Warnings: be ready. Be prepared.
​“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
– Matthew 25:1–2

Jesus often spoke about readiness – not as a way to provoke fear, but as an invitation to faithful living. One of His most searching teachings is the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25.

In the parable, all ten were waiting for the bridegroom. All expected his arrival. Yet only five were prepared to endure the delay. When the bridegroom finally came, the prepared entered the wedding feast, while the others found themselves outside. The closing words are sobering:
But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ — Matthew 25:12

This parable is not given to stir panic. It is given to form discernment.

The Quiet Risk of Unreadiness

It is possible to expect Christ’s return while still living unprepared for Him.

Jesus’ warning is not aimed at outsiders, but at those who profess faith. All ten virgins carried lamps. All anticipated the bridegroom. The difference was not awareness – but endurance.

The foolish virgins were not hostile or openly rebellious. They simply failed to remain ready. Their lamps burned for a while, but they were not prepared for a longer wait.

Elsewhere, Jesus makes the same point plainly:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” — Matthew 7:21

Faith is more than recognition. It is lived allegiance.

What the Oil Represents

The parable draws attention to the oil – not as a symbol of perfection, but of genuine, sustained relationship.

Oil points to a life shaped by communion with Christ, empowered by His Spirit, and marked by ongoing faithfulness. It cannot be borrowed at the last moment, because relationship cannot be transferred.

To be “ready” is not to live anxiously, but to live rooted.

Having oil reflects:

• Belonging to Christ and recognizing His voice (John 10:27)
• Walking daily in the Spirit’s leading (Galatians 5:16)
• Living with hopeful expectation, not distraction (Titus 2:13)
• Remaining faithful even when waiting feels long (Matthew 24:13)

The foolish virgins were not exposed by hardship, but by delay.

The Closed Door and the Weight of Choice

The parable ends with a closed door – not to threaten, but to clarify that choices formed over time matter.

Scripture consistently presents judgment not as impulsive rejection, but as the confirmation of a settled posture. God invites, pursues, and waits. Yet there comes a point when what has been chosen is acknowledged as final.

This teaching is not meant to provoke speculation about timelines or events. It is meant to ask a simpler question:

Are we living today in a way that reflects true belonging to Christ?

A Call to Watchful Faithfulness

Jesus concludes the parable with a call to watchfulness:
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. — Matthew 25:13

Watching, in Scripture, is not frantic alertness. It is steady attentiveness. It is living each day anchored in Christ’s reign, shaped by obedience, and oriented toward hope.

Readiness is not about fear of being left behind.
It is about joyfully belonging to the Bridegroom now.

A Gentle Invitation

This parable invites honest reflection – not comparison.

Are we cultivating a living relationship with Christ, or merely carrying the appearance of faith? Are we enduring patiently, or assuming readiness will take care of itself later?

The call is not to panic, but to return to fellowship. To seek Christ, walk with Him, and live faithfully as citizens of His Kingdom – today.

A Final Word

The purpose of Jesus’ warning is not to terrify His people, but to steady them. He reigns now. He sustains His own. And He will complete what He has begun.

Faithful living is not driven by fear of the door closing – but by love for the One who opens it.

Christ reigns.
Christ restores.
Christ will return.

— Duane

Other articles to consider:
Is Heaven your Treasure?
The days of Noah and the signs of our times