No oil by Horatius Bonner The
five who were foolish took no oil for their lamps. Matthew
25 verse 3 This parable has many sides and
aspects. It is prophetical. It is also
practical. It suits all ages, but especially
the last days. It suits the world, but especially
the Church of God. It is searching and sifting.
It is also quickening and comforting. It suits us well in these days
of profession, fashionable religion, and religiousness. It is a parable
for the church. It comes into the inner circle
of Christian profession and sifts it, divides it. There are points
of likeness between the two classes. They get the same name, virgins. They wear the same dress. They
are on the same errand. They both have lamps. They both
slumber and sleep. They have thus many features
in common. The peril of mere externalism
is that which our Lord points out here. This externalism may
not always be hypocrisy, but it is imitation. It is not the
flower in its natural color and growth, but painted, artificial. Let us watch against an artificial
life and an artificial religion. What does it profit now? What
will it profit in the day of wrath? The name, the dress, the
lamp, the outward show, will all go for nothing in that day
of universal discovery and detection. Though in most respects they
were all alike, yet there was a difference. It was within. It was imperceptible from without. It could only be discovered when
the bridegroom came. Up until then, all were completely
similar. Only then the deficiency came
out in the foolish. Then was it seen who were wise
and who were foolish. That day is the day of certain
and unerring detection. It is the day of weighing in
the balances. It is the separation of the false
from the true. The difference was confined to
a single point, the lack of oil. The oil is the Holy Spirit. Thus a man may be very like a
Christian and yet not be one. He may come very near the kingdom
and yet not enter in. He may have all the outward features
of a Christian, and yet be lacking in the main one. He may have
the complete dress of the saint, and yet not be one. He may have
a good life, a sound creed, a strict profession. He may be one who
says and does many excellent things. He may be a subscriber
to all the religious societies in the land, a member of all
their committees, or a speaker at all their meetings, and supporter
of all their plans. He may profess to be looking
for Christ's coming, and going forth to meet the bridegroom,
yet he is not necessarily a Christian. He may lack the oil, the Holy
Spirit, A religion without the Holy Spirit profits nothing. There is the religion of the
intellect, of the imagination, of the flesh, of the creed, of
the liturgy, of the catechism, of nature, of poetry, of sentiment,
of mysticism, of humanity. But what are these without the
Spirit? Christianity without Christ,
what would that be? Worship without God, what would
that be? Sow religion without the Holy
Spirit, what would that be? The five who were foolish took
no oil for their lamps. Sir, sir, they said, open the
door for us. But he replied, I tell you the
truth, I don't know you. This Puritan devotional has been
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