Isaiah 40:31
“But they that ‘wait’ upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” [1]
The Ready Remnant are they who: expect, look for, and hope in the Lord.
Throughout all of mankind’s history, God has maintained a remnant of those who were faithful unto Him. When Adam and Eve fell, there was Abel. When Cain slew Abel, there was Seth. When the whole of mankind fell away from God before the flood, there was Noah. This pattern has continued until this day through many seasons of spiritual drought. Thankfully, God has chosen to continually preserve a remnant which He jealously watches over. The fact that a remnant has always been is plain to see. However, with all that is transpiring – at breakneck speed, in regard to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, it is also very clear that the Lord is busy making sure His faithful are a ‘Ready Remnant?’ [2]
This article will deal with the ‘pre-rapture’ remnant.[3] Subsequent articles will deal with the ‘Tribulation Remnant,’ those who overcome, during the Tribulation, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (Rev 12:11);[4] and the ‘Millennial Reign Remnant,’ the sheep, gathered at the end of the Tribulation, that will repopulate the earth during the millennium (Matt 25:31-34).
Let us begin with the question: what is a ‘Ready Remnant?’ In order to explain this, we must first make sure we understand exactly what is meant by each of these terms: ready and remnant. After ascertaining the meaning of each of these words, they can be examined together in a manner that satisfies the question, ‘What is a Ready Remnant?’
Ready
Webster’s dictionary defines ready as: prepared mentally or physically for some experience or action; prepared for immediate use; willingly disposed: Inclined; Likely to do something indicated; displayed readily and spontaneously; and finally, immediately available.[5] (emphasis mine)
The words highlighted in this definition portray the gist of the first term of our topic, ‘ready,’ which simply means that one is prepared, willingly disposed or inclined, and immediately available to do whatever task is set before them. Said another way, being ready means one has mentally determined to act appropriately and willingly, and most importantly, being ready has nothing to do with ability – and everything to do with availability.
Therefore, it stands to reason that anyone who is doggedly inclined to, in an instant, do the will of the Father is part of His remnant. Said another way, those who habitually do the will of the Father make up the remnant of God.[6] The gravity of this is staggering, for Jesus speaks of the ‘ready’ as the only ones who will enter the kingdom of heaven. [7] Here are His words:
Matthew 7:21
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth [abide as the ready] the will of my Father which is in heaven.” [author’s comment]
Now, after considering the words of Jesus as He describes the necessity of remaining faithfully ready by continually doing the will of the Father in heaven and just how important this is to the believer, let us turn to the word, ‘remnant.’
Remnant
Most became familiar with the term remnant when tagging along with mom or grandma to the fabric store where they bought a ‘remnant’ of material. Or, perhaps, it was a trip to the local carpet store where only a small piece of carpet was purchased. Either way, this term brings to mind that a remnant is something less than the whole of something.
Webster’s dictionary defines remnant this way: a usually small part, member, or trace remaining; a small surviving group; an unsold or unused end of piece goods; and lastly, still remaining. From this, one can conclude that a remnant is a small remaining part of something that was at some point larger. Take special note that a remnant can consist of a small surviving group which brings to mind Noah and his immediate family, who were only eight souls with which God chose to repopulate the earth. From this small remnant, the earth’s population has grown past the eight billion mark, and it is climbing rapidly. Ironically, as this population swells, the pre-rapture remnant decreases in numbers. The reasons are varied and should be further discussed.
Selfishness
The fundamental cause of the diminishment of the faithful pre-rapture remnant is, simply, selfishness. Many no longer desire to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Christ (Matt 16:24). This leads to churches being filled with people who have a form of godliness while they deny the power thereof (2 Tim 3:5), making them unworthy of Christ (Matt 10:38). This is because those who are looking for hope have come to the ‘church’ for salvation rather than coming to Christ. Therefore, because they attend churches that never preach it, they never hear the message of Christ and His cross, which makes them unable to take up their cross and follow Him.
In some instances, entire congregations are made up of those who desire church and the works thereof rather than Christ. These are those who generally evangelize for the church rather than Christ. Sadly, in many cases, these and all they influence have no relationship with Christ, and they will not be admitted to the kingdom of God (remember, only they that do the will of the Father in heaven enter the kingdom of heaven).
Therefore, those doing their own will are not part of the ‘ready remnant.’ Sadly, selfishness is only the root of the issue for the waning of the faithful pre-rapture remnant as it begets the secondary reason mentioned above: Fewer are saved because fewer hear the truth of the gospel. After all, hearing the gospel is the only way the faith necessary for salvation can come, and this message will only be shared by the faithful remnant.
