Saturday, February 20, 2021

Close Look at Identity of the Remnant

"The faith of Jesus is united with the commandments of God—not substituted for them
 
 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.” Rev. 12:17. 

As “the remnant” of the seed of the woman—the church—can be no other than the last part or last age of the church, this text also must be fulfilled near the close of the dispensation.
 Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.Rev. 14:12.
The circumstances of the people of God are the same in the two texts. 
 
We give again the explanation of the position of “the remnant” as found in the following text:—I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” Rev. 19:10. 
 
According to the Scriptures the remnant of the seed of the woman—the last state or last part of the church of Christ—keep the commandments of God, and have the Spirit of prophecy; that is, the gifts of the Spirit are restored to them before the Lord Jesus comes to reap the harvest and gather his saints to himself. 
 
And this is confirmed by the words of Paul to those who are looking for this second coming of the Lord as follows:—Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you; so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Cor. 1:6, 7.
 
Here we may safely rest the argument that in the last days of this dispensation, when the true church is waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the testimony of Jesus—the Spirit of prophecy—will be confirmed in the believers, so that they shall possess its gifts and powers.
 
----It is a truth well known that the indignation of the world and a
worldly church is quickly
aroused against those who keep all the commandments of God in all things, just as they were written and spoken by the Lord. 
--*--But nothing seems so readily to arouse the prejudice, yes, the hatred and malice, of the carnal mind, as the manifestation of the Spirit of prophecy
The world bestows its incredulous smile as if it pitied the folly of those who could embrace the promise of God as a reality..." 
 Joseph Waggoner