the significance of the sanctification process––our time of preparation, our time of fitting, and our time of making ourselves ready, worthy, and qualified for our Groom’s return.  The Jewish betrothal parallels this reality.

We must prepare ourselves, that is to say, make ourselves fit and ready just as a Jewish bride does.

Paul also wrote in Ephesians chapter 1:

3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every Spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be Holy and without blame before Him in Love,

And in Hebrews chapter 12:

14  In every relationship be swift to choose peace over competition, and run swiftly toward holiness, for those who are not Holy will not see the Lord.

There is a possibility that while we are waiting for Christ to return, we can defile our garments and prevent this time of preparation from happening and be disqualified as an overcomer.

There are five crowns available to pursue.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 9:

24  Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an incorruptible (imperishable) crown.

This crown is also called the Victor’s Crown and is awarded for self-control and having victory over the flesh.

And in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 2:

19   For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

20 For you are our glory and joy.

This crown is awarded for fruitful labor for the Lord in the lives of others. This is the soul winner’s crown, the winning of the saved to the Kingdom.

James wrote by The Holy Spirit in James chapter 1:

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who Love Him.

Jesus Himself spoke of this crown in Revelation chapter 2:

10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

The Crown of Life is for those who have persevered, endured trials, and even faced death, and yet still remain faithful.

Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Peter chapter 5:

2   Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

This crown is for those who have shepherded and tended the flock and yearned to see them grow.  These have the heart of Christ.

Paul wrote of the fifth crown in 2^nd Timothy chapter 4:

7  I have fought an excellent fight. I have finished my full course with all my might and I’ve kept my heart full of faith.

8 There’s a crown of righteousness waiting in Heaven for me, and I know that my Lord will reward me on His day of righteous judgment. And this crown is not only waiting for me, but for all who Love and long for His unveiling.

This last crown is for those who radiate Christ’s Life in all they do.  They live His Life, do His Will, and Love His appearing.

As believers, we are to strive to obtain all of these crowns, not just one. These are FATHER’S tangible expressions of His approval. Consequently, our sole ambition should be to labor, strive, and make it our aim to be well pleasing to God. Every seed we sow, every word we speak, and every deed we do is “banked” with God and will one day spring up in a wonderful harvest of works. As written earlier, every act of the present is registered in Heaven.

The Beloved Disciple recorded by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 21:

5  Then He Who sat on the Throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these Words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.

7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

What will Jesus use to reference when evaluating our lives?

Our fruitfulness must be based on the foundation of Christ.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 3:

11  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Any work or fruit that survives the fire of judgment will be rewarded. Any work that burns in the fire will be considered a loss. The test will be conducted as a “baptism of fire” to prove its worthiness.

The fleshly things will be burned, and the Spiritual things will be rewarded. There is only one set of building materials that will withstand the fire—the things that the Holy Spirit not only prompts in our lives but also does in our lives—the gold, silver, and precious stones. The fleshly things—the wood, hay, and stubble—will feed the fire.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Timothy chapter 2:

20  But in a Great House there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.

21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, Love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

And in Galatians chapter 6:

7  God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest.

8 The harvest you reap reveals the seed that you planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self-life into this natural realm, you can expect a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting Life of the Spirit.

9 And don’t allow yourselves to be weary in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!

10 Take advantage of every opportunity to be a blessing to others, especially to our brothers and sisters in the family of faith!

“Good works” are those words, deeds, and actions that are not only prompted by the Holy Spirit, but also performed through the power of His Spirit.  If, however, our works are done with the self-centered motive of being seen by men and applauded by them, then that becomes its own reward. There will be none other.  Unconditional Love should be at the core of our motivation.

In Colossians chapter 3:

23   Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord Himself and not merely for others.

24 For we know that we will receive a reward, an inheritance from the Lord, as we serve the Lord Yahweh, the Anointed One!

25 A disciple will be repaid for what he has learned and followed, for God pays no attention to the titles or prestige of men.

Unfruitful branches are cut off from the Vine.  We must pay close attention to the resulting fruit of our lives and repent of those words and acts which will not pass the test of FATHER’S Justice.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Psalm chapter 89:

14   Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your Throne; Mercy and Truth go before Your Face.

My recommendation- be quick to repent of unfruitful words and works.  Christ shall reward every man according to his work.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 16:

27 I, the Son of Man, will one day return with My messengers and in the splendor and majesty of my Father. And then I will reward each person according to what they have done.

What will Jesus look at during our evaluation?

Our Eternal destiny is never in question at the Judgment Seat of Christ!

The Judgment Seat of Christ will be for revealing and rewarding the kind of Christian life the believer has lived—a spiritual life with fruits of righteousness or a carnal life with very few good deeds. This judgment will be on the basis of a believer’s works only.

What’s being weighed is our worthiness, our qualifications, our fitness, our readiness, and our preparation for positions or levels of responsibility in the future kingdom.  Our justification is never in jeopardy. We are Eternally secure in that respect.

This judgment is where our works will go through the refining test of fire and the Lord will search our hearts and minds and expose the truth.  This is also the time that each of us will give an account of our faithfulness, our obedience, and our perseverance.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 14:

12 Therefore, each one must answer for himself and give a personal account of his own life before God.

We will be evaluated on the basis of what we did with the time, the talents, and the treasures that we were given here on earth

And in 1^st Timothy chapter 5:

24   The sins of some people stand out and are well known. Yet there are others whose sins are not as obvious, but the Truth of who they really are will eventually be seen and will bring them judgment.

25 It is the same way with good works, even if they are not known at first, they will eventually be recognized and acknowledged.

In the parable of the ten talents, the Judgment Seat of Christ is where the reward of “entering into the joy of the Lord” or the loss of being cast into the darkness outside the Throne Room is pronounced.

The Beloved Disciple wrote in 1^st John chapter 1:

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Unconfessed sin will be judged because it quenched God’s Spirit and prevented any “works of righteousness” from being produced. Because these carnal believers didn’t apply the above passage in order to cleanse their lives, they quenched God’s Spirit in their hearts and, consequently, no “fruit” could be produced.

Our Heavenly Father is not only a Loving God, He is also a just God. His Love brings us to Him as a gift, but His justice demands a review of our lives—every thought, word, and deed, whether good or bad.  Be assured, we will be evaluated.

The following might be a good self-assessment test:

Did we Love Him and Love others? (Matthew 22:37–39)

 Did we walk by the Spirit, showing forth His Life, His Love, Wisdom, and power? Were we “fruit-bearing?” (John 10:10)

Did we make choices to follow God, regardless of our feelings?

Did we Love our enemies? (Luke 6:35)

Did we do everything from a heart of Love? (1 Corinthians 13:1–3)

 Did we stay yielded, so that He could be strong through us? (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)

Did we do everything for His glory? (Matthew 6:1–6)

Did we follow the Spirit’s leading and feed the poor and visit those in prison? (Matthew 25:35–36, 40)

Did we seek His will and not our own? (John 5:30)

Did we always have a servant’s heart? (Matthew 20:25–27)

Did we continually deny ourselves, follow Christ, and put others first? (Titus 2:12; Luke 9:23)

Did we witness for Him with our lives? (Daniel 12:3; 2 Peter 1:2–11)

Did we preach the Gospel in and out of season? (Matthew 28:19–20)

Did the fruit from our lives remain? (John 15:16)

All of God’s future blessings will be determined by our faithfulness and our obedience to do His Will here and now. Therefore, our inheritance, position, and privileges in the coming kingdom are all still at stake.