Is, Was and Will Be

Matthew 25 

There are three parables in this chapter: The Ten Virgins, The Talents and the separating of the sheep from the goats. In the process of going through the parables, we are going to be getting into the meaning of the numbers 10 and the number 5. I think you are going to be enlightened on that subject. Also, as with all of the parables, you are going to see that, despite what the world teaches, the truth of every parable is that most people will not be in the first resurrection. That is the point of the parables: many are called and few are chosen. It is through the channel of the few who are chosen for that blessed and holy first resurrection that the rest will be brought in. The exhortations through the scriptures of striving to be in that narrow way, the blessed and holy first resurrection, is for the purpose of Romans 11, through your mercy, mercy will be shown to those who don't believe. That's the truth of the gospel from Genesis to Revelation, from Cain to Christ. Christ is the savior of the world, but it's a process, each in his own order (1 Cor 15:22-23). 

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

These are all virgins going to meet the bridegroom. They've all said the sinner's prayer, they have all been baptized. What's the point of the parable of the virgins? The first thing we need to notice is that there are 10 of them. What is 10 and why are there ten virgins? These numbers have great significance, and the number in itself is telling us something. Ten in scripture has to do with the perfection of the flesh; it is the number for shadows. The ten commandments, of course, are what Paul calls the law for the lawless and not for a righteous man (1 Tim 1:9). 

Deu 4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. 

In that one verse, you have the old covenant, 10 commandments and 2 tables of stone. All three mentioned in 2 Cor 3 when Paul is talking about the glory of the old being replaced by that which is excellent. That which is good is the enemy of that which is excellent. That which excels is Christ. The 10 is the number of the shadow; it foreshadows the law of Jesus Christ, the law of the spirit, the law of faith, the perfect law of liberty. All of those are New Testament terms for the law of the new covenant. 

Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect 

The law of Moses is a shadow of the law of Jesus Christ. 

Genesis 16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 

God told Abram to leave Ur, leave your family and your father's house and go into a land that I have chosen for you. Abraham, like all of us, was slow to do what he was told. Instead of leaving his father's house, his father actually took him half way to the promised land to Haran, and they set up camp there, built a city and named it after Abraham's deceased brother, Tirah's son, Haran. That's where Abraham stayed until he was 75 years old. Then when his father died - there is always great significance to the previous generation dying off – Abraham could not leave Haran until his father died. The old man has to die before you can move on and do what the things of the spirit require of you. 

Abram had been in the land for 10 years and what happens? God had told him he was going to make him great. That was the promise; this is what he and Sarah were looking forward to, but, he'd been there 10 years, he was 75 years old when he left Haran, there's still no son, we have to do something. The flesh wants to do something for God. You don't do things for God, God does things for you. 

Num 14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 

'They tempted me 10 times.' This is a shadowing, a foreshadowing, because Israel had just been to the edge of the promised land. They had looked over and sent spies over in and yet they did not want to go in. They did not believe God could do what he said he could do and give this land to them. They were constantly, from the day they came up out of Egypt, from Mt. Sinai and the golden calf and before that, wanting the meat; 10 times the book of Numbers enumerates their rebellions. Their rebellions were 10, right in line with the commandments they were given, the carnal commandments for a carnal nation. 

Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 

These horns are on a beast. If you can read the book of Revelation and keep that in mind, all of these things that we are reading about in Revelation 17 and 18, 13 deal specifically with the beast. These are all one beast, and you look at that beast every day when you look in the mirror. Nothing, Christ says, without a man is going to defile him. The beast is there to begin with, you are born with it - that's why it says, all men small and great, rich and poor, free and bond. Who does that leave out? Nobody! We all have the mark of the beast (Psalm 51:5, Ecclesiastes 3:18). 

What are these 10 horns on the beast that fight against God, that fight against Christ and his elect? They are dominions, they are kings. They have no kingdom, but they are given kingdom with the beast, they devour the harlot. Why would that be?

