A REMNANT
Romans 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
That word “remnant” is defined by Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance as “a remainder.” And its usage here is to reveal that just as the Lord God had seven thousand true believers remaining faithful in Elijah’s apostate day, so the Lord has, in every “present time” an ever existing remnant. For it is sustained “according to the election of grace.” Therefore it is certain! It cannot fail! It is no matter that Elijah did not know any one of them, thinking that he was the single remaining believer left on earth. Therefore no matter that a believer in this apostate age thinks themselves to be without the accompaniment of any other believers, there is still “a remnant according to the election of grace.”
The Lord is pleased to have those he calls his “hidden ones.” Psalm 83:3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. That’s how he keeps them safe from the murderous wrath of Satan! Revelation 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
The Apostle also writes in the ninth chapter of this Roman letter concerning this remnant. Romans 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, (Hosea) I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Therefore whether we cannot identify a people at present that shall one day become the very people of the Lord, or whether we falsely think that carnal, religious “Israel,” as numerous as the sea sand are the spiritual people of God, there shall always be “a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Let me list out for you several verses in the Book of Matthew recorded from the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ which reveal His very mind on this subject: Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen. 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Although he instructed his disciples to preach the gospel to “every creature,” thereby there being “many called,” he knew that the true response to that gospel call would only be from the “few chosen.” They would be the only ones who would find the narrow way! For these alone would have Him revealed to them as “the way!” John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
And dear Reader, The reason that this remnant cannot fail has been clearly stated, it is “according to the election of grace.” And that election took place before time and solely by God the Father, in Christ Jesus! Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
There are numerous examples of the remaining remnant throughout history even when it seemed that true faith was extinct. Here are but a few:
Noah: Genesis 7:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Joseph: Genesis 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Amos 5:13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. 14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. 15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
Caleb and Joshua: Numbers 26:65 For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
We, as true believers, must learn to live in our spiritual consciousnesses! We must train ourselves to act from our faith which alone provides the “eyes” for God’s true church! Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
We have these instructions from our Master. 2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
We must ever keep it in our minds that our Lord and Master is Spirit! And therefore we must ever train ourselves to cease from thinking, meditating and praying from our religiously trained souls and begin to commune in our spirit’s regenerated life. John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
We must learn to think every thought in the awareness of God’s presence! – Every thought! For our thoughts are but prayers to God! 2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
And we must remember that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with unutterable groanings! Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
We must forever quit ‘sewing fig leaves’ in the attempt to hide evil and wicked thoughts from the Lord! USE THEM! Every time your flesh and the powers of darkness inject these into your consciousness, run TO the Lord, NOT away from Him! The prodigal ran to the father from the pig pen, not from Him! And, guess what? The Father was looking for him! How many times have we left our loving Father standing alone with unfulfilled yearnings for us, thus allowing Satan to have more control of us that the Holy spirit? Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
We must educate ourselves in the magnitude of the Father’s love! For it is only as we keep ourselves aware of Him as being love, not just having love, that we shall be enclosed in the magnitude of continued God consciousness! Consider the greatness of God’s love for you. Luke 22:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
Let us love our God supremely, let us love each other, too;
Let us love and pray for sinners, till our God makes all things new.
Then He’ll call us home to Heaven, at His table we’ll sit down;
Christ will gird Himself and serve us with sweet manna all around.
George Atkins 1819
Failing at the love for God is failing at salvation. Failing at the love for Christ is to stumble at him as a stumblingblock and not to build upon him as the corner stone! Romans 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. 30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Also in that passage we read that the remnant keeps us from being completely wiped out as was Sodom and Gomorrah. And we then read that the sins of the religious in failing to love the Lord and keep his commandments are far worse sins than those committed in these wicked cities. Matthew 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. 25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Think of it! Cold-hearted religionists sitting on a padded pew, getting excited over the church music and laughing at the humor that is spoken by the person in the pulpit, and getting high-minded thoughts of vain glory, is of far more wicked sin than Sodom’s and Gomorrah’s homosexuality! We are in a mess! We are so deceived in the religious community of this nation that we don’t even know it!
Pastor Gene Breed
June 16, 2021