Romans 10:13-17
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (emphasis mine)
Lack of Hearing the Good News
Notice this sub-title does not say a lack of preaching. Indeed, more preaching is taking place than ever before. However, the gospel of Christ is not included in the preaching. Therefore, many are spurred on toward self-help, social justice, kingdom building, and mysticism rather than being stirred toward repentance and cross-bearing, two things that have fallen into disfavor in this selfish generation. Because of this, fewer people hear the gospel, and fewer are saved. In fact, one could argue that the faithless messages presented from the pulpit of this last day’s church have caused the perilous times the apostle Paul warned of (2 Tim 3:1-5). This is because men are taught that everything is about them rather than Christ. Perhaps this is why Paul indicated the last day’s men would display a selfish nature (2 Tim 3:2).
The article “The Worst Kind of Famine” [8] delves deeply into the reason so few hear the Word of God in this day and age. The underlying reason is the fact that men desire to have their own way and co-opt God as their power source. Those who believe this way see God as their co-pilot rather than their pilot. This results in a people whose faith is not placed in the Lord. Instead, their faith is in the many machinations they go through in order to force God to do their bidding.
One example will illuminate the mindset of those who desire to see faith as their own reason for succeeding. The narrative of the woman with the issue of blood is often twisted to say that it was the woman’s faith that made her whole. These were the words of Jesus, after all:
Matthew 9:20-22
“And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”
The truth of the matter is her ‘faith in Christ’ made her whole. Remember, she said in her heart if she could but touch the hem of ‘His garment,’ she would be made whole. Sadly, rather than seeing Christ as their source, many desire to move God by simply proclaiming their faith through decrees and declarations while removing the Christ from whence their faith comes.
This mindset has permeated the church to such a degree that the true gospel of forsaking self and cross-bearing while living for Christ is no longer preached. Thus the church, so-called, is populated by the unsaved who, when they do witness (about their fantastic church), simply beget other unsaved persons to populate their ever-abounding social clubs.[9] These Laodicean churches are known by their ever-expanding campuses that have the sole purpose of entertaining people into continued attendance.
Before we judge these congregants too harshly, let us remember most of these churches are led by wolves in sheep’s clothing who are making merchandise of the gullible whom they have beguiled (2 Pet 2).[10]
2 Peter 2
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
“For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
“And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations [this is the pre-rapture remnant], and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
“But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities [kingdom now]. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.
“Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
“These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” (emphasis mine) [author’s comments] [This lengthy quote is necessary to establish the fact that the remnant is indeed a fraction of the whole, and only the remnant is saved]
Ready Remnant
Now that we have established that the ready are those who are willing and available, and the remnant is comprised of those who remain faithful to God, no matter what, it is important to establish the fact that there are three separate remnants in the last of days. The pre-rapture remnant, the Tribulation remnant, and the millennial reign remnant. Regardless of which remnant you find yourself in, it is crucial that you remain faithful and ready.
The ‘pre-rapture’ remnant must live for Christ (Matt 16:24; Rom 6; Gal 2:20; Col 1:10; 1 Pet 4:2). The ‘Tribulation’ remnant must be willing to die for Christ (Rev 6:9, 12:11, 20:4). The ‘millennial reign’ remnant must live as unchanged humans, with Christ in His earthly kingdom (Rev 20:1-6).
This article has dealt with some of the reasons the pre-rapture remnant is in decline in terms of numbers. However, it is very important to point out that this remnant must remain faithful in the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) while looking up for His soon return (Luke 21:28). We know this because, in these passages, Jesus indicates the church is to be about the Great Commission until the end of the world. (Many translations read ‘end of the age,’ which has not yet come), and we are seeing the beginnings of the signs which mark the last days in which we are to look up (be heavenly-minded), for our redemption draws nigh.
Conclusion
God has always maintained a remnant of His faithful. Through study, we find three separate remnants exist in the end of days. Being part of God’s remnant is very important because these are the only people who have not yet gone the way of the grave that enter into the kingdom of God. God, in His graciousness, through His Word, has seen fit to inform each remnant that their redemption is drawing nigh. Indeed, He has provided a road map, if you will, that proper study illuminates (2 Tim 2:15) so the faithful are not caught unaware.
As noted above, the Tribulation remnant and the millennial reign remnant will be discussed in subsequent articles. However, allow me to emphasize the fact that we should all strive to be a part of the pre-rapture remnant, as this is the only way of avoiding the horrors of the Tribulation.
Website: In His Commission
[1] “Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the King James Version.”
[2] For more information, visit “Ready Remnant.”
[3] For greater understanding, see the article “Will You Be Raptured?”
[4] For greater understanding, see the article “Open Letter to Those Who Miss the Rapture.”
[5] Merriam – Webster Dictionary, “Ready.”
[6] For greater understanding, see the article “Thy Will Be Done: The Epicenter of Right and Wrong.”
[7] For greater understanding, see the article “Only the Ready are Raptured.”
[8] For greater understanding, see the article “The Worst Kind of Famine.”
[9] For greater understanding, see the blog post by: Rapsodie Adams, “The Church the Social Club.”
[10] For greater understanding, see the article “Wolves of Faith.”