Rev 17:13-14 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

These 10 kings are not going to dominate over him. He is going to overcome them.  

Called, chose and faithful: Faithful to what? Faithful to Jesus Christ, faithful to his doctrine.

Rev 17:16-17 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

What are these 10 kings? They have a lot of dominion over the beast. They are the 10 commandments that the world will not let go. They maintain dominance over the Christian world, always have and will until the end of the age. The whole Christian world thinks they are righteous while they are keeping these commandments, which the Bible says are for the lawless and not for a righteous man.

These 10 commandments are not kept by the very people who teach them. Jesus says this, 'Moses gave you the law and none of you keeps the law, why do you go about to kill me?' (Mat 12)

We are still in the parable of the 10 virgins and I hope I have given you some idea what these 10 virgins are. They are the church, they are not part of the church, they are the whole of the church. The church is in the world. Christ said, I pray for them (his 12 apostles) because they are in the world, but they are not of the world. What were they? They were Jews, in other words, they were Christians, they were in the church. But, he says, I am not praying for the church, I don't pray for the world, I pray for them.

Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

We are going to look into the number 5 now. We are on another subject and we need to know what we are talking about.

Gen 43:34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

This is the first significant use of the word 5. Benjamin is a type of God's elect. 

Gen 45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. 

If you know what raiment is, and what it represents in scripture, it represents what you are, your spiritual clothing. What clothes you? White robes are the righteousness of the saints it says in Revelation. Benjamin was given 5 changes of raiment, he was given 5 times as much as any of his brothers when they were eating (the messes he is talking about is the food on their plates). Benjamin was singled-out for special attention. The number 5 has something to do with God's people. There were 5 wise and 5 foolish, but they are all God's people. 

Mat 14:17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 

Christ fed (verse 21) 5,000 men. This is all speaking about what Christ does and who he is doing it for. He is doing it all for those who come to him. There are in the 5,000 God's elect and those who are not God's elect. If you think that 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins have anything to do with percentages and that 50% of the Christian world is going to be saved, you just missed the point completely. This has nothing to do with percentages because the truth is that many are called. Many people are called to Christ. They come to him, they sit there and listen to what he has to say. Very few are chosen to be given eyes to see and ears to hear. That's not 50/50. It is more like in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot. Those are the 2 examples that Christ gives when he is asked, what will it be like when you come back. 

Mat 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 

That's later in this chapter, I just throw it in here because it has to do with five. The man was the most able was given 5 talents.

Luk 7:36-41 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

The multiples of five have to do with our relationship to God every time. It has to do with how we relate to God. The number 5 has to do with those who have some kind of a relationship with God, wise or foolish.

Luk 7:42-47 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

You have 500 pence versus 50, a pittance compared to a lot. What do you have? You have 99 sheep who don't need repentance versus 1 lost sheep. You have a prodigal versus an elder brother who never did anything wrong. You have a woman dragged to Christ, ready to be stoned versus Pharisees who have never broken the law. Who loves God the most? The one who loves God the most is the one who has sinned the most and who has been forgiven the most. I am afraid that is just part of the gospel that is very little seen. What we are being told here is that these 5 wise virgins had lost their first love; they had come back to Christ. The 5 foolish did not need to be worried about anything as in their own eyes they've never done anything wrong. They didn't need to trim their lamps, be vigilant; they didn't need to overcome anything. Do you see where the 10 kings enter into this? The very thing that we take such great pride in is our worst enemy and that's us and that's what's in us.

You are that beast that you see in the mirror everyday and you are sin, you are created sin. What you need to do is to come to recognize that. When you recognize that and you recognize that the Creator himself gave you a law that was not for a righteous man. When you realize that the Creator, himself, while you were in his hand, made you marred (Jeremiah 18:4). 

In Acts 4, after Peter was given a backbone to work with, he preaches I the temple: 

Act 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. 

1Co 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 

1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 

It is amazing how, whenever you see certain numbers and certain words, they have a certain significance to them. In every case, the number 5 has to do with some kind of a relationship with God. 

