Christian Living
“EVERY NEW DAY IS A MIRACLE FROM Our MOST BEAUTIFUL AND EXCELLENT AND HOLY GREAT HIGH PRIEST THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THANK YOU LORD, FOR EVER AND EVER.” Amen.
“THERE WILL ONLY BE A REMNANT”
Remnant – The Remnant is a recurring theme throughout the Hebrew and Christian Bible. The Anchor Bible Dictionary describes it as “What is left of a community after it undergoes a catastrophe”. The concept has stronger representation in the Hebrew Bible and Christian OLD TESTAMENT than in the Christian NEW TESTAMENT. Wikipedia.
Predestination – THE DECREE OF GOD by which certain souls are Foreordained (Appointed Beforehand) To SALVATION.
Election – The Choice By GOD of individuals, as for a particular work or for FAVOR or SALVATION.
Romans 11:5) Even so then at this present time also there is A Remnant ACCORDING TO THE ELECTION OF GRACE.
Quest Study Bible – Romans 11:5 – Those Who Remain Faithful And Escape GOD’S JUDGMENT though most of those around them are unfaithful. Although small and insignificant, The Remnant Serves As A Symbol Of HOPE Pointing To The Vast, Innumerable Multitude That One Day Will Stand SAVED Before GOD (Revelation 7:9).
John Gill’s Exposition Of The Bible – Romans 11:5, Even so then at this present time also In which The Apostle lived, The Time Of Preaching THE GOSPEL, The Accepted Time, THE DAY OF SALVATION, Which Then Was, And Also Now Is; At That Time When THE GOSPEL Was Sent unto the Gentiles, AND GOD TOOK Out Of Them A People For HIS NAME; when multitudes of them were Converted, and Embraced THE FAITH OF CHRIST; and when the Jews in general had rejected THE MESSIAH, killed THE LORD JESUS, persecuted HIS Apostles, and contradicted and blasphemed THE GOSPEL; Yet Still GOD HAD MADE A RESERVE Of Some Among Them, FOR HIMSELF: There is A Remnant; alluding either to ( Isaiah 10:21 Isaiah 10:22 ) , or to The Oracle delivered to Elijah, saying, “I HAVE RESERVED”, or “LEFT”, &c. ( 1 Kings 19:18 ) ( Romans 11:4 ) , THAT AS God HAD RESERVED FOR HIMSELF, in Elijah’s time, a number of persons, who had not gone into the idolatrous worship of Baal, when the greater part of the Israelites did, so he had taken care to make A Like Reserve in the apostle’s time, when the bulk of the Jewish nation had refused THE MESSIAH, and despised HIS GOSPEL. This Is A Further Proof, THAT GOD HAD NOT CAST AWAY all the people of the Jews; and that as Elijah was not the only worshipper of THE TRUE GOD in his time, so The Apostle was not the only Instance Of Grace among that people now; there was a number of them; the number of The Disciples after our LORD’S ASCENSION, Was An Hundred And Twenty; upon The First Sermon Preached by Peter, three thousand were converted, and added to them; after that, they are said to be about five thousand, and still multitudes were added, both of men and women, and a great company of the priests were OBEDIENT TO THE FAITH; so that before THE DISPENSATION (FREEING) Of THE CHURCH at Jerusalem by a persecution, There Might Be At Least Such A Number CALLED BY GRACE, AS GOD HAD RESERVED in Elijah’s time; though these, when compared with the generality of the nation, which remained in unbelief, were but a few, and therefore called a “REMNANT”, or a “RESERVE”, as the word may be rendered; For These Were A Set Of Men, Whom GOD HAD RESERVED AND PRESERVED IN HIS SON, AND IN THE COVENANT OF GRACE, FROM EVERLASTING; AND HAD KEPT A WATCHFUL EYE OVER Them In Time, RESERVED Them IN HIS PROVIDENCE (PLAN, WILL), AND SAVED Them To Be CCALLED; AND BY CALLING Them, HAD RESERVE Them BY HIS GRACE, AND PRESERVED Them BY HIS POWER, from the general unbelief, impenitence, blindness, and ignorance, which prevailed over the people of the Jews; Which Reserve was not owing to their superior goodness, they being in no wise, with respect to nature, birth, and privileges, better than those who were not reserved; nor to the disposition of their minds and wills, their minds and consciences being defiled, and their wills naturally as obstinate and perverse as others; nor to any good works done by them, since works before CALLING are not properly good, and those after are THE FRUITS OF GRACE: but this reverse was made, ACCORDING TO THE ELECTION OF GRACE; GOD’S CHOICE OF These Persons Before The World Was, Which Is THE SOURCE AND SPRING OF ALL THE BLESSINGS OF GRACE, BOTH IN TIME ETERNITY: Hence These Persons Were Put Into THE HANDS OF CHRIST, SECURED IN AN EVERLASTING COVENANT, TOOK SPECIAL CARE OF BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE (GOD), WERE CALLED BY GRACE, Justified, Sanctified, And At Last Glorified: And This Choice Is Owing To GRACE, for not men’s choice of GOD’S GRACE, BUT GOD’S CHOICE, OWING TO HIS, OWN GRACE, Is Here Meant. The Pelagians would have it, That This Election (Choosing) Is The Choice Which Man Makes OF THE GRACE OF GOD: whereas such is the enmity (sinfulness) of man’s nature, and will against GOD AND HIS GRACE, that he would never make choice of that, IF THE GRACE OF GOD DID NOT FIRST MAKE CHOICE OF him, AND LAY HOLD Upon him: GRACE here, does not design the object of the choice (*Ephesians 1:4) HE HATH CHOSEN Us IN HIM before the foundation of the world, This persons interpetation). But The Cause, Spring, And Motive Of It, which is not any habit or quality in men, As Faith And Holiness, FOR THESE ARE FRUITS AND EFFECTS OF ELECTING GRACE, and so not causes, motives, or conditions of it, BUT THE FREE LOVE AND FAVOUR OF GOD IN HIS OWN HEART; AND SHOWS SOVEREIGNTY AND FREENESS OF ELECTION (CHOOSING), which is no ways depending on the will and works of men, BUT UPON THE SOVEREIGN GOOD WILL AND PLEASURE OF GOD.
