Matthew 25:1–13 records the parable of the ten virgins. From this parable, we learn that not everyone who believes they are saved will actually be saved. Nor will just claiming to be a Christian save you.
Our eternal destiny is a very personal and important, awesome and serious subject. It is difficult for you and I to comprehend just how important because we only live a few years in this world. The question we must ask ourselves is, “What must I do in order to have eternal life?”
There is a common belief throughout most Protestant denominations that we will all, ultimately, go to the same place. But the Bible is very clear that this is not true. In fact, there is no other truth so clearly taught in Scripture than this. In the parable of the ten virgins, did they all end up at the same place? They all expected to be at the bridegroom’s wedding, but only the five wise virgins were allowed entry.
So, let’s see what the Bible does say regarding where we will go and how we will get there.
“And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15
There will be people in this world, some living right now, who will be cast into the lake of fire.
“But there shall by no means enter it [heaven] anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27
Only those whose names are written in the book of life will be allowed to enter the holy city.
So we see that the Bible clearly states that there are two completely different places that the people of this world will go, depending on whether or not their names are recorded in the book of life. The tragedy is, in our modern world, that so many who expect to be saved will discover in the end that they are lost.
After studying all the texts in the Gospels that talk about wailing and gnashing of teeth, I found that Jesus wasn’t talking about atheists, infidels, or unbelievers. He was talking about Christians who thought they were going to be saved, but who had come right up to the end, and were not saved.
And so, I want to study with you about our eternal destiny. There are many Bible passages that we could use to introduce this subject, Matthew 25, speaking of the ten virgins, is one. But I want to start with a prophecy that concerns the spiritual condition of God’s people in the last days, just before Jesus comes. A startling prophecy that reveals our condition on the inside.
Zechariah 3 contains a prophecy concerning the spiritual condition of God’s people in the last days, just before Jesus returns. Here we read of those who do not have the wedding garment on and are not ready to be part of the wedding feast.
“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.” Verse 1
The word Satan is one of the very few words in the English language that is a direct transliteration from a Hebrew word meaning the adversary. This name was given to Lucifer after he fell, because he is the adversary of God. He is also the adversary of all who chose to follow God.
“And the Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?’ ” Verse 2
Only God can have an argument with Satan. In fact, the Spirit of Prophecy tells us that Jesus Christ Himself refused to argue with Satan, referring him to His Father.
The brand that is plucked from the fire is you and me and those who, because of their sins, are about to be destroyed, but the Lord says, “No, I will save you.”
So, Joshua has been pulled out of the fire, but notice his condition. “Now Joshua was clothed in filthy garments.” Verse 3
“Joshua the high priest, ‘clothed with filthy garments,’ stand[s] before the Angel of the Lord, entreating the mercy of God in behalf of his people who are in deep affliction. Satan stands at his right hand to resist him. Because Israel had been chosen to preserve the knowledge of God in the earth, they had been … the special objects of Satan’s enmity, and he had determined to cause their destruction. He could do them no harm while they were obedient to God; therefore he had bent all his power and cunning to enticing them into sin. Ensnared by his temptations they had transgressed the law of God and thus separated from the Source of their strength, and had been left to become the prey of their heathen enemies. … Yet they were not forsaken of the Lord. …
“As Joshua humbly pleads for the fulfilment of God’s promises, Satan stands up boldly to resist him. He points to the transgressions of Israel as a reason why that people should not be restored to the favor of God. He claims them as his prey and demands that they be given into his hands to be destroyed.
“The high priest cannot defend himself or his people from Satan’s accusations. He does not claim that Israel are free from fault. In his filthy garments, symbolizing the sins of the people, which he bears as their representative, he stands before the Angel, confessing their guilt, yet pointing to their repentance and humiliation, relying upon the mercy of a sin-pardoning Redeemer and in faith claiming the promises of God.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 468, 469
We know that we cannot be part of the wedding feast if we remain in our filthy garments, but because of our sins, that is our condition. Throughout the Bible, filthy rags represent an imperfect character. We can try to clothe ourselves with any manner of covering, but to no avail as God sees everything in our hearts.
Finding Joshua clothed in filthy garments, the Angel said, “Then He answered and said to those who stood before Him, ‘Take away the filthy garments from him.’ And to him He said, ‘See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.’ And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.” Zechariah 3:4, 5
The removal of the filthy garments represents the taking away of iniquity. The Lord says that it is He who provides the change of clothing, a royal robe, one that can be worn to a royal wedding.
“Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among those who stand here.
“ ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign … .’ ” Verses 6–8, first part
As a young preacher, I assumed that God’s people would know what causes them to be clothed in filthy garments, but I’ve learned lately the necessity of going over the basics so that we will understand exactly what is involved when we talk about a biblical subject. So, this is the question: “What is it that causes God’s people to be clothed in filthy garments?”
A filthy garment is a polluted and defiled garment, and if you find yourself still clothed in them when probation closes, you will be lost.