2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 

Rev 9:5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them [locusts], but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 

I think we have been over the book of Revelation enough to know that this whole book is about Christ working his work in you, keep the sayings of this book, and if you keep the sayings of this book, then you will be experiencing Christ in you; you will be an overcomer. The 'sayings of the prophecy of this book' have these beasts with horns and a harlot and all of that. If you think you are going to skip some part of it, your part in that book has been taken out. You experience the whole book, the good and the bad. 

So five is the number of relationship with God and if you have that relationship with God, wise or foolish, it is going to be in an increment of five. 

The last thing about the number five: Every single measurement concerning the temple (you are the temple) is in fives. (Exodus 26 and Ezekiel 42) It is all symbols, shadows of the same temple. That temple is you, if God is in you. 

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 

What does he do? Walk up and measure the people who worship therein? No, that's not what it is talking about. This angel is telling us measure those in whom the Word dwells, measure God's people, see if they measure up to the pattern that is given you in the mount. That pattern has 5, 5, 5 everywhere. Five is our relationship with God. 

Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 

I've entitled this talk today 'The Wise Took Oil' because all through these three parables in this chapter, you are going to be able to see that the one has oil. Oil is God's spirit, oil is light.

Mat 25:4-5 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

All of them, all ten, slumbered and slept. They are all virgins, they are all God's church, 5 are wise and 5 are foolish. The foolish have no oil; they don't have it, the wise do. What's being said? 

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 

'If you have oil in you, if I am in you, if you have the root of the olive tree in you, then you are in it.'

2Jo 1:8-9 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

In the parable of The Sower, he says some of the seed fell in stony ground and when the sun came up it was scorched and it withered because it had no moisture in itself. No oil. When persecution arises because of the Word, they wither and they fall away.

2Jo 1:10-11 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

The word of Christ and the doctrine of Christ really is quite straightforward. You do what he says! (Why do you call me Lord, Lord and don't do the things that I say.) The sword of God's word slays those who don't want to listen to it. 

Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

They had Jesus Christ in them. They had his doctrine in them. They were ready for the call, whatever it was. Christ's words meant more to them than the words of great ministers. 

Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

They all slept. Romans says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But Revelation 1:3 says blessed is he that reads and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep the things that are written therein for the time is at hand. 

If you have a love for the doctrine of Christ, you abide in it, you are going to go through the things of Revelation 2 and 3 and all the rest of the book. You will slumber and sleep and you will experience seals and the trumpets and the plagues. But, you will be one of the 5 wise if you recognize that God is orchestrating the whole thing and you are willing to give up your righteousness for his. 

Lev 26:8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. 

How do the 2 witnesses kill their enemies? It is the word of God.

Isa 30:17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. 

This is this whole thing reversed. Everything that applies to God's elect applies equally – there's a flip side to every coin. If you are the five wise, five of you will put to flight 10,000. But, if you are the five foolish, this is what happens. 1,000 of you will flee at the rebuke of one, and at the rebuke of 5, you shall flee until you be left a 'beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.' These are those who say they are Jews and are not. 

Every blessing has with it a corresponding curse. A blessing is a blessing for the wise, it is a curse for the foolish.

Mat 25:6-9 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

That seemed awfully cruel to me back before I understood the things of the spirit. That was self-centered not to want to share their oil. We have food to eat that they who are at the physical altar are not fit to eat. If you think that you can be friends of the world, you have a lesson to learn that you are going learn the hard way, and it will be in the lake of fire. You cannot mix in with the world; you must be separate from it. 

Exo 25:6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, 

Exo 27:20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. 

'Pure olive oil beaten for the light.' You will notice all through the Old Testament in all the types and the shadows, that all the things that have to do with God's elect are beaten and bruised and crushed. The frankincense had to be crushed to powder and burned. The meal had to be finely ground. None of these things were acceptable to God until they were pulverized and brought to nothing, then they could be burned and really put off a sweet smell. The fine flour could be turned into unleavened cakes and the oil could be mixed with the bread to temper it. That's the words that are used. 

