Christian Fellowship Community Group
A safe place for Christians who Love Jesus Christ to meet and ask for prayer and share scriptures from the bible. We value the posting of Christian music, poems, stories and also personal testimonies. Please let us know your needs, concerns and have some fun getting to know each other. We treat each other with respect.
THE FOOLISH VIRGINS
Are the foolish virgins and the Laodicean-Christians actually born-again Christians?
There is not doubt, that this is the case, for the Lord includes the foolish virgins as belonging to the kingdom of God. (Mt.25.1) But to the kingdom of God belong only born-again Christians. Those not born-again, don't go out to meet the bridegroom; yes, even not all born-again believers do that. Or does anyone believe that the Apostle founded lukewarm churches, which consisted, together with their overseer, of no-one but people that were not born-again?
If someone asks why the Lord then said to the foolish virgins: "I don't know you," it has to be taken into consideration that the Lord means to say: "I don't know you as my bride." As foolish virgins He knows them just as well as the godless. From this word we must therefore not draw wrong conclusions.
It clearly follows, however, from Mt. 7.21-23, that it is possible, even for a born-again believer, to be excluded from the wedding, yes, even from the kingdom of God. For the right understanding of this passage, one must take note that the Lord takes sometimes a case to the extreme to make a point, so that no-one has the excuse some day of not knowing the full truth. So He testifies on this occasion that a born-again Christian can even be equipped with spiritual gifts and have authority to drive out demons (and that can only be done, according to the Lord's statement, by a spirit-filled person) and can nevertheless be excluded from the kingdom; for if such a person is conceited and deludes himself into thinking that he does not have to take the keeping of God's commands very seriously - because Christ is supposed to be the end of the law - their temporary affiliation with Christ would be completely wiped out.
This throws light on the grave admonishments of the Apostle, when He says: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil.2.12) and "I beat my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." So even the Apostle Paul considered the possibility of falling short of the goal, which also follows from Phil. 3.12-14. When he says in 1.Cor.15.51: "We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed" he means, that the wise virgins will be changed. That not all church members belong to them, we can infer from the many admonishments of the Apostle. Why the grave exhortations and warnings, if all believers attain to the rapture anyway? All these admonishments would be unnecessary. They are not, however, if we know that not all born-again Christians will be raptured.
There can therefore be no doubt that the foolish virgins are born-again believers, which could be proved by more passages of the Bible. This is not just my personal opinion. With such an important teaching we must not only refer to single Bible verses and dismiss others, but have to take into consideration all passages regarding this issue; or we make the same mistake of the Pharisees, who relied on their circumcision and the ancestry from Abraham and neglected other truths of the Scriptures. Philadelphia-Christians, however, submit to the whole Word of God as guideline for their life. (by Christian Roeckle)
Are the foolish virgins and the Laodicean-Christians actually born-again Christians?
There is not doubt, that this is the case, for the Lord includes the foolish virgins as belonging to the kingdom of God. (Mt.25.1) But to the kingdom of God belong only born-again Christians. Those not born-again, don't go out to meet the bridegroom; yes, even not all born-again believers do that. Or does anyone believe that the Apostle founded lukewarm churches, which consisted, together with their overseer, of no-one but people that were not born-again?
If someone asks why the Lord then said to the foolish virgins: "I don't know you," it has to be taken into consideration that the Lord means to say: "I don't know you as my bride." As foolish virgins He knows them just as well as the godless. From this word we must therefore not draw wrong conclusions.
It clearly follows, however, from Mt. 7.21-23, that it is possible, even for a born-again believer, to be excluded from the wedding, yes, even from the kingdom of God. For the right understanding of this passage, one must take note that the Lord takes sometimes a case to the extreme to make a point, so that no-one has the excuse some day of not knowing the full truth. So He testifies on this occasion that a born-again Christian can even be equipped with spiritual gifts and have authority to drive out demons (and that can only be done, according to the Lord's statement, by a spirit-filled person) and can nevertheless be excluded from the kingdom; for if such a person is conceited and deludes himself into thinking that he does not have to take the keeping of God's commands very seriously - because Christ is supposed to be the end of the law - their temporary affiliation with Christ would be completely wiped out.
This throws light on the grave admonishments of the Apostle, when He says: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil.2.12) and "I beat my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." So even the Apostle Paul considered the possibility of falling short of the goal, which also follows from Phil. 3.12-14. When he says in 1.Cor.15.51: "We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed" he means, that the wise virgins will be changed. That not all church members belong to them, we can infer from the many admonishments of the Apostle. Why the grave exhortations and warnings, if all believers attain to the rapture anyway? All these admonishments would be unnecessary. They are not, however, if we know that not all born-again Christians will be raptured.
There can therefore be no doubt that the foolish virgins are born-again believers, which could be proved by more passages of the Bible. This is not just my personal opinion. With such an important teaching we must not only refer to single Bible verses and dismiss others, but have to take into consideration all passages regarding this issue; or we make the same mistake of the Pharisees, who relied on their circumcision and the ancestry from Abraham and neglected other truths of the Scriptures. Philadelphia-Christians, however, submit to the whole Word of God as guideline for their life. (by Christian Roeckle)
But I did catch the sentence about Born Again Christians NOT going to Heaven.
I do not believe if a person has had a life changing relationship with Jesus , a circumcision of the heart, that they will be excluded from Heaven.
A circumcision can not be re-circumcised
Our names are written on the palms of Jesus's hands...I read no mention of erasurs in Heaven.
Nothing on Earth or above or below or anything, can separate us from the love of God
Maybe I'm not understanding the article ?
But I assure , by Jesus 's own words ..that we are HIS forever
I agree with dancingd, if you are truly born again you are not excluded. Someone born again is remade and forever changed. If you go back to your old life then you were not actually born again to begin with. Hebrews 10:26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
.After 15 years. I turned away..Not completely. I knew He was there but I deliberately disobeyed Him because I didn't want to surrender my self completely. You see there was something I didn't understand. I didn't understand His love for me. I was pushing it away. I wanted to experience the world. Please don't judge me for this because it was between me and God.
After 2 years of disobedience. My entire life fell apart. It had to so I would realize my need for God. I repented and begged God for a second chance. I made promises to Him , I was in the pits of hell and could sense the demons. I was full of fear and trembling. Couldn't eat or sleep. Shear terror.
After repentance for my sins He took me back. Praise Him because he is merciful and my life is full of blessing now and I have surrendered myself as far as I know, but There is a lot I don't know and I wont pretend to know. God is good , He loves us and I urge all Christians to be in obedience..and if its difficult ask the Lord for help because He wants us to be dependent on Him for when we are weak then He is strong.
Hi Misred ..When I read the Hebrews scripture I wondered about what it means because God took me back after deliberate sins.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
I think when we accept Christ in our life, there is still work (dicipleship) to be done. We still have a choice to either go through the narrow or wide gate or backslide.