Let us be a remnant

Matthew 5:43-48 (NASB)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It's interesting that the early believers did not embrace the name Christian. "Christian" means "little Christ." It was originally intended as a slur against early believers.

So many claim the name in our modern time, but so few seem to understand what it means. I do believe what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians, that we are known by our fruits and those who are redeemed and living by God's Spirit will produce fruit in accordance with that spirit: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

Two days ago, on the anniversary of a horrible event in the history of the United States of America, over a hundred people lost their lives in a tragic accident in the city of Mecca. It was tragic because people died without having heard of the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ.

I find myself heartbroken by the response of people who call themselves Christian, who rejoice even now because people were killed, rather than mourning that souls passed from this world without Christ. Even more so, when they are questioned about their response and shown how it does not match Biblically with what they claim to believe, they became verbally abusive and try to find ways to justify their hatred.

It feels so hollow, so unlike the picture of Jesus Christ who did not cast a stone at the adulterous woman, despite being himself sinless. Jesus could have killed the woman right then and there and been blameless in the eyes of God, but he instead forgave her sins, and told her to go, change her ways and stop sinning.

I believe we are lost as a nation and as a people of faith. If what I am seeing is the way that people are interpreting the scriptures; if such hatred is to be accepted rather than condemned, then we have fallen from the path of discipleship and we are truly lost.

Thankfully, God is greater and His will is above all things. His Holy Word, Jesus Christ, reigns from His throne in the heavens, waiting for the final trumpet to return and claim those who truly believe in his name: "He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”.

But until that time, He calls us to love our neighbors and our enemies. Where we see evil, let us not repay it with evil but with good so God and His Son my be glorified by it. Let there be a remnant who honor God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit not only in word, but in deed.

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; 28 for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.”

Romans 9:27-28 (NASB)