THE PENALTY OF NEGLECT
‘And while they went … the door was shut.’
The ten virgins represent the professing Church, for the framing of the parable excludes those who are living in total neglect of outward observances.
I. The principle of the parable.
We see in what the wisdom of the wise and in what the folly of the foolish consist. There are in Christian congregations two classes—those with and those without spiritual life. In this we have the distinction between wise and foolish virgins. In the one case the outward profession will not stand the test of the Saviour’s appearing; in the other there are those living in union with Christ.
II. The details of the parable.
‘They slumbered and slept’; people now settle down to routine life when their arrangements are made.
Then the awakening comes. How well ministers know the position of a foolish man who has made no provision against his death!
The foolish virgins were disowned by the bridegroom. How sad for any of us to hear the words, ‘I never knew you.’
The foolish virgins had simply been guilty of neglect; how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?
Prebendary Gordon Calthrop.
Illustration
‘What is meant by “slumbering” is going on in routine. And it may be as well for us to remember, as a corroboration of this view, that in one very true sense, sleep about eternity is as necessary for the mind as natural sleep is to the body. It is possible to be too much occupied, as it is possible to be too little occupied, with the thought of the second advent of Jesus Christ, and of the great realities of the eternal kingdom. This was the case with the Thessalonians. They allowed themselves, at least some of them did, to be so dazzled by gazing on the bright vision of the second coming, that they could not see to take up the daily tasks that lay at their feet on earth, waiting to be done.’