That Remnant



Paul, in the book of Romans, reminds us that “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:1-6). A “remnant” is a part of a greater piece or body. It may be a small piece but it is still a part of the whole. Paul makes reference to Elijah who sat down under a juniper tree in despair and discouragement and begged God to die, thinking that he alone was left who truly believed and served the living God. God’s words to Elijah revealed just the opposite. “Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). Not everyone had bowed to the idolatry of the day, not everyone had been deceived by the false prophets of the age and not everyone had gone in the cowardly way of unbelief. There was still a “remnant.”


And so it is in this hour, “there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” God in His sovereign grace has seen to it. There is a remnant of men and women who have been brought to hear the gospel of the grace of God. Over every obstacle they have been brought, through every Satan-set barrier God has brought them. They have forsaken their own righteousness, their old experiences, their past traditions and have come by God’s sovereign power to trust Christ alone. They did not do it on their own, they were effectually called out of this fallen race and out of the darkness of religious error. They are not many when compared to those who remain in darkness but they belong to the Son of God, love Him, hear His Words, plead His blood, bow to His reign and follow Him.


The Lord has promised it: “And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:3-4). Let us never fail to remember in these times of great ungodliness, religious blasphemy and apostasy, God still has His elect people.


It is not possible that they shall be deceived and not possible that they shall fail of the grace of God. They are His. He chose them, sent His Son to redeem them, calls them by His Spirit through the Gospel of His glory and keeps them by the power of His grace. They will bow to Christ but to no other. They will hear His voice but not another. They will follow Him but not another. They are a remnant but they belong to Christ. Oh to be in Christ and thereby be in that remnant!


-Gospel report by preacher Gary Shepard


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JESUS - Rock of Ages

Jesus remains the same in all ages. He is the One who is constant when everything and everyone else fails. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is our R ock [I SAMUEL 2:2 ] . In the Old Testament, in Exodus 33, Jesus is pictured as the Cleft Rock. In that chapter, verse 18 and following, Moses desired to see the glory of the Lord, but was told, "You cannot see My face; for there shall no man see My face and live.” And the Lord said, “There is a place by Me, and you shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by." Notice that as Moses stood upon the rock, the Lord hid him in the cleft. This wonderfully applies to us today! Believers are both standing on and hidden in Christ [COLOSSIANS 3:3 ] . We are both in and on the Rock. As life with its many bitter events presses upon us, ...
Read more

CHRIST OUR ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS

" The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." —Galatians 5:17 [KJV] Christian experience fully proves this apostolic truth. Hence the children of God cannot do the things that they would: nor have we any authority from God's word to conclude this lusting ever ceased in any of the saints till they got to glory; none are delivered from it while in the flesh. For, as the renewed soul or spirit loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly objects, so the flesh, or unrenewed part, lusts after those objects it is naturally conversant with, and from which it derives its happiness.  Here is thy conflict, O Christian. Hence the necessity of thy Lord's command, "Watch always." This is the use of the doctrine. What woeful effects have fulfilling the lusts or desires of the flesh produced in eminent saints! Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. The conceptions of lust are the productions of sin.— see James 1:15 . The commission of sin contracts fresh s...
Read more

GLORY ALONE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

" Lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." -Judges 7:2 [KJV] Thus the Lord reasoned with Gideon. He knows what is in man. He sees the pride of the human heart: how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of His own glory. Gideon’s army of two and thirty thousand, is brought down to three hundred. By this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory of the Midianites. The Lord’s wisdom in this was, “Lest Israel should vaunt themselves, and say, Mine own hand hath saved me.”   But I have not transcribed the text right. There are two little words of great import, which I have omitted. Mind then, O Christian— against Me. Now remember, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy free-will, thy human goodness, thy works, ditties, conditions, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong. Thou vauntest thyself against the Lord . Thou art gloryi...
Read more