SIMPLE-MINDED?
Matthew 25:1-13
Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened to ten virgins, who took their
lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five
were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them. But
the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom
tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made,
Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose
and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your
oil, for our lamps have gone out. But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there
be not enough for us and you. But rather go to those who sell, and buy for
yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. And they who were
ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. Afterwards the
other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and
said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. Therefore watch, for you do not
know either the day or the hour in which the Son of Man comes.
Mark 8:34-38 And calling near the crowd with His
disciples, He [Jesus] said to them, Whoever will come after Me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever will save his life
shall lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, he
shall save it. For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world
and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Therefore
whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words in this adulterous and sinful
generation, the Son of Man shall also be ashamed of him when He comes in the
glory of His Father with the holy angels.
Thru the years,
by surge and creep, the cultural tide has turned against and eroded Christian
America. Tragically, as the tide goes out, more are agreeably riding it so as
not to be seen as going against the contemporary flow.
Often, by
non-family, Christians are thought to be simple minded with their simple
answers from the Bible. Just speaking of the book as God’s Word can bring an
unguarded knowing smile. (2Tim.3:16-17) Avow that you nor anyone else can be
good enough to gain heaven and see “Oh really?” in eyes. Declare there is but
one way to heaven and see “You think!?” in countenance. (Surveys show about 70%
of professing USA Christians believe that Jesus is not the only way to heaven,
meaning that to them He is a liar. Jn.14:6)
Pseudo believers,
unconverted Peter-like poorly grounded insecure claimants often just clam up in
the face of argument and ridicule. (Lk.22:31-34; Mt.26:69-75)
Not wanting to be
thought dim-witted, too many evangelicals draw back from candid expression of
love of The Word Living and written. (Jn.1:1) A matter of shameful behavior
with dire consequence; hindering the Holy Spirit’s work of maturation within us
(1Thes.5:16-21); resulting in our claimed Lord ashamed of us before His Father
(Lk.9:23-26). And then in the end, when opportunity for God’s redemption is no
more, who will be found as simpleton?
EBB4
PS. To read of how contradictory and confused American
Christians are, go to Barna surveys
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