It is the Difference between ONLY knowing about JESUS in your mind between your ears, acknowledging that the stories about Jesus are true. Which DOES NOT SAVE, because EVEN the DEMONS in the domoniacs at Gadera Believed that Much.
AND really KNOWING JESUS IN YOU HEART, in your BORN AGAIN Human Spirit, as YOUR intimate, LOVING , Personal LORD meaning MASTER, AND sincerely LOVING HIM. That experience is VERY REAL, and ONLY THAT, WILL EQUAL SALVATION.
The ones that NEVER NEW HIM, yet they were totally involved in doing works, thinking that by their works they have earned so-called SALAVATION, have deceived themselves into believing Less than what HE considers KNOWING HIM:
Matthew 7:19-23 (HCSB)
19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but ⌊only⌋ the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’
23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’
NOTICE: every ONE of those considered themselves to be Christians, but they NEVER Knew HIM in their HEARTS, only in their Heads.
It is the difference between the The 5 VIRGINS that were READY and Watching and Waiting for their BRIDEGROOM to Come, with the Holy Spirit in their HEARTS, and the 5 Churchgoers, who Never got ready with Holy Spirit not in their Hearts.
Matthew 25:1-13 (HCSB)
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.
2 Five of them were foolish and five were sensible.
3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take olive oil with them.
4 But the sensible ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps.
5 Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’
7 “Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
8 But the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’
9 “The sensible ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy oil for yourselves.’
10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.
11 “Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you!’
13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.
NOTICE: The 5 Foolish ones DID NOT BOTHER TO GET READY FOR THEIR BRIDEGROOM. The Oil In their Lamps is the HOLY SPIRIT actually IN OUR HEARTS. Yes, all 10 were called Virgins or Churchgoers, BUT only 5 actually had the HOLY SPIRIT filling their Lamps.
John 3:1-7 (HCSB)
1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 “But how can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked Him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again.
NOTICE: That NO ONE gets to go to HEAVEN, without his or her human spirit being BORN AGAIN, into Eternal Life. No matter how many Church Services you attend, and no matter How many times you were Baptized in water. YES, BORN AGAIN, is a VERY REAL EXPERIENCE! You will know when it happens, because something alive will be IN YOU, which is the HOLY SPIRIT, AND YOUR ETERNALLY ALIVE HUMAN SPIRIT.
Did you ever sincerely MOURN and WEEP over your UTTERLY SINFUL LIFESTYLE?
Do you KNOW your Human Spirit is eternally alive in YOU?
Do you Sincerely KNOW JESUS IN YOUR HEART, as Lord meaning MASTER?
Do you LOVE JESUS MORE THAN ANY ONE ELSE on this PLANET?
If you can answer YES, to all four of those Questions, then you are one of the 5 Wise Virgins.
If not, you are still are ONLY a Churchgoer, that is unsaved.
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