Hi olasupo jacobs,
I glad you have joined the forum
I did find where Ray addressed this particular parable.
http://bible-truths.com/rapture.htm -------------------
Does Paul indeed tell us that if we drowse at Christ’s coming it "is no factor," while Matthew tells us that those who drowse with be "locked out of the kingdom"?
When Paul says in I Thes. 5:10,
"... whether we may be watching or drowsing, we should be living at the same time together with Him"
He is not speaking of literally watching or literally taking a spiritual nap as the expositor words it, but rather if we are "living or reposing [sleeping]." The Scriptures speak of death as "sleep" dozens of times.
Paul is merely mirroring the words of his Lord. The woman in Matt. 9:18 had died (ver. 18) yet Jesus said she was "drowsing" (ver. 24). Paul said:
"We are not of the night nor of the darkness. Consequently, then, we may NOT be drowsing ... for those who are drowsing are drowsing at NIGHT ..." (I Thes. 5:6-7).
Those who do drowse, Paul says drowse at night. Since we are not of the night or darkness, we should not drowse. Those who are not watchful concerning the things of the Lord are like drunks who drink and sleep off their drunkenness at night. That’s the spiritual application. However, even though we do not follow after those who get drunk and drowse in the night, many of us will "drowse" in the earth (be dead) when our Lord comes, but not to worry--whether we are alive and being about our Lord’s business, or reposing (drowsing/sleeping) in our graves, we will still be together with Him when He comes.
"Watching or drowsing" is in answer to those either "living or reposing [sleeping, dead]" in chapter 4 verse 15. Either way, whether alive or dead, they will be snatched away to meet the Lord. To try and use these clear verses to prove that Israel must spiritually stay awake or they will be locked out of the Kingdom of God, but with us it is perfectly okay to be spiritually asleep and still be in God’s kingdom is totally out of context.
Besides, Paul just stated in Chapter 5, verse 6, that,
"Consequently, then WE MAY NOT BE DROWSING, even as the rest, but we may BE WATCHING and be sober."
Again in Acts 20:31, Paul admonishes his disciples to "watch." In I Cor. 16:13, Paul commands "Watch"! Colossians 4:2, "In prayer be persevering, watching ..."
Now were does it say those in Matt. 25 "locked out of the kingdom and prevented from entering in" are locked out as the result of their "drowsing"? Our Lord said no such thing. Let’s read this parable together:
"Then likened shall be the kingdom of the heavens to ten virgins, who, getting their torches, came out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were stupid and five prudent. For the stupid getting their torches got no oil with them, yet the prudent got oil in the crocks with their torches. Now, at the delaying of the bridegroom, THEY ALL NOD AND DROWSED. Now in the middle of the night a clamor occurs: ‘Lo! The bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then roused were ALL those virgins, and they adorn their torches. Now the stupid said to the prudent, ‘Give us of your oil, for our torches are going out. Yet the prudent answered, saying, ‘No, lest at some time there should not be sufficient for us and you. Go rather to those who are selling and buy for yourselves. Now, at their coming away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who are ready entered with him into the wedding festivities, and the door is locked. Now subsequently the rest of the virgins also coming, saying ‘Lord! Lord! Open to us!’ Yet he, answering, said, "verily, I am saying to you, I am not acquainted with you!"
Say, did you notice that: "they ALL nod and drowsed"?
This parable has nothing to do with literal "virgins, oil, or torches." Nonetheless, the point is that "all of the virgins drowsed," but contrary to our expositor’s argument, NONE of them were locked out of the wedding festivities because of drowsing. The five that were locked out, were locked out because they were "STUPID" and didn’t buy any oil!
Christ does, however, admonish to "Watch ..." (Ver. 13). But we have already seen the proof right in this Scripture, that not watching, but "drowsing," is not grounds, in and by itself, for our Lord to lock someone out of the kingdom, even if they are Jewish saints! The five prudent virgins did drowse, but were not locked out.
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mercy, peace and love
Kat