God is sovereign. He is the one who has determined what the gospel is. He is the one who has determined what the purpose of the Church is and of whom it is made up. We do not determine these things. Culture does not determine these things. We cannot be editing doctrine and the Gospel in order to make them more palatable to culture.

16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Romans 12:16 (NASB) 

No matter what category this ministry is placed in some peoples’ catalogs, I still see myself as primarily a teacher of God’s Word. Several years ago while I was just getting started writing and blogging I was working with Ken Silva, Ingrid, and Jim Bublitz on the old Slice of Laodicia website dealing with the hateful attacks coming from the emergent and Seeker apologists who had a massive disdain for nearly everything Ingrid or Ken posted there. They also went after the rest of us who supported them grouping us together calling us “haters, narrow-minded, and bigoted” among other things I can’t share here. I remember one term Ingrid used that caused a massive blowup that went on for days. She referred to Christian leaders and their churches who did not cave into the liberalism of the emergent and/or Seeker Sensitive movements while also remaining orthodox in their theology as rapidly becoming a “remnant.” The reaction to that was, as said above, “massive.”

In our Small Group last night we focused on God’s plan for marriage, which is far more important to our health and wellbeing than most people realize. As we went through the Biblical plan for marriage and how vital it is that we maintain and protect it as we also keep our families free from the contamination of the world and its ways, that term “remnant” came up again. Since I was the leader last night I asked the question about what that meant. Some in our group are relatively new Christians, some are more mature and a few us have been at this a while. In any case, as we defined what that meant I saw that look of recognition on face after face as they “got it.” Yes, those in God’s “remnant” stand firm in obedience to Christ no matter what the rest of the visible church does and especially what the world does.

To be part of God’s “remnant” you must fully understand that God is sovereign. He is the one who has determined what the gospel is. He is the one who has determined what the purpose of the Church is and of whom it is made up. We do not determine these things. Culture does not determine these things. We cannot be editing doctrine and the Gospel in order to make them more palatable to culture. We cannot treat God’s good Word and the Gospel as subjective, but as completely under His control, blessed by the Holy Spirit, as we are faithful in our obedience to them and execution of them. This is orthodoxy. Saying one is orthodox, but then saying and doing New Age things on Twitter and Facebook or whatever would make one inconsistent wouldn’t it? Didn’t Jesus say that we would know false prophets by their fruit?

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