The Test of Waiting in Belief
The Test of Waiting in Belief
Matthew 25:4“but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5“But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7“Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8“And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
There is in the Gospel and Epistles a promised delay in the return of Jesus. He is scheduled to return and it gets delayed.
This delay is intentional. It is a test. This long-suffering is called "salvation" by Peter. This patient delay is also the source of scoffing. And scoffing, according to the Bible, will lead many astray. It is called the "error of the wicked.". The delay is used by scoffers to lead otherwise sincere believers into doubt and then falling away...even though the return of Jesus is unfolding all around them. They are being tested.
The meat of the Bible, taught by Paul and the other writers of the New Testament, but specifically attributed to Paul, is offensive, and untaught and unstable people twist it in order to scoff the message it upholds: Jesus' coming is a test of those who claim to be believers. The end times are primarily sifting a Bride out of the church.
The Bridegroom IS delayed....and His coming g will test those who claim to love Him. You pass the test by growing in the delay by looking through it and growing in righteousness.
2 Peter 3:1Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),
2that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,
3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
5For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
6by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
7But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
15and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Matthew 25:4“but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5“But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7“Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8“And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
There is in the Gospel and Epistles a promised delay in the return of Jesus. He is scheduled to return and it gets delayed.
This delay is intentional. It is a test. This long-suffering is called "salvation" by Peter. This patient delay is also the source of scoffing. And scoffing, according to the Bible, will lead many astray. It is called the "error of the wicked.". The delay is used by scoffers to lead otherwise sincere believers into doubt and then falling away...even though the return of Jesus is unfolding all around them. They are being tested.
The meat of the Bible, taught by Paul and the other writers of the New Testament, but specifically attributed to Paul, is offensive, and untaught and unstable people twist it in order to scoff the message it upholds: Jesus' coming is a test of those who claim to be believers. The end times are primarily sifting a Bride out of the church.
The Bridegroom IS delayed....and His coming g will test those who claim to love Him. You pass the test by growing in the delay by looking through it and growing in righteousness.
2 Peter 3:1Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),
2that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,
3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
5For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
6by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
7But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
15and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
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