For a long time I have been seeing that, once again, God has a remnant in the world; those who are dressed for our Lord's wedding feast (Matthew 22:2-14). Others are not "clothed with Christ" (Galatians 3:27), nor with "the righteousness of Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:30), so will not be welcome. This thought has been troubling me; aren’t we the victors? Didn’t Jesus "appear to do away with the works of the evil one" (1 John 3:8)?
It is good to remember who Jesus is, and who we are in Him.
A happy testimony. Yesterday, when I sat down for my quiet time with Jesus, "Psalm 64" came clearly to my mind, I turned there in my Bible, immediately Jesus’ peace filled me: "Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of evildoers" (v2). "Thank you, Lord", I prayed, "even in these troubled times, with your very presence, you shield me from all that is not of you" (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Again and again God reminds us that we will have trouble in this life (John 16:33) and that trouble is everywhere since the Fall (Job 5:7). Even the heroes of our faith knew trouble (David: Psalm 31:2; Paul: 1 Corinthians 4:11-13). We also read that our Father is ever our "rock" (Psalm 18:2), and Jesus never leaves us alone (Matthew 28:20).
There is a song "O happy day .." where we remember our amazement and joy when we knew that Jesus had taken away our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 1 Peter 3:18) and we were free (Galatians 5:1). Thank you, Jesus, for coming after us and drawing us to yourself. Perhaps this tension is where the expression “already and not yet” comes from. Jesus has finished His work (John 3:16), but it is not yet fully realised for all humanity.
When I was young, the Western Democracies, (and some other countries too), were more than nominally Christian nations. Their laws reflected God's laws, particularly those seen in the Ten Commandments of God (Exodus 20:1-17) and in Jesus' teaching about the sanctity of human lives, the equality of all human beings and about truth and righteousness. Vast numbers of our populations called themselves Christian, went to church, knew and accepted the Holy Bible as being God's account of Himself, the Universe, and of Jesus, his Son and Saviour of the world. Children were dedicated to God according to the practice of their style or denomination of Christianity. Also, people wanted this same God of all Creation to oversea the care of their eternal spirit when they died; they expected a Christian burial.
I grew up in New Zealand where all this was true. From my mother I received the certain knowledge that "God is", and that the God Who is there is the God of the Bible, and not any of the Hindu, or Islamic, or Freemasonry, or Buddhist gods; today this list would include the gods of humanism too.
egalitarian: adjective - affirming, promoting, or characterized by belief in equal political, economic, social, and civil rights for all people.
The Christian countries grew, over centuries, to become egalitarian, welcoming education, medical care, welfare (for those who cannot manage by them self), a strong work ethic, civil rights, property rights and the rule of law. Mostly they were safe places to live. All this brought prosperity which grew steadily and which, along with humanitarian aid (which is also based on Christian principles), now spreads all around the world. The global decrease in devastating infectious diseases and poverty is good, it benefits everybody.
At Bible College, while studying for my finals exam for "Christian History 1", I was delighted to see that in all the thousands of years since God formed Israel as His own people (Genesis 12), and then Jesus formed His church (Acts 2), there has always been a witness to our God in the world. Always. Mostly this has been in many places.
The world's view of history would have us believe that the church was, and is, widely corrupted, and was almost wiped out from time to time. But when we look at Christian life in any country, there have always been fires of belief, faith, devotion and service, as foretold by John Baptist: "John answered them all, 'I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire'" (Luke 3:16).
When we look to our Christian resources, we see that there are Christians everywhere. They may seem to be fewer than, say, football fans, but we tend to gather indoors privately while they gather in public with broadcast media celebrating their numbers. The truth is that, right now in Australia, on any weekend, there are more churchgoers attending their "little flocks" than all the fans of all the football codes. Besides, there are so many Christian ministries which are helping others, yet not beating their own drum. Good news, not for Christians only, for the whole world.
Still, we often feel small, I see that this is mostly because untrue and ungodly ideas are being presented to us as necessary parts of our society and our lives, and this is having devastating effects on our cultures.
As a counterpoint and encouragement: I believe is that it is the quality of our Christian-ness that is most important, for out of that will flow our willingness and ability to disciple others, and our willingness and ability to attract others to "the Way", as has been seen from the first days of Jesus' church until now, (Acts 2:42-47).
(Hebrews 12:1-2a) "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith".
Jesus wants us to run "the race" with a ready heart (2 Corinthians 8:12), unto the obedience to our Jesus' will for us (Ephesians 2:10).
Qualities Of A Remnant
Would it be fair to say that a remnant is a recognisable part of something bigger which used to be? When the different parts for a shirt are cut from a piece of cloth, a remnant will remain. The fabric of the remnant will be the same as the shirt in its fibres, texture, colour and pattern; it is what is left. So we may ask: what are we to be a "part" of?
Perhaps the most famous Bible "remnant" account is when the prophet Elijah feels that God has deserted all of humanity except for himself; he felt so unsafe he was hiding in a cave. Elijah cried out to God who replied, (I imagine in a relaxed voice, full of assurance), "Elijah, I have 7000 others who have not bowed their knee to Baal". To God this was all that needed to be said. Baal was a widely followed god of that time; to be so attached to the world and having the world's god influencing your life was enough that our God would not count you as one of His own, you would not be in His remnant.
Our Bible tells us that Satan is "the prince of this world" (John 16:11) and "the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 2:2) and will remain so until Jesus returns after our Father has put "everything under [Jesus’] feet" (Matthew 22:44).
Satan and his many demons are spiritual, and we are reminded: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings" (1 Peter 5:8-9). This will require that every aspect of who we are is sharp and part of our response.
