Manslick Road church of Christ

“And the Door Was Shut”

These somber words occur near the conclusion of Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins. Five who were ready when the bridegroom came got to go into the wedding feast. When they did, the door was shut (Mt. 25:10 ). Meanwhile, five others were scurrying to make last-minute preparations. They finally arrived, but it was to a closed door. It was too late.

Jesus is the bridegroom. One day He is coming for His bride, the church (2 Cor. 11:2 ). “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven . . . and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Th. 4:17-18 ). That process will take place “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:52 ). There will be no time to get ready then.

Men have devised various second chance theories, by which people who are not ready when Jesus comes will be given another opportunity. But the Bible says, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10 ). It will be all over then. The door will be shut. That is why Peter went on to say, “Since all these things are to be this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” (vs. 11). That is why Jesus concluded the parable by saying, “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour” (Mt. 25:13 ).

The door may shut even earlier than that. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” At that judgment each one will “be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10 ). There are no more “deeds in the body” after death: no hearing the gospel, no believing it, no repenting, no confessing one’s faith, no being baptized into Christ for forgiveness of sins. No, it is too late for all that once you die. For you, the door is then shut.

The door may shut even earlier than that, at least in practicality. Hebrews 3:12 warns us against the hardening effect of sin. 1 Timothy 4:2 speaks of those whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron. It is possible to become so engrossed in sin that one loses his desire to get out of it. Friend, when you silence your con-science, when you resist all efforts to turn you from sin, you are slowly but surely shutting the door to your salvation.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus spoke of hearts so hardened that the devil takes away God’s word as easily as birds feeding on seed atop a road (Lk. 8:11-12 ). Do not resist the truth. Do not close your heart to it. If you decline the invitation now, you may lose all interest for the future. And the door will be shut.