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Who Are the Remnant of God?

Who Are the Remnant of God?

The word translated as “remnant” in Scripture refers to those who remain, the last portion of a group. It is used throughout the Bible to refer to the survivors. For example:

Joseph told his brothers, “God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (Genesis 45:7 NIV84).

Through the prophet Isaiah, God tells King Hezekiah, “Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors” (2 Kings 19: 30, 31 NIV84).

And Ezra describes the 50,000 who returned to Jerusalem after the 70-year captivity by saying, “O LORD, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant” (Ezra 9:15 NIV84).

The remnant of God have always been those who remain, who are left. Revelation also describes a remnant, a people who survive the final events of Earth’s history and are found faithful when Jesus returns—and Satan hates these people:

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (12:17 KJV).

No doubt, Satan hates the remnant, the final group of faithful people who are on the Earth when Jesus returns. All the world is his—except these faithful few.

But who are these end-time remnant? The woman is the bride of Christ, the faithful, the true church, the righteous, so the remnant would be the final generation of God’s faithful on Earth at the time of His second coming.

Revelation also gives two identifiers of these faithful remnant people: They “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” But what do these identifiers mean?

Some Christians have found insight from the angel’s response to John found in Revelation 19:10:

I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (NKJV).

So, the end-time remnant are those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus, and this testimony of Jesus is “the spirit of prophecy.” But what does that mean?

Some Christians have suggested this is the special gift of prophecy, God’s prophetic gift as given to Daniel, John, and all the Bible writers. They look for an organization that uplifts and promotes God’s commandments and also has manifested within it an individual (past or present) with the prophetic gift.

But is this the best and most accurate understanding of these passages? Is it the most reliable way to determine who the end-time remnant people are?

For instance, if there was a denomination that values and teaches obedience to all ten of God’s commandments and also had an individual within it who people agree was blessed by the special gift of prophecy, would that mean that by joining that group and becoming a member of that denomination, one is now part of the remnant of God?

Two thousand years ago, the Jews were God’s special chosen people, blessed by Him with multiple individuals with the prophetic gift and who enthusiastically promoted all ten of God’s commandments. But did that mean being a member of that group ensured that the person was on God’s side? Would being a leader in that group mean one was a member of God’s team? Not according to Jesus, who told those leaders that they were of their father the devil (John 8:44).

So, I do not think one can be part of God’s end-time remnant people by merely joining a denomination. I think the remnant are those who are described in Hebrews 8:10 as having God’s law written upon their hearts and minds, are loyal to Jesus, and are giving the testimony that Jesus gave.

Consider another translation of what the testimony of Jesus is:

The dragon was furious with the woman and went off to fight against the rest of her descendants, all those who obey God’s commandments and are faithful to the truth revealed by Jesus (Revelation 12:17 GNT).

The remnant are those who obey God’s commandments and are faithful to the truth revealed by Jesus, the testimony that Jesus gave:

“For the truth that Jesus revealed is what inspires the prophets” (Revelation 19:10 GNT).

The Bible is telling us that the testimony Jesus gave is the same truth that inspired the prophets; it is the same truth revealed through all 66 books of the Bible. And the remnant of God will be inspired by that same Holy Spirit to give the same testimony, the same truth, that Jesus revealed in His life and which all the prophets were inspired by and testified to in their writings.

And what is the testimony that Jesus gave? He said,

I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me (John 5:36 NIV84).

And what did Jesus say His work was that He came to testify about? He proclaimed,

I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. … I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world (John 17: 4, 6 NKJV emphasis mine).

Jesus revealed the truth about God. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. Jesus came to destroy the lies of Satan and win us back into intimate love and trust with the Father. When Philip asked Jesus to tell them about the Father, Jesus answered:

Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words [testimony] I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves (John 14:9–11 NIV84, emphasis mine).

Jesus’ testimony is the truth about God, and the remnant of God will give that same testimony. The apostle Paul agrees with this, informing us that the central issue in the war is the knowledge of God; he then explains that those who are on God’s team will use the divine weapons of God to demolish all the lies and falsehoods about God that operate in hearts and minds and keep people captive to a false system of belief and trapped in sin:

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3–5, emphasis mine).

We demolish the lies of Satan by embracing and promoting the testimony of Jesus, the truth about God that has inspired all the prophets, that the Father is exactly like Jesus in character, a being of infinite power who is equally gracious and values nothing higher than our freedom, because God is love and love exists only in an atmosphere freedom.