And we are told in Revelation 12:17) And the dragon was wroth (angry) with The Woman (THE CHURCH), and went to make war with The Remnant of Her Seed, Which Keep THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST.
John Gill’s Exposition Of The Bible – Revelation 12:17) And the dragon was wroth with The Woman The devil was very angry with THE CHURCH, because he could not destroy Her by the Arian persecution he had raised; and because he could not carry Her away with the flood, either of errors and heresies, or of the barbarous nations; and because he could not, by any means, come at Her, and indeed did not well know where She was, A Place Being Prepared For Her Of GOD in the wilderness, where She was taken care of: wherefore he took another method as follows, and went to make war with The Remnant of Her Seed; which refers to the war the beast, to whom he gave his power, seat, and authority, is said to make with The Saints; and which was entered into and carried on by his instigation, of which there is an account in the Following Chapter: the persons with whom he went to make war are described as “Her Seed”; The Seed Of THE CHURCH, Her Spiritual Offspring, The Sons And Daughters She Brought Forth To CHRIST; Between Which Seed, and Satan and his seed, there always was an enmity (hate): and these are “The Remnant” Of Her Seed, A Few Persons Scattered Up And Down, A Remnant ACCORDING TO THE ELECTION OF GRACE; who were not in bodies, or in church states, regularly formed, as heretofore, but in private families, and some here, and some there; and who were Called Out To Bear A Testimony For CHRIST in corrupt times: and these are further described as such Who Keep THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD: and not the traditions of men: nor are THE COMMANDS OF THE MORAL LAW OF GOD so much designed (sought after), Though It Is True That These Were Kept By The Seed Of THE CHUCH; BUT RATHER THE ORDINANCES (COMMANDMENTS, LAWS) OF THE GOSPEL, THE COMMANDS OF GOD Our SAVIOUR, Such As Baptism And THE LORD’S SUPPER; Which Were Kept By These Faithful Ones, As They Had Been Delivered, when they began now to be sadly corrupted by the antichristian party: AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST; THE GOSPEL, WHICH IS A TESTIMONY CONCERNING HIM; (See Gill on Revelation 1:2). This They Had In Their Hearts, A Spiritual Knowledge And SAVING Experience Of IT; And This They Had In Their Hands, They Made A Profession Of (Declared) IT, They Held (Believed, Defended) IT Forth (Encouraged IT), And Held IT Fast; all which was the reason of Satan’s enmity (hate) against them, and war with them.
These Are The Times when the enemy will seek to destroy All Who BELIEVE AND TRUST IN THE LORD.
1 Corinthians 16:13) Be on your Guard; Stand Firm In THE FAITH; be men(/women) of courage; BE STRONG. 14) Do Everything In LOVE. NIV.
Nelson’s Compact Bible Commentary – v13, 14, Watch (Guard) is often used in THE NEW TESTAMENT to indicate anticipation of some future event (see Mark 13:37; Revelation 3:3). Paul’s exhortation (counsel, command) to Stand Fast In THE FAITH is especially important (see 2 Corinthians 11:3). Be Brave may also be translated “play the man,” emphasizing not our bravery but maturity. Paul’s command To Do Everything With Love serves as a Balance to These Strong Exhortations.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Bible Commentary – 1 Corinthians 16:13-18, A Christian is always in danger, Therefore Should Ever Be On The Watch. He should be FIXED IN THE FAITH OF THE GOSPEL, AND NEVER DESERT OR GIVE IT UP. By THIS FAITH ALONE he will be able To Keep his Ground in an hour of Temptation. Christians should be careful that Charity not only reigns in their hearts, But Shines In Their Lives. There is a great difference between Christian Firmness and feverish want and transport. The Apostle gave particular directions as to some who Served THE CAUSE OF CHRIST among them. Those who serve The Saints, those who desire the honour of The Churches, and to remove reproaches (disapproval) from them, are to be thought much of, and loved. They should willingly acknowledge the worth of such (*Those That Are Faithful), and all who laboured with and helped The Apostle (Paul).
“GOD BLESS You!”
HE LIVES! 