We Must Have Oil

Jesus taught much about the time right before He would return to planet earth to establish His coming Kingdom. One of the clearest marks of His teachings (and of the writings of the Apostles) reveals the emphasis that vast amounts of people will not be prepared when He returns. Sadly, there will be no second chances for these people. Even more sadly, many of these people will be close to the Kingdom…but not actually in the Kingdom. In the parable of the lanterns and the oil - also known as the parable of the Foolish Virgins - Jesus speaks with urgency about not putting off becoming prepared for His return. The lack of oil in the lamps provides a symbolic picture of one aspect that is of particular importance for us as we approach the return of Christ. What might be represented by a lantern with no oil?