https://odb.org.uk/MY/2022/03/12/love-song
About 2 years after I accepted Christ many years ago, I joined a church that emphasised a lot on being the remnant of God’s people. I was in that church for 8 to 9 years and a lot of who I am in God today was shaped by my experiences then; the good, the bad and the ugly. We were taught to be soldiers for God’s army – when other churches were 20% core, 80% periphery, we were 90% core. A complete laying down of our lives were required, in fact, expected and demanded. Tithes and offerings were set at 20%, for example. Of course, in foresight, the extent of the requirements in relation to the world was questionable although the approach of being a remnant of God’s people could not have been incorrect. We were taught not to read Christian books unless sanctioned by our leaders. Not to read secular books and magazines. To only listen to Christian music as pop songs were worldly and of the devil. The church never needed to hire cleaners for their buildings as we all chipped in to clean toilets, vacuum floors and arrange chairs. The senior pastor didn’t need nannies as the leaders took turns to babysit and care for the first family’s five children.
In times of great moral depravity, there will always be a remnant of God’s people who will be true to Him regardless of the situation. It can be seen in Israel and proclaimed in the book of Zephaniah despite the continous deterioration of the people’s faith in God since the highs during the time of David. In fact God allowed the Babylonians and Assyrians to overrun Judah and bring everyone into exile amd over time brought back the remnant to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
After the Acts of the Apostles and following severe persecution during the early days of the church age, the devil tried to destroy the faith after failing to prevent the birth and later the ministry, death and resurrection of Christ. But the faith persevered on despite severe persecution with many martyred. When the state became the church and went into the dark ages perpetuating evil, there always remained a remnant who were true and remained faithful to God. They went underground or into the shadows.
The time will come for the Great Tribulation to engulf us as revealed in the book of Revelation. It is predicted that this may come during our lifetimes and with the volatility of the situation in the West with the Ukrainian war still raging, the events revealed in Revelation may arrive much faster than we may even expect. Perhaps in the next 4 to 5 years instead of the next 20 to 30 years.
The question today is will we remain as the remnant of God’s people who will keep the faith pure and holy before God and not bow to false gods or the anti Christ. Will we resist the mark of the beast without which we will not be able to buy or sell or trade or participate in economic activity? The time is not in our hands, it may or may not come now. But if it does, will we be the remnant for God or will we stand with the rest of the world?
Ronnie's Thoughts 