Exo 29:2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. 

I've said this so many times, but I probably need to say it again: You have the camp of Israel. These people were not allowed to get anywhere near the temple. They had to bring a sacrifice just to get through the gate of the court, then they could offer the sacrifice and the priest would pray over them and they would put their hands on the sacrifice, identify with the sacrifice, as if they were dying. That's what that all foreshadowed, being crucified with Christ. Those people don't see or realize that, but that's what the New Testament tells us is the truth. That's the people in the camp, they represent the world, the uncalled world. There is a called group. Who are they? They are the Levites. They can actually come near the temple. They are God's people, they have been called out of the camp. There's only one group that can go into the temple and have fellowship with God. Who is that? The priests, the descendants of Aaron. Aaron is the high priest. If you are not in Jesus Christ, you know not God (2 John 1:8). 

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 

Jesus Christ is our high priest. If you are in him, you can go into the temple, into God's presence. If you are not in him, being a Levite does not cut it. That's the church, the called church. They are not God's people. They are not allowed to associate with them and come into his presence. They have his name, they are Israel. It is not the Israel of God that Galatians 3:16 talks about. The 'Israel of God' is those who are in Christ Jesus. All the others are my kinsmen according to the flesh.

Exo 29:4-6 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre. Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.

God's people are anointed with the anointing oil. What is the anointing oil? God's word which is his spirit. 'The words that I have spoken unto you, they are spirit and they are truth.' (John 6:63). God's people are drenched in it. They are covered with it, it pours down over their beard and all over them. That's the description given in Exodus. You need to be drenched in the spirit of God. You need to know his word, it needs to be all over you. You need to hunger for it. 

You communicate with God in prayer and Bible study; do them both. But, let God do most of the talking. In other words, read more than you pray. You can be thankful. Those who have been forgiven the most, they love him the most. 

Continued (Part 2) 

We are going to start with Matthew 25, verse 9 which is talking about the wise and foolish virgins. The wise virgins had taken oil with them but the foolish virgins did not. The wise virgins were asked by the foolish virgins, give us of your oil so that we can go with you to the wedding supper.

Mat 25:9-13 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

What does it mean 'while they went to buy?' What is the message for us? Get it and stay filled with it, stay in it. The spirit is the Word of God. 

Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. 

You don't hear any talk on this subject because everyone wants to believe that all you have to do is say the sinner's prayer, and you are a saved person. You have all these good people in the church, and they are nice people. Esau was a good man, he hadn't done anything to Jacob. In many regards, he was the better of the ywo brothers. What is the point? Why did God take a scoundrel like Jacob and give him his favor? To confound the wise and the strong. God does not pick the 'good' of this world; he picks the prodigals and the harlots to show that flesh is not a factor with him. The very best efforts of the flesh are filthy rags in his sight, that's the purpose for it. 

2Jo 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 

The five foolish virgins lost what they worked for. They were virgins, they were just foolish. The foolish virgins are actually enemies of the cross. 

2Jo 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 

That is unacceptable in the Christian world. The doctrine is that nobody can have it all. You are saying, I am the son of God, and you aren't. You're a Pharisee, and I'm a son of God. 

Ask yourself, are you abiding in the doctrine of Christ? If you are, are you willing to say so? 

2Jo 1:10-11 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 

Any time you say that no one has all the truth, you are witnessing against yourself. The Lord will say, out of your own mouth, I will judge you. 

Mat 25:4-5 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

What does it mean for all, the called and the elect, to slumber? We all lose our first love. There is nobody that does not let the Lord down and let themselves down. Until you do, you are not elect, because you don't know what it is to be prodigal and to be a woman about to be stoned under the law of Moses. 

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

You have to look back to see this, because there was a time when you didn't see all of this. The book of Revelation starts that way. You look back behind you to see the voice that is speaking with you. That's when you see the whole book of Revelation, behind you. You've lived it, you know what it is like to lose your first love and have the seat of Satan right in you and have that woman, Jezebel with all her false doctrines, within you. But you come out of that while you are yet in the flesh, but if you don't, you don't. You are right there with everyone else saying nobody can know it all. 

Lev 26:8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. 

These words are spirit. In the days they were written, they meant that five physical Israelites would chase a hundred gentiles. Today, it means that five wise virgins (elect), will put the entire Christian world to flight with all of its false doctrines. Your enemies will fall by the sword of the Word of God. It is not physical any longer; the whole Bible is a parable. 

Isa 30:17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. 

He is chastising Israel in this chapter. These are the foolish virgins. People who first come to Christ are carnal, they are not Christians. They have his name, but they have their own clothes still on, and they are eating their own food. That's what the beginning of a Christian walk is: a carnal Corinthian, a carnal Galatian and a carnal Hebrew. In all three books, you have the parable of The Sower. The different examples of the seed in The Sower are not different people, they are all you, they are all me. When you get to the good ground, don't say that you are still in the stony. If you do, that's where you are.

Mat 25:6-8 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

'We don't know it all. We are not the only ones. There's your empty lamp.' 

2Jo 1:10-11 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 

What did the wise virgins say to the foolish? 'No, go buy from those that sell. You are not mature enough, you don't want to be mature, you think that the milk is just fine.'  

New speaker: In essence, they are telling them they need to repent. 

Mike: Yes, that's what it is. Repent of what though? It is not repent of being heathen. These are virgins, people who have the six doctrines of Hebrews 6. 

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 

That's the way it is. When you live on milk and, you think that milk is sufficient, that everybody who has the milk is just as good as everybody who has the meat …

Heb 5:13-6:2 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age [complete], even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore leaving [going beyond] the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection [completion]; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Those six things are the complete stock and stay, bread and water of every sermon that is preached in orthodox Christianity. If you are not willing to say that those things will turn you into a foolish virgin, will hinder you from going onto completion thinking they are meat, you are partaking of the sins of the world. The truth is actually used by God to deceive because it is true as milk, it is not true as meat.

Verse 14 is actually saying that God's elect are guilty of sin. They have taken of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, when they were told, don't do that. It is that step that brings them on their very first step toward God because God allows that the man has become as one of us to know good and evil. The world doesn't allow that. They allow the lie part of what the adversary said, 'you will not surely die.' (You are an immortal soul.) The adversary always mixes truth with error, and the church always chooses the error and rejects the truth. 

They do have their senses exercised to know good and evil by virtue of being a prodigal, being a lost sheep, being a woman at the well, a woman about to be stoned for adultery. Those are God's elect. There is no encouragement to sin there, because that is what has already been done in God's elect. They have already come to see themselves. Like Christ said to the Pharisees who represent, in every sense, orthodox Christianity, 'I am come that they that are blind might receive sight and that they that see might be made blind.' God is in the process of blinding people. God is in the process of deceiving most people so that many will be called and few will be chosen. It takes great effort to accomplish this, because it is right there in the Bible to be seen and read and, yet, you have to keep it out of their sights, so God speaks in parables. 

What is unseen by many, like the fornicator in Corinth, are in the New Testament. The hidden word of God is in the New Testament. The shadows are just as much in the New Testament as they are in the old. That fornicator in the city of Corinth represents those who have false doctrine and who are proud of their false doctrine and who need to be exposed for who they are and put out of your midst. Not physical fornicators, no; they are easy to detect, they are easy to work with. What's hard to deal with is people who bring in seditious doctrine and divide God's elect and turn them against each other. 

Let's look at one more thing. This is Mark's version of the parable of the sower.

Mar 4:11-13 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

What Christ just said is that, if you can understand this parable, one parable, you will understand them all. Let's go to the parable of the talents. The parable of the talents is going to say the same thing that all of the other parables say, but give you a little bit more about what you need to know.

