Keep Your Lamps Burning

If you are a Christian (spiritual virgin), you personally know about the intense and subtle spiritual battles involved in the Christian race, including keeping your lamp burning. It can be a hard and lonely road in this sin-filled and truth-rejecting world. Hence, many grow weary and give up sowing to please the Spirit to reap eternal life (Gal. 6:8,9). They, unfortunately, backslide as a dog returns to its vomit (2 Pet. 2:20-22). To get the crown of life in the end and inherit eternal life as an overcomer, you must be different and endure to the end (Mt. 10:22; Rev. 2:10,11). If you don’t endure, all the persecutions and other sufferings you have gone through as a Christian will be in vain! You will still go to hell. There is no once saved always saved! The Lord Jesus told his disciples about their need to be ready for service and keep your lamps burning:

Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning (Luke 12:35)

Especially when compared to the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mt. 25:1-13) it is apparent that final salvation is the issue in that passage and nothing less! Jesus wants us to know the real formula for spiritual success, though it is often rejected, denied and smeared in these end times. It is sad how many people with Bibles just accept what the popular teachers say even though it clearly contradicts what Jesus taught about keeping your own lamp burning.

Keeping Your Lamp Burning Is A Christian Responsibility

As can be shown in dozens of Scriptures, under grace, Christians have free will and human responsibility. It is up to the individual Christian, with the help of God as we seek him, to continue on and live holy. It is NOT God’s responsibility to keep our lamps burning, for if it was then no one would ever have their spiritual lamp go out as happened in 50% of the cases in the Parable of the Ten Virgins! If it was left solely up to God, no Christian would ever get deceived doctrinally, backslide or disobey in any way! Since such is not the case, it should be apparent that there definitely is free will and human responsibility under grace for final salvation, even though fiercely opposed by Calvinists and the once saved always saved proponents in general.

Keep Your Lamps Burning and Have Extra Oil

The reason the five wise virgins were able to keep their lamps burning when the five foolish virgins couldn’t was the extra oil they brought for themselves. They knew it was their own responsibility to bring oil for themselves to keep their lamps burning. They were thinking ahead and prepared for a late coming of Christ. Apparently, the five foolish virgins, without the extra oil, didn’t know that or didn’t think they would ever need it in the future. That was their fatal mistake!

Virgins, Don’t Run Out Of Oil

Another truth connected with Lk. 12:35 is that our oil lamps can be extinguished. It isn’t guaranteed that they will continue to burn and especially that they will burn brighter over time! Our sanctification is NOT guaranteed. Just the opposite can occur. Again, our lamps can run out of oil and stop burning. That’s why Jesus told his own disciples, keep your lamps burning. He wanted them to know his will and the possibility of this danger involved in following him. Hence, be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning is for all Christians.