Commentary on "The Gift of Prophecy and
God's Remnant Church"

DALE RATZLAFF

 

Day 7: Friday, January 23, 2009

This lesson states:

"A study of the idea of the remnant in the Old Testament reveals a few interesting characteristics. Perhaps the most important one is that all through the Bible, the remnant were those who were living with more light than others. Noah had the light about the coming flood. Abraham had the light about the true God. The nation of Israel was worshiping the Lord in the sanctuary, while their pagan neighbors were sacrificing children on their altars or bowing down to statues of cats and bulls and other animals. In short, the idea of the remnant had more to do with a revelation of truth and of God’s character than with the holiness of those who had that knowledge. The point? As expressed in Thursday’s lesson, being part of the remnant means only that you have great light, and with that light comes important responsibilities. It does not mean you automatically have salvation; nor does it mean that those who aren’t part of the remnant are lost. It’s an unfortunate fact of sacred history that many of those who were part of God’s remnant not only failed to live up to the light they were given but oftentimes rebelled against it."

There is no biblical support for the supposition that God’s "remnant" is defined by possessing "great light". God’s remnant, as defined in Romans 11, are those who believe God.

Further, Romans 11 does say God has preserved a remnant. God’s remnant are those who believe Him and whom He saves. Nowhere is "the remnant" identified as a specific church or denomination. It is a straw-man argument to suppose an organization could be God’s remnant.

 

Summary

1. God’s remnant is not identified by a church or organization.
2. God’s remnant is not identified by having "great light" but by believing God.
3. Romans 11 clarifies that God’s remnant are those he saves. There is no such thing as God’s remnant including unsaved members of an exclusive organization. The Bible nowhere supports this idea.

 

Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 17, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

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