And what did Jesus reveal about law and justice? Jesus revealed God’s law is design law, the laws built right into the fabric of the cosmos and govern our very existence and life, like the law of gravity, laws of physics, health, and the moral laws. We cannot have health while violating the laws of health—even if we pray for good health. Every one of Jesus’ parables teaches design law.

The remnant of God are the end-time people who return to worshiping God as Creator. They reject the lie that God’s law functions like Roman law, imposed rules that require legal enforcement through inflicted punishments. They understand all of God’s laws are design laws and that love can exist and operate only in an atmosphere of freedom. And they see Jesus as the perfect revelation of the character, methods, principles, and living law of God all throughout His entire life, but especially when in the most abusive and unjust actions. Human beings tortured and killed Him, yet He would not use power and might to stop the injustice. Why? Because love cannot be obtained by force, by command, by external power, by intimidation, by punishment! Love is obtained only by love. Thus, the testimony of Jesus is that God is love, and this testimony is what inspired all the prophets, like Zechariah, who wrote:

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts (4:6 NKJV).

This is the testimony that Jesus and all the prophets have given: God cannot get love, trust, loyalty, faithfulness, and friendship from people by using imposed rules with inflicted punishments, like the ones that sinful humans use.

God’s ways are not our ways; God’s laws are not our laws (Isaiah 55:7–9; Jeremiah 33:25). They are the laws reality functions upon, and breaking them injures the lawbreaker and will result in death unless healed by the Creator. The end-time remnant of God are those who return to Creator worship, embrace the truth about God’s law, have His living law written upon their hearts and minds, and give the same testimony about God that Jesus and all the prophets did.

The end-time remnant people of God are identified by their having characters like Jesus; they give the same testimony about God that Jesus did, both in word and deed, for they practice the law of God in living the truth in love and leaving others free. They refuse to use the power of the state; they refuse to use coercion, force, intimidation, economic sanctions, or any other means of external power and pressure. They are the remnant, the ones who survive the assault of the man of sin, the ones who refuse to embrace the imposed-law legal systems of this fallen world, the ones who are like their Creator in character, method, and principle. These are the remnant—they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death (Revelation 12:11). They would rather die, just like their Savior did at the cross, than use the methods of force to protect themselves. They are like Daniel and the three worthies who trust their lives to their Savior.

I invite you to choose to be part of the remnant of God—to reject the lie that God’s law functions like human law and, instead, to return to Creator worship, to be in awe of God and “give Him glory” because the hour in human history has come for people to stop judging God to be like a Roman dictator and accept the testimony of Jesus that God is exactly like Jesus revealed Him to be, to embrace the truth that all God’s laws are design laws and, thereby, worship the Creator, “worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water” (Revelation 14:7).

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Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 35

I am so pleased with the response your message is receiving at my church from the middle-aged to the young adults. I have given out 100 copies of the first two seminars and there are more request every week. One of my [class members] came to me after viewing the series, grateful and impressed with how easy the message was retained. He had been a Seventh-day Adventist in fear all his life, and felt like the scales were removed from his eyes after viewing the seminars. I am so impressed by the change I see in members who have received this message, we are in one accord. However, I am sadden by the negative response of the older people. I am verbally attacked anytime I talk about imposed laws, but I believe my mission is to enlightened everyone I can. I watch your Bible Study Class on YouTube every Friday night and I feel like I am apart of the class. All of you are in one accord and I am so blessed to have found you. I pray that all of you continue to spread this message and I am committed to doing my part.

Clara S., Westfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 9

I really enjoy with you the view of a gracious God. Thank you for sharing the work you are allowing the Lord to do in you.

L., Queensland, Australia

 

Testimony 14

We really appreciate your views on the judgment and they make good sense considering our free choice.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 47

I can’t even begin to thank you and your ministry enough for introducing me to the Truth about a loving and merciful God! I have my daughter and her in-laws to thank for sharing with me “The God-Shaped Brain” as well as your website. I listen to the Bible study class lessons on my daily walk. May God continue to bless your thirst-quenching ministry!

Liz H., Port Angeles, WA, USA

 

 

Testimony 59

I’m a native Ghanan, but am currently in France for my master’s degree. Prior to this, during my final years at undergraduate studies in Ghana, I was introduced to your ministry and I’ve been immensely blessed by what you share, especially about the Design and Imposed Laws. God richly bless you for that.

