Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
ABinF, I didn't ignore any of your verses. The context of the word "sleep" gives us the meaning whether sleep is sleep, or sleep is death. It is you who ignored what I wrote.
2. It's a parable. Sometimes the Lord provided explanation of parables, as with the parable of the "tares," and sometimes He did not. Either way, a parable requires interpretation, or else it is not a parable.
Yes, the exhortation is to "watch," but many do not. The Lord here provides some description of future events to provide us with further incentive.
3. The Bible is filled with exhortations to "buy oil" in this life, while using other words, though the Laodicians were admonished to "buy salve to anoint." Why don't you explain to me what happens to all God's children who are foolish, who do not watch, who do not grow, who are not faithful, etc.?
The bible is a book for today, the age of faith. It is not a handbook for life after death, and life after the judgment seat of Christ. When that happens, apparently instructions will be given as to how to "buy oil."
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Well, I can see you're holding onto what you see and that's fine. Again, I am satisfied with Lord's interpretation, with His explaining of the parable. Beyond that is open, too open, to conjecture and leads to things like claiming we'll be able to buy oil after we die. You're comfortable with that. I'm not so comfortable with it. You would think such a big thing like a second chance AFTER DEATH (!) would at least be elaborated on a touch by Paul, Peter, James...someone...
As far as telling you what happens to the unfaithful, you know very well I can't tell you exactly, definitively what will happen to them just as you can't tell me how we'll buy oil AFTER we've died. As YOU said, "The bible is a book for today, the age of faith. It is not a handbook for life after death, and life after the judgment seat of Christ. " And if this is the case (I pretty much agree with you) then why not focus on this life? Why not see an application in THIS life and not after we've died? Why look beyond this life?
The context is right there. It's everything. The disciples want to know when. That's it. And Jesus tells them simply to watch. To be ready. To wait because it will come when they don't expect it, but if they are watching they'll be ready.
Again, I can't tell you exactly, definitively, conclusively what will happen to those who are unfaithful, but it won't be good. Perhaps they'll be shown to have never really believed. Enduring to the end will show what was genuine and what was not.