Mat 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 

'His goods,' that's his Word. God gives us His word; all the churches have the Bible in them. They all have the same Bible. It may be a different translation or version, but they all have the same 66 books. 

Mat 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 

Where did he go? He went into a far country.

Mat 25:16-18 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

What is the earth in scripture? The church. When you take God's word and apply it in the church, you are hiding it, because there is no truth in the churches, none.

Mat 25:19-23 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Now you have two out of three people who have done pretty good so you come to the one who had received one talent and he said:

Mat 25:24-26 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

Did the lord say, 'Hey, wait a minute, I gave you a talent. It was my talent and I gave it to you. What do you mean I did not sow?' He didn't do that. He agreed with the guy's false doctrine. He answered him according to the idols of his heart, he showed himself froward to a froward person. That's what God did there, and that's what he is going to do in the Great White Throne judgment when all of these people coming up with all of these false doctrines are raised. 

Mat 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 

This is not justifying usury anymore than it is justifying eternal torment or reaping where you haven't sown. That's not the point of any parable. The point is that God is going to show himself to those who are froward as a froward God. 

Luk 19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 

God will use our own doctrines and our own wickedness to judge us. The perfect example is Joseph's brothers standing in front of Joseph and telling each other, 'this is all happening to us because of what we did to Joseph.' They knew that Joseph hadn't done anything worthy of stripes. He had dreams, God gave him the dreams, he was faithful to God's word. They hated him because he was faithful to God's word, and that is what will happen to us if we are faithful to God's word. You will be hated and you will be hated by your own brothers, your own family. It is better to be hated by your family than to be unfaithful to God's word.

Mat 25:28-29 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Our whole society says that the rich should help the poor, even the churches go along with that. The Bible, of course, says that the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. The idea of taking a person's hard-earned wages away from him and giving it to a slothful person is nowhere to be found in the Bible. Christ says take from the slothful, and give to the one that does well. 

Those who have God's truth will be given more of God's truth. Those who don't have it are going to lose what little they have. That's the teaching of the Bible, the Word of God. You don't allow them into your [spiritual] house, you recognize a heretic for a heretic, or you are going to lose what you have.

Mat 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 

It is interesting that the word 'darkness' there is the exact same word translated 'miserable' in 1 Corinthians 15:19. 

1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

The Greek word is eleeinois. There is no peace of mind in disobedience to the doctrine of Jesus Christ. God's elect have peace of mind because they know where they stand, and it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of them. They just stand. 

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable [eleeinois], and poor, and blind, and naked: 

You are in darkness, miserable. 

Mat 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

See how darkness goes together with misery. Darkness, of course, is living under the lies of Christendom. Not being willing to say that you know the truth, that's darkness. 

Rev 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 

The last part of the chapter is separating the sheep from the goats. I said earlier, all of these parables are saying the same thing. The man with the one talent is actually the whole of the Christian religion in orthodoxy. The other two are the few chosen. This parable is saying the same thing as the five wise and the five foolish. Now we come to the separating of the sheep from the goats. What's the message? If you understand one parable, you understand them all. The parables are all saying the same thing: many are called, few are chosen. 

Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 

Who is going to be there with him? His holy messengers, those who are faithful to his doctrine and not ashamed of it.

Mat 25:32-37 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand [those who took oil, faithful], but the goats on the left [foolish, slothful]. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father [few chosen], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

What is he saying? Is he talking about going down to the jail and taking food and water to those people? That's not what he is talking about. He is talking about the word of God. If you don't have it, if you are a foolish virgin with no oil, you are not going to be giving any food or water to anybody. Food and water are God's word. When you are giving to people, for free, you are fulfilling this thing right here. These words are spirit and they are talking about spiritual things. 

Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 

Strangers are people who don't know God, naked people are those who don't have righteousness on them. 

Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 

Christ said He came to bring those that are in prison out of prison. The prison of ignorance and darkness and the lack of the light of the Word of God. 

