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We love God because, "God does not do many things that he can, but he does all things that he will." (George Swinnock).
One of the things He can do is wipe out humanity. He was grieved with us in Genesis before the flood. But He did not erase us from the earth. He CAN do it. He did not. He preserved a remnant, Noah and his family. He always preserved a remnant of His people the Jews.
There was a remnant returning from the Babylonian captivity. A remnant of 7000 was preserved when Elijah killed the false prophets of Baal when he thought he was the only one left.
It is promised, "A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God." (Isaiah 10:21). Paul reiterated that in Romans 9:27, "Isaiah cries concerning Israel, "If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;"
The Jews were set aside for a time so the Lord could build His church out of the Gentiles. He will return to fulfill the promises to the Jews at the culmination of the Tribulation and save the remnant who had been hiding at Petra throughout the remainder of the Tribulation and establish His promised Kingdom for 1000 years. We praise the LORD for His promises to always preserve and protect a Jewish remnant.
But I want to bring another thought to your mind. Christians are a remnant too. We know the multitudes which are His bride will be singing praises to Him after the rapture. We read passages like this "And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Rev 5:13) and think, 'Wow!' Lots of Christians!' But it is not so.
We are a remnant too. Romans 11:5:
The odds are not good for making it in Christianity. We know that the road is narrow and FEW FIND IT. (Mt 7:14). The road to destruction is broad and MANY FOLLOW IT. (Mt 7:13). We know that Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Are you getting the picture? Many/Few. It is a theme. How many righteous did Abraham ask the LORD to find in Sodom? "He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” (Gen 18:32b). But it ended up there were less than ten. So four cities were destroyed that day: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim. And of the four that were found to be righteous, Lot, Mrs Lot, and the two daughters, one of the four was revealed to be a false righteous and was turned into a pillar of salt.
On Judgment Day, books will be opened, and a book will be opened. "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." (Rev 20:12).
The books - plural - is the book of the dead. The book that was opened, singular, is the book of life. Many /Few. All the names of the living will fit into one book.
Christians are a remnant. There seems to be a lot of us but we can't see the wheat from the chaff. The enemy has sown seeds that grew, too. St. Augustine said, "O you Christians, whose lives are good, you sigh and groan as being few among many, few among very many."
My reason for bringing this up is that my heart and life's blood beats in yearning that every person who believes himself to be a Christian examine him or herself to see if you are in the faith!
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Cor 13:5)
Here is an essay that helps you test yourself and see if you bear the distinguishing marks of being a Christian.
"Examine Yourself"
Of those that fail to meet the test, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Mt 13:41-43)
I want to sing with you in heaven, and I do not want to see you thrown into outer darkness, weeping and gnashing your teeth, screaming, LORD, LORD did I not do many mighty works in your name? And He will say to you, I never knew you, depart from me you evildoers!
Are you in the remnant??? Praise Jesus if you are. Let His light of glory shine in you and through you. Let us give it all back to Him in thanks for salvation which He delivers through grace plus nothing. No works of ours, mighty or mild, will earn us heaven. But believe on the Son whom the Father sent, and ye shall be saved.
One of the things He can do is wipe out humanity. He was grieved with us in Genesis before the flood. But He did not erase us from the earth. He CAN do it. He did not. He preserved a remnant, Noah and his family. He always preserved a remnant of His people the Jews.
There was a remnant returning from the Babylonian captivity. A remnant of 7000 was preserved when Elijah killed the false prophets of Baal when he thought he was the only one left.
It is promised, "A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God." (Isaiah 10:21). Paul reiterated that in Romans 9:27, "Isaiah cries concerning Israel, "If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;"
The Jews were set aside for a time so the Lord could build His church out of the Gentiles. He will return to fulfill the promises to the Jews at the culmination of the Tribulation and save the remnant who had been hiding at Petra throughout the remainder of the Tribulation and establish His promised Kingdom for 1000 years. We praise the LORD for His promises to always preserve and protect a Jewish remnant.
But I want to bring another thought to your mind. Christians are a remnant too. We know the multitudes which are His bride will be singing praises to Him after the rapture. We read passages like this "And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Rev 5:13) and think, 'Wow!' Lots of Christians!' But it is not so.
We are a remnant too. Romans 11:5:
"So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace."
The odds are not good for making it in Christianity. We know that the road is narrow and FEW FIND IT. (Mt 7:14). The road to destruction is broad and MANY FOLLOW IT. (Mt 7:13). We know that Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Are you getting the picture? Many/Few. It is a theme. How many righteous did Abraham ask the LORD to find in Sodom? "He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” (Gen 18:32b). But it ended up there were less than ten. So four cities were destroyed that day: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim. And of the four that were found to be righteous, Lot, Mrs Lot, and the two daughters, one of the four was revealed to be a false righteous and was turned into a pillar of salt.
On Judgment Day, books will be opened, and a book will be opened. "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." (Rev 20:12).
The books - plural - is the book of the dead. The book that was opened, singular, is the book of life. Many /Few. All the names of the living will fit into one book.
Christians are a remnant. There seems to be a lot of us but we can't see the wheat from the chaff. The enemy has sown seeds that grew, too. St. Augustine said, "O you Christians, whose lives are good, you sigh and groan as being few among many, few among very many."
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| Félicien Rops, Satan Sowing Seeds, pencil, c. 1872. |
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Cor 13:5)
Here is an essay that helps you test yourself and see if you bear the distinguishing marks of being a Christian.
"Examine Yourself"
Of those that fail to meet the test, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Mt 13:41-43)
I want to sing with you in heaven, and I do not want to see you thrown into outer darkness, weeping and gnashing your teeth, screaming, LORD, LORD did I not do many mighty works in your name? And He will say to you, I never knew you, depart from me you evildoers!
Are you in the remnant??? Praise Jesus if you are. Let His light of glory shine in you and through you. Let us give it all back to Him in thanks for salvation which He delivers through grace plus nothing. No works of ours, mighty or mild, will earn us heaven. But believe on the Son whom the Father sent, and ye shall be saved.
This very subject has been on my mind all week long. When we truly repent and ask Christ to change us. He turns us around and we begin to walk the opposite way. Without us trying, through prayer, behaviors change; interests change; attitudes change. We must pray for the unsaved and the "think-they-are-saved."
ReplyDeleteAmen to what must be done, pray for the unsaved and the "think they are saved". There are so many ways to blend the truth with something else it is endless. The Gospel plus something else will not produce a saving faith.
ReplyDeleteI do not come from a family who follows Christ, a few years ago my mom had given me what was a post card that was from a lady whos name was Blanche Sylvester when I was one and two years old. Blessing me and saying she was praying for me. She, I found out, had made it her vocation to pray as a full time job and her brothers worked. None of them ever married and they all supported the local ministry Greene Baptist Church in Maine. I was so blessed in getting that card and reading it. I don't think my mom ever thought is was much of a big deal but I did.
The prayers of a righteous man (or woman) availeth much.