One of the first things I did when I arrived in France was to buy all four of your books. They not only helped me, but those I shared them with. I shared the message with an atheist student and I marveled at how God worked mightily in his life. Today this person shares the Love of God with others and debunks theories of who God is not. I want to share what you present in your “Heavenly Sanctuary and Investigative Judgment” pamphlet, because the message brought rest to my soul and I live today as a healthy person.

God bless you so much and your ministry.

Michael A., Ghana

 

Testimony 5

We listen to your bible studies lessons in our class in Montana. You actually were the main reason I decided to get a laptop, so I can go to your site and listen, read, learn, and print the class notes. I am so grateful to learn the correct view of God and his character. Now, to just have others have an interest in knowing, so I can share it with them. Good thoughts your way.

R. N., MT, USA

 

Testimony 32

The message [of Come And Reason Ministries is] for all Christians (and those who may become Christians) and not just Adventists or any other group. It is difficult to imagine why any [anyone] with intellectual and spiritual honesty could find fault with the way you explained the healing substitution concepts and the truth about God’s character, though I know some will reject and criticize. On behalf of those in our group near Tacoma, WA, thank you and your staff for all of the hard work and for sharing the Gospel in this manner. God’s message of healing love will be carried to the whole world and then Jesus will come – He promised it.

Terry U., Tacoma, WA, USA

 

Testimony 50

After coming into contact with Come And Reason Ministries, I can finally say that many of my unanswered questions have fallen into place. I discovered that my view of God’s Law was “imposed laws and rules” with “imposed punishments” and that this was the major culprit of my many unanswered questions. Thanks be to God for using you and those around you to help us who have struggled with this “infection” of thought. I have now rejected the “imposed law” concept to fully embrace “Design Law”… to look thru “Design Law,” instead of “imposed law,” is a relief.

Viliami L., Australia

 

Testimony 22

I have found your Bible study class lectures to be very inspiring and useful as I prepare to teach class every other week. I subscribe to the podcast and download your notes on the weeks I teach. The audio and notes are such a great help in preparing. My own understanding of God’s character has grown as I teach the class. Commendations on the thought-provoking and well-prepared material Come and Reason provides. Personally, I get excited by the tie you make between the spiritual and mental/physical domains.

A.A. Corrales, NM, USA

 

Testimony 57

You have helped make sense of thirty two years of confusion. The material you freely provide reorganized so much of my life into such a beautiful pattern that has always been hinted at from within, but misguided with my training and what I was experiencing externally. My filipno parents, who were converted from Catholicism to SDA, were sincere and did their best to raise me the right way and I have deep respect for them. However, being immigrants and not understanding the language made for a difficult transition as I was growing up, which also applied to my spiritual growth as I learned the patterns of religion. I have been listening to as many bible study classes and reading blog posts as my time in a work truck will allow, searching for the practical applications of where spirituality and reality meet, and I thank you for helping me find that. You have helped me reach a point in which I can truly say that I love God, that I believe He loves me, and, like David, I delight in His law. God bless.

Emmanuel V., Calgary, AB Canada

Testimony 18

The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 39

[This ministry is the] biggest blessing I have ever received! Your DVDs and lessons could not have come at a better time in my life. I have experienced in the past year many difficulties that, if it wasn’t for this wonderful view of God that I have discovered through this ministry, I would not have been able to respond in love and forgiveness. My heart is being transformed everyday by the Calvary-looking God you teach. Hallelujah!! I have tears in my eyes as I write, because my life has taken a complete turn from where I was heading.

I am from Central America. Most of my family is scattered in different parts of the world and all have the same view of God that I had growing up; a distant, exacting, and ready-to-punish-us-with-tragedy type of God. So, I have been translating lessons for my family and, to my surprise, they have also been sharing them with others! I can already see the difference. My brother has often said, “Thank you for sharing, I have never heard it this way!” My other family members are taking an amazing turn from a message of “repent or burn” towards a loving God, pleading to us that we won’t reject him because he loves us eternally.

Bless you for all you do.

Sofia S., Ashfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 44

We were given a gift of the DVD set, “God and Your Brain,” and we just finished watching it. The truths in this are so powerful and truly an answer to a prayer. We’re seeing hope where once we thought God wasn’t answering our prayers to be free of certain mindsets. He answered with these DVDs and we are hungry for more. Thank you!

Daniel T., Easley, SC, USA

 

Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA