We’ve discussed what God’s Remnant is, as well as the promises God has made to those within His remnant (If you missed it, check out our blog posts on The Remnant and God’s Promises to the Remnant). But how do we become part of the Remnant? Are we automatically a part of the Remnant when we become Christians? Or are there steps we need to take to join God’s faithful few? Let’s discuss it…
The pattern among God’s people.
Throughout scripture, we see God call His people to repentance. This pattern occurs throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament. God’s people (Israel) forsake Him, refusing to seek Him or listen to Him, instead choosing to go their own way and rely on their own strength. They allow abominations to occur in their land and reject any who suggest that God will bring His judgment upon this unfaithful generation. Likewise, Revelation shows a similar judgment against the church through the vision of the lampstands. These moments within scripture make it clear that God does not reserve judgment from His people. He will spare His Remnant, protecting them and providing for them in the midst of judgment, but this does not automatically apply to all believers.
Joining the Remnant.
Wait… are you insinuating that we are not automatically part of the Remnant when we become Christians?
Correct. Joining the Remnant is not an automatic process; it is the result of learning to walk in the Spirit and hear the voice of God. We just looked at the pattern among God’s people of choosing to walk away and facing God’s judgment as a result. This was true for the Old Testament Jews and it is true for the church today. Even if we call ourselves Christians, we still have the choice to walk in the flesh and pursue our own ends. Just as being a Jew in Israel did not guarantee that they would be spared from judgment, being a Christian in modernity does not guarantee that we will be spared from judgment.
So, then what is the requirement for joining the Remnant?
Romans 8:5-8
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
We have one very clear choice set before us: will we choose to live in the flesh? Or in the Spirit? Those who walk in the flesh will face death; those who walk in the Spirit will experience life. This is the choice that determines our place within the Remnant. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? Simply put, walking in the Spirit is the choice to be with God, to hear His voice, and to obey His commands. It is walking within His will, which means giving up our own wills.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites were God’s people. As a nation, they became self-centered and made their own decisions, falling away from following God. God’s judgment upon them was a result of this continuous choice to ignore His Word and walk in the flesh. God sent His judgment to discipline them and bring them back into His will, were they would experience abundance and goodness. They were not spared from judgment because they were God’s people; in fact, the judgment came because they were God’s people.
What does it look like to walk in the Spirit and live in the Remnant? Let’s dig in:
To join the remnant, we must completely yield our lives to God.
Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
We are to seek Him alone; seek good and hate evil.
Amos 5:14-15
14 Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. 15 Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
We are always to receive and speak truth.
Zechariah 8:14-17
14 For thus says the Lord of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. 16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.”
So, how do we join the Remnant?
Becoming a part of God’s Remnant is really very simple: seek the Kingdom of God and live an abiding life in Christ! This looks like choosing to surrender our wills and live in the Spirit, which requires us to choose His purposes over our own desires, seek what is good, receive God’s rhema word, and speak the truth in love to those around us. This is a lifestyle, not a checklist, and so we must continually return to God in these matters, seeking His wisdom and will in every situation. When we live in this way, God promises to give us protection and provision, including strength to face the trials which will inevitably come our way. When the judgment comes, it will affect our lives, but we will be able to experience God’s peace and abundance despite immense trouble.
If you would like to learn more about the Remnant and discover more details pertaining to the state of the world today, check out Rich Case’s book, The Remnant, available on our website.
