The concept of a Remnant Church—a faithful subset within various existing Christian traditions—draws on a theme found throughout the history of Christianity: the idea of a faithful few, persisting within larger, often flawed or compromised structures. This notion resonates across denominations and perspectives, from liturgical traditions to congregationalist ones, where each may interpret the “remnant” through their unique theological lens.
In viewing this Remnant Church as distinct yet neutral within these established faith communities, one can examine its existence alongside what might be perceived as an Evil Church. This conceptual Evil Church represents forces or elements within religious institutions that stray from foundational principles or pursue self-serving agendas, possibly resulting in spiritual decay, moral compromise, or the dilution of genuine faith and commitment.
Analyzing the Remnant Church within Existing Structures
- The Remnant Church’s Neutrality and Intentionality
The Remnant Church, while embedded in larger denominational structures (whether liturgical, Protestant, Baptist, or Restorationist), maintains an intentional distinction rooted in values of purity, accountability, and resilience. Its neutrality could mean that it doesn’t overtly challenge existing structures but rather lives authentically within them, acting as a “witness” to the core tenets of faith it perceives as having been compromised. - Historical and Contemporary Manifestations
The concept of a remnant faithful to foundational beliefs can be seen historically within the early Church, the Reformation, and modern renewal movements. Each of these waves of renewal saw a subset of believers striving to restore or preserve what they saw as the true essence of Christianity. In modern contexts, this can mean small groups or networks within larger churches who focus on deep spiritual practices, community engagement, or doctrinal purity without formally breaking away. - The Evil Church as Counterpoint
The so-called Evil Church represents those aspects of religious institutions that become enmeshed with power, corruption, or secularization. It may co-opt the language and rituals of faith but is primarily concerned with maintaining status, control, or material gain. This aspect of a church might emphasize outward appearances or social influence over genuine spiritual transformation and accountability. - The Remnant’s Role as Witness and Reform
The presence of a Remnant Church within a larger structure serves as both a testament to faithfulness and a quiet critique of its surrounding culture. It may emphasize virtues like humility, service, and sacrificial love as correctives to the institution’s excesses. Members often advocate for internal reforms, realignment to scriptural tenets, and practices that foster direct, unmediated relationships with God. - Cross-Denominational Unity and Cooperation
The Remnant Church is unique in that it is not necessarily bound by denominational loyalties; rather, it is united in its pursuit of a shared truth that transcends particular theological or liturgical traditions. Within Protestant, reform, LDS, and Baptist communities, this remnant often seeks a return to scriptural fidelity, emphasizing personal faith and transformative community.
Future Trajectories of the Remnant Church
The Remnant Church may increasingly manifest as an ecumenical, cross-denominational movement, linking individuals across theological divides in pursuit of genuine faith. It might engage in digital spaces, grassroots networks, and ecumenical initiatives that challenge and inspire reform across broader church structures.
The Remnant Church manifests uniquely within each Christian tradition. Its defining features often reflect both the strengths and challenges of each specific structure, yet it remains united by an underlying commitment to authenticity, purity of faith, and often a desire to return to foundational beliefs and practices. Here’s a look at how the Remnant Church might appear across various traditions:
1. Liturgical Traditions (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican)
In liturgical churches, which emphasize formal worship, tradition, and sacramental life, the Remnant Church tends to focus on a deepened personal faith that moves beyond ritual. Often, it manifests as a community seeking renewal through:
- Intensive Devotional Practices: Emphasis on contemplative prayer, frequent participation in sacraments like the Eucharist, and practices of spiritual discipline that foster a direct, personal relationship with God.
- Scriptural and Doctrinal Fidelity: Prioritizing biblical study, often in tandem with church tradition, to bring practices and teachings back to what is viewed as their scriptural roots.
- Simplified Worship and Fellowship: Some groups may meet outside the formal church structure, using simplified forms of worship and community to foster deeper connections.
- Emphasis on Holiness and Personal Transformation: These groups often resist the institutional and hierarchical aspects they perceive as compromising the faith, focusing instead on internal transformation and ethical living.
2. Protestant (Reformed, Methodist, Presbyterian)
Within mainline Protestantism, the Remnant Church often appears as a revivalist or reformist group that seeks to counteract perceived doctrinal drift or secularization, characterized by:
- Focus on Biblical Literacy and Teaching: A commitment to deep scriptural study, with small groups that emphasize exegesis and application of scripture to daily life.
- Grassroots Revival Movements: Often emerging as a response to what they see as declining influence of the church in society, the remnant may form movements advocating personal conversion, evangelism, and public witness.
- Commitment to Social Justice and Mission Work: Groups in this context may view their mission as aligning with Jesus’ teachings on justice, service, and compassion, seeing this as a corrective to overly intellectual or disengaged worship.
- Focus on the Sovereignty of God: Many reformed remnant groups prioritize a return to doctrines of God’s sovereignty, election, and holiness, often critiquing modern worship trends they see as too centered on individualism or cultural accommodation.
3. Congregational and Baptist Traditions
The Remnant Church within congregational or Baptist circles often emphasizes grassroots purity and a strong sense of community accountability, reflecting the independent, decentralized nature of these traditions:
- Biblical Inerrancy and Doctrinal Purity: These groups often focus on a strict adherence to scripture, resisting liberal theological trends and standing firmly on traditional interpretations of doctrine.
- Emphasis on Personal Conversion and Testimony: A hallmark of the Remnant Church here is the value placed on personal salvation and the born-again experience, often encouraging strong evangelistic efforts.
- Independent Community and Accountability: Many groups form small, accountable communities where personal holiness and mutual discipleship are prioritized, sometimes operating independently from larger congregational networks.
- Mission and Evangelism: The Remnant often has a strong focus on outreach, seeing themselves as called to a unique role in spreading the gospel authentically, without institutional support.
4. Restorationist (LDS, Christian Restorationist)
Within Restorationist traditions like the Latter-day Saints (LDS) and other similar movements, the Remnant Church is typically concerned with returning to the earliest practices or “restored” teachings of the church:
- Commitment to Foundational Teachings: Emphasis on the teachings of early leaders or prophets, often with a return to what is seen as the original tenets of the movement, resisting modern adjustments.
- Personal Revelation and Direct Relationship with God: The Remnant in this context might stress personal revelation, encouraging members to rely less on hierarchical structures and more on individual communion with God.
- Emphasis on Simplicity and Community Values: Smaller groups may favor a simpler worship style and more rigorous personal discipline, prioritizing a lifestyle that reflects early Restorationist ideals.
- Focus on Prophetic and Apocalyptic Themes: There may be a heightened awareness of eschatology, emphasizing the imminent return of Christ and the need to live a life of purity and readiness.
5. Charismatic and Pentecostal Traditions
In Charismatic and Pentecostal churches, the Remnant Church tends to prioritize authentic spiritual experience, often viewing itself as a return to the early church’s charismatic expressions:
- Pursuit of Spiritual Gifts: There is a strong focus on gifts of the Spirit—such as prophecy, healing, and speaking in tongues—as essential markers of genuine faith and empowerment by the Holy Spirit.
- Radical Discipleship and Fervent Worship: The Remnant often embraces a more intense form of worship and lifestyle, with practices of fasting, prayer, and