Two millennia after Jesus ascended to Heaven, the "god of this world" is still active (2 Corinthians 4:4). When we look at the world we see changes towards what Baal, Ishtar/Ashtoreth and Molech demanded millennia ago (Jonathan Cahn, 2022). In recent decades, magnificent statues of bulls have been erected on Wall Street, New York, and in the Capitol Building, the seat of the United States Congress, in Washington, DC. The bull, (like the "golden calf" in Moses' time?) is the graven image for Baal, Molech has a calf's head. Are these statues tributes to those ancient gods?
Our Obedience
If Jesus wanted me, or you, to radically increase the size and influence of His church, He would clearly command us and equip us for that great task. But, for me at least, He has given me other things to do, and these take all my energy. Is this true for you too? Sure, there is the "great commission" (Matthew 28:19); this is for all of us, and we will find that we are given opportunities.
The Bible is clear that we are to seek God’s will for us, each one, uniquely. Jesus is always in the will of Father God, He tells us: "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). Big church, "remnant", "little flock", this is Jesus' business, just as it is our Father's business to manage the end times, the "last days" (2 Timothy 3:1).
Our Influence
Christians have always had influence. Some times and in some places this influence has been a dominant cultural feature. Now, in the Western Democracies, not so much. Indeed, many in positions of power seem to shape their policies and decisions contrary to Christian principles, more in the ways of the followers of the ancient gods.
People today may say that they are not "religious", meaning that they are not "people of faith". But everyone has a worldview, it is inside of us and represents everything we "know to be true", everything we have learned from the "big stories" of our childhood and from our lifetime of learning and experiences. Our worldview affects our understanding of everything we see or hear, and from it we develop our own "faith", our faith in what we believe to be true.
My worldview tells me that the spiritual world is real, that "God is
spirit " (John 4:24), and from His Spirit He spoke and
created the universe, our planet Earth, time, life and us people (Genesis 1,2). Our
Jesus continues to sustain everything, day by day (Colossians 1:17). "Everything" has a spiritual root and a
spiritual connection.
Jesus is truth (John 1:14;
14:6) and through Him, from His Father and by Holy Spirit we can know truth. God is
our "plumb-line" (Amos
7:7-8, Ezekiel 7:2-9). Jesus often spoke about people having eyes but not
seeing, and ears but not hearing (Acts 28:27). He wants our worldview to be
shaped by knowing Him and His "Way"
(John 14:6; Acts 24:14), rather than by the world and the "spirit of the air" (Ephesians 2:2); that is, all the
gods who are "trending" in the "popular" culture of our
time. Today these gods may not be called by their names, but their influence can be felt and recognised.
Christians everywhere are beginning to see this; even those who in years past would remain quiet are speaking out, perhaps not knowing the whole story, but knowing in their spirit that the ungodly are doing bad things and endangering our children and our society.
Happily, in Jesus, there is always hope (1 Peter 1:3). A month or two ago, (I can not name names here), a Christian man whom I know well was given time to speak to two Cabinet Ministers on the eve of the voting on some new and culturally destructive legislation. The government has a clear majority in our Parliament, but praise Jesus, the legislation was dropped. We will never know what happened in the party room, but there was a sudden change of heart. Jesus spoke through my friend, His influence remains in His people, however few we may seem, He is active in the world.
The Christians whose lives and prayers caused the collapse of the ancient Roman Empire had this same kind of influence, as was also seen during WWII among those who helped build determination and effective strategies to end that war against tyranny. We saw the same Christian heart and authority among those who prayed for the fall of the Berlin Wall last century, soon followed by the end of the separation of East and West Germany and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. History shows that miracles were involved at key moments in all these events.
More Good News: There was a public Bible reading marathon in our State Capital this month. This is in a city where Christmas nativity scenes may no longer be displayed in shopping centres. The readings started at Wesley Church in Perth's centre and ended on the steps of the State Parliament. Every verse was quickly "volunteered" for, and the readings went ahead. Jesus’ "little flock" is not so little.
Every "big" church event is like this; we find our self amongst thousands of people we do not know, committed Christians who live and worship elsewhere in our city. Perhaps if we lived 2000 years ago in Ephesus or Colossae, we may have known most, or even all the Christians there, or at least be aware of all the different fellowships and the houses where they would meet; but today that is just not possible; our populations are too large and spread out, and our "modern" device-rich and activity-filled lives too complicated.
We may feel small, like Elijah. Let us rejoice in our smallness. When we are small we can get to know the people around us, so will be more able to "one another" one another as the Bible commends and Jesus commands (Note 1). Let us continue to pray, prayer works; every prayer rises to heaven and is placed in one of the bowls of incense before the throne of God (Revelation 5:8). Let us continue to listen for God's "still, small voice" (1 Kings 19:12), and be available (Isaiah 6:8) to Him and to obey Him (1 John 5:2).
God knows we are here, we are "chosen by grace": (Romans 11:5) "So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace". Always was. Always is. Praise Jesus.
Thank you Jesus for your constancy, you never change. Amen.
Note 1: "one another" Bible verses: I have counted sixty "one another" and "each other" verses in the New Testament, to me it is a major theme of God’s Word to us. I am shy and find it very hard to make new friends, or even acquaintances. But I do try. Having Trish as my wife helps; she has a gift for mixing with people and "networking". This week I am down South, staying at a Christian campsite by the sea and writing for PsalmsOfJohn; Trish took a meal to church friends whose daughter recently passed away. So kind, such a sweet heart. Thank you Jesus.
Favourite Bible Verses
"Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses] " (Hebrews 11:1 Amplified).
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6 note the present tense continuous).
"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:4-5).
"Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out" (John 12:31).
Praise Jesus. Amen.
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