Matthew 25:10 But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us! 12 But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you]. 13 Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come. AMPC
Jesus taught us that there was more to being right with Him then one just saying, I believe. But that being ready is actually preparing for His return, and that action of preparing is what makes us right with Him. Many who call themselves Christians are taking it easy relaxing, when they should be preparing for their tomorrow before it is too late. Many are so sure they are right with God, that God can’t get through to them— to warn them rather, that they’re complacent and disobedient. He is calling out to us (in warning) to watch for Him, in fact give strict attention to being prepared for His return so that we are not rejected.
Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? 23 And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. AMPC
We may think we know Him, but if we disregard His commands, He will say to us that He never knew us. Jesus isn’t talking to unbelievers here, He is talking to those who think they are right with Him. Those who think they have a peace with Jesus, and they are going to heaven — are the very ones that are being turned away from Jesus in this teaching.
Jesus’ remarks in these two parables should raise a few questions in our minds. Like, how do we prepare to be ready? Jesus said in both parables He didn’t know those who weren’t prepared, so then who were they serving if it wasn’t Jesus? If Jesus didn’t know them, they who were they relating to, who was their god?
Here Jesus makes clear the answers to His teaching—
Matthew 7:24 So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. 25 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. AMPC
This explicit parable shows us there are going to be storms that come into our lives and when those storms come:
—IF we took heed to His Words then as hard as those storms hit we won’t fall because we founded our lives on Him the Rock! We will call out to Him and because we heed His Word He will be our Fortress —our God in whom we can trust (Psalm 91).
But on the other hand if we don’t take heed to His Words:
—If we reject Him by disregarding His Words then we will fall.
Matthew 7:26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand. 27 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great and complete was the fall of it. AMPC
If one will not pay attention to Him, if anyone doesn’t build their life on the Rock, His Word, Him as their foundation, if anyone won’t follow after His commands, when those storms come they will be doomed. When cancer comes, when depression comes, when death comes, who they serve will over take! Great and complete will be the fall of those who would NOT build their lives on the Word of God.
A house built on temporary ground (sand) with no foundation of solid rock will fall, and so will the lives of those who would not heed to His Word. His Word being a life of solid surety, not a life lived by chance.
Not preparing (not building our house by obeying His commands) as one lives here on the earth will result in being overcome. By not overcoming the storms with the direction of the Word of God, being the over comer we’re called to be, the result will be being washed away in the storm. Being not on the side of the Over Comer (Jesus), but on the side of the succumbed.
Then on the day when we stand before Jesus, He will declare He didn’t know that one who was overcome by the storms of life, for He was not with them.
Jesus is the Over-comer, He overcame and in His Name, in His power we are called to overcome! If we don’t He will say He didn’t know us. He was acquainted with the one who was overcome. He knew the one who— was an over-comer. He was there with that one to empower that one to overcome (Revelation 12:11)!
Revelation 3:5 Thus shall he who conquers (is victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out his name from the Book of Life; I will acknowledge him [as Mine] and I will confess his name openly before My Father and before His angels. AMPC
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith. AMPC
All that overcoming is— faith. Believing in Him, believing the Word, relying on It, who is Him —by acting on it.
But what about John 3:16?
John 3:16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. AMPC
Believing is more than lip service—it is action. If you love Him, if you believe in Him —you will cling to Him, rely on Him, and obey Him.
John 14:15 If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands! AMPC
If your faith is true, if you really believe in Him, you will obey Him and then you will in fact tell the storms what to do, as doing His Word. As you take heed every command you will be well prepared for His return, and hear Him say, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant!”