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

1Jo 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment [what we are living in]: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

What was he? He was hated by everybody. They thought he was a know-it-all who thought that he was the Son of God. Are you a son of God? Are you the Son of God? Do you know him, do you know his Word?

Mat 10:40-42 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

He's not talking about cold water. He's talking about the refreshing word of God. He's talking about giving this person the ability to be hated by all men. 

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 

His messengers that say nobody can know all the truth. The thing about the person who does remain faithful to God's word, to these hard to receiving saying of John and Matthew and the entire New Testament, has been humbled by God, but he will always be accused of being otherwise. If you can't say, 'I know', then you don't know. You are witnessing against yourself. 

Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 

This is not a future event that will happen at the end of this age. This is what's going on right now. 

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 

We don't go into the lake of fire, but we do experience a fiery trial. 

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 

The elect experience all these things first. The lake of fire is something you need to avoid, all cost of your pride, all cost of your physical possessions. At all cost avoid this lake of fire and be in that blessed and holy first resurrection. 

Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. 

This sword will be in your mouth as a fire, this people will be as wood, and it will devour them. Fowl, buzzards, eat meat. The flesh of mankind is what these evil spirits – what we are told the fowl are (Matthew 13) – eat. 

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

If you believe in eternal torment, get ready for it. Of course, it won't be forever, but there is some torment to be delivered before the truth is revealed for these people who are so into a God who hates his creation He is willing to torment it for all eternity. 

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 

Death is really destroyed. What is second about the second death is not that you die a second time, this is the second group that is dying, finally, to the flesh. It is the second group, not a second time to die. We are in the first resurrection because we are the first to die, crucified with Christ. 

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 

Back to Matthew 25, Christ is talking to the goats: 

Mat 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 

How could they? They had no oil, they had no water or bread to give.

Mat 25:43-44 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

We've done that all our lives. These churches go to jails, they go to prisons, far countries, and they feed the hungry all the time. They are sowing to the flesh, they don't even know what's being discussed. What is being discussed is fidelity to the word of God, not feeding people sandwiches.

Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

They didn't have the truth of God's Word to give.

Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous [faithful to the doctrine of Jesus Christ] into life eternal.

Joh 17:3-4 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

We need to be able to say these words. If we are God's elect, we can say these words. We can mean these words and they will be part of us. 

Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 

The Bible says that we were called in Christ before the world began. Christ was used to create us before the world was. It was all done and is all done (as far as God is concerned) in advance. Christ called unto him his disciples and out of them he chose twelve. 

Everything that Christ has is from his Father. 

1Jo 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 

That sin is what we read about in Hebrews 5 and 6. If you have the basic doctrines of Christ and you think this is it and that anybody who claims to be a Christian is an elect, that you shouldn't be making judgment on these things, you are right here where this verse is talking about. You are committing a sin unto death. 

1Co 2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

You say that was the Jews in the time of Christ. No, that is Christian leaders today sending other Christians out to fight wars for an earthly kingdom. When you fight for a kingdom of this earth, you are fighting against God and you are killing your brother for whom Christ died. 

Christ talking to the Jews that believe on him: 

Joh 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 

Can you all say that? The church world is from beneath. 'I am not of the world.' 

Joh 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. 

Can you say that? Will you say that? 

Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans [Gentiles] enter ye not: 

Go not in the way of the Gentiles. In other words, don't try to convert the world. 

Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  

This was right after he went into a city of Samaritans and talked to the Jews that were there, spiritual Jews. 

He didn't say go to the 99, he said go to the lost sheep. That's all spiritual. There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents (lost sheep) than over 99 who don't need repentance. 

Five chapters later, he said this to the woman who was asking for the healing of her daughter. This is being said for our benefit. It is another type and shadow. 

Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 

What he is proving here by healing this woman's daughter is that she was one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

1Co 2:9-11 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

This is how you know the spirit of truth and error. If you don't have the spirit of God, this is all going to repulse you and turn you off. It is strong meat.

1Co 2:12-16 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

These things cannot be received by the church. They are too strong of meat. I hope that you can receive it.