“He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.” Revelation 22:11, 12
The one who is filthy will remain filthy. But those who are saved will have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:14
Wearing filthy garments represents a sinful character. “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Revelation 19:8. This is one of the clearest verses in all the Bible showing that our garments represent our character.
The Bible tells us of many ways by which our characters can be defiled. Here are just a few:
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The way we eat. Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14
These chapters tell us how to distinguish between clean and unclean foods, and instructs us “to consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Leviticus 11:44
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Lewdness and immodesty. Leviticus 18
This includes pornography, dress, music, what we read, television, movies, videos, the internet, and social media. “Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you.” Verse 24
In particular, the entertainment industry has had a profound effect upon man’s character. In a single movie or television program, you can experience nudity, lewd and coarse language, and the actors are being dishonest simply by virtue of pretending to be someone they are not. The clothing that is worn excites the sexual senses and does not modestly cover the body. The lyrics of the popular music styles today encourage violence, disobedience, immodesty, disrespect, and often, outright blasphemy. These entertainers are put before our children as role models, someone to emulate to prove that they are successful and well-liked.
If we want to have our character perfected, if we want to reflect Christ’s character, then we must remove these influences from our life. It is time to go to the Lord, and with deep contrition of heart, pray, “Lord help me.” This is why historic Adventist preachers spend so much time preaching about how to overcome sin. If these influences remain in our lives, then it would do no good for the Lord to give us new raiment for we would just get it dirty again.
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Sexual immorality/unrestrained passion. Exodus 32
“Your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.” Verse 7
The God-ordained restraint between a man and woman has been broken. There is an intended respect between the genders that should be maintained. In this world, there is a certain familiarity in touching and speaking between men and women that should be preserved only within the bonds of marriage between husband and wife. People today say, “Oh, that’s just the way I am. I don’t mean anything by it.” Or “That’s just the way it is in our culture. We’re friendly people.” But these activities can cause the minds of God’s people to be filled with lust, desire, and envy, resulting in filthy garments.
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Deuteronomy 25 and Leviticus 19
“You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure.” Deuteronomy 25:13–15, first part
The Lord wants us to be strictly honest in all that we do.
“These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord [strife] among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16–19. All these things will make our garments filthy.
Remember, “But there shall by no means enter it [heaven] anything that defiles, or causes an abomination … .” Revelation 21:27, first part
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Evil surmising/stirring up strife/gossip. 1 Timothy 6:3–5
In 1 Timothy, Paul talks about people who engage in evil conjecturing or evil suspicioning. Gossiping and carrying tales, even if they are true, is not an activity that a child of God should be involved in. Reputations are ruined, particularly if the tale isn’t true, souls are scarred and driven from the church—both the subject of the gossip as well as the one carrying the gossip.
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The content of the heart and mind.
There are many scriptures that speak to this form of defilement. What is in our hearts directs our actions.
“ ‘You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.” But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.’ ” Matthew 5:21, 22
God is not suggesting that it is okay for you to be angry at your brother if you have a good reason. Anger begins in the heart and mind of a man. God is telling us that being angry is so bad that it can cause us to desire evil things and make us filthy with sin.
“ ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.’ ” Verses 43, 44
Hatred grows in the heart and mind. When we allow it a place there, it can take control of our lives.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Verses 27, 28
There are people who believe that the consequences of thinking about doing something are not the same as actually doing it. So, if I dream of having relations with someone other than my spouse, but I don’t really do it, then I am not guilty of committing adultery. This is one of the devil’s lies. The truth is, lust is found in the heart and mind, and if we look upon another person with evil desire, then we are guilty of making our garments filthy.
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
Because evil lives in my heart and mind, if I want to wear clean garments, then I must have my heart and mind cleansed and purified; only then can I be delivered from my filthy garments.
Friends, we must now get serious about changing from our filthy garments and putting on Christ’s robe of righteousness. Our very nature requires a complete overhaul. First, we must recognize our true condition. Then, we must go to the Source of all power, the One who is mighty to save.
The Lord says that if we will walk in His ways and keep His commandments, then we will one day govern His house and keep His courts. We will be men and women at whom people will wonder. The unsaved, those without the wedding garment, will see God’s people dressed in the spotless, clean wedding garments, their characters perfected, ready to spend eternity with Jesus.
“To the marriage supper of the Lamb will come many who have not on the wedding garment—the robe [Christ] purchased for them with His lifeblood. From lips that never make a mistake come the words, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’ (Matthew 22:12). Those [thus] addressed are speechless. They know that words would be useless. The truth, with its sanctifying power, has not been brought into the soul, and the tongue that once spoke so readily of the truth is now silent. The words are then spoken, ‘Take them out of My presence. They are not worthy to taste of My supper’ (cf. Luke 14:24).” The Upward Look, 301
As the sinner is separated from God’s loyal children, Christ looks upon them with deep sorrow. From His quivering lips come the mournful words of regret, “I loved them. I gave My life for them. But they persisted in rejecting My pleadings, and continued in sin.”
Do you want your filthy garments to be removed?
Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.