Well I do not believe in free will except in a believers life.
Well I accept Scripture as written and it says the foolish took their lamps but no oil. Saying they had oil is an assumption on the Scriptures.
When someone enters the body of Christ (the church) they were and are the elect therefore eternally secure.
Right now the church is the espoused to Jesus. Teh marriage takes place in heaven in REv. 19 as is written in the Scriptures.
Dear Ronald Nolette,
No one but God has a free will, not even a believer:
Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
As for your comments on the Foolish Virgins not having any oil in their lamps when they first go out to wait for the Bridegroom, you are omitting these verses:
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
All the lamps have been burning while the Ten Virgins waited for the Bridegroom. Because of such, all the lamps are low on oil. This truth matches to what is taught about Early Rain which all called out believers (all Ten Virgins) are given when they are "called out". The Early Rain is only an "earnest amount" (Eph 1:13-14). It is not given in enough measure so that a Virgin can wait the full amount of time for the Bridegroom to return. To be able to meet the Bridegroom, a believer must also have the extra oil that the Latter Rain gives them. Those who are given the extra oil are the "few".
Also, you are forgetting that the lamp and the light it gives off represents the Law which will lead a person to Christ:
Prov 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
After a person is called out from the world, they become espoused to Christ. For that reason, they will take their lamp and go out to wait for the return of the Bridegroom. The lamp must first have oil in it or they would not go out to meet Christ.
You said:
When someone enters the body of Christ (the church) they were and are the elect therefore eternally secure.
Not true.
Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Most of mankind is not called out from the world, however, "many" are. And from those same "many", only a few have been chosen for salvation in this age.
The "many" (the Ten Virgins) who are called out will all fall away and lose their salvation. All Ten Virgins will "slumber and sleep" in the dark. Then at midnight (the darkest part of a person's spiritual blindness), the call will go out that the Bridegroom is returning. Only the "few" (the Wise Virgins) who were given the extra flask of oil will be able to meet the Christ.
This matches exactly with what James says:
Jam 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the EARLY and LATTER RAIN. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
The Early Rain is the original oil in the lamp which causes a "virgin" to go out to meet the Bridegroom. The extra flask of oil is the Latter Rain. It takes both the Early and Latter Rain to be saved. And that salvation occurs when the Bridegroom returns for His bride.
Christ's return to His Elect is a reoccurring event throughout this age. It is not a one-time event as "many" understand it to be:
Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to COME; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne...
Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to COME, the Almighty.
You said:
Right now the church is the espoused to Jesus. Teh marriage takes place in heaven in REv. 19 as is written in the Scriptures.
You are right, the church is espoused to Christ and is waiting for His return. However, only the "few" (the Wise Virgins) will be given the extra oil (Latter Rain) so that they can continue out to meet the Lord when His return is announced (call of Elijah). This is the Elect's moment of salvation.
Revelation chapter 19 begins its teaching after the Lord has returned to an Elect believer for the Marriage ceremony and the Marriage Supper. These salvation events are immediately followed by the Day of the Lord (the Elect's judgment). But since the believer is "born again" as a child of God PRIOR to their judgment falling, the newly born child of God will reign over their own judgment. Their beast and false prophet will be "taken" (
Rev 19:20, Mat 24:40) from within them and will be judged separately from the child of God. In this way, the Elect do not experience wrath during their time of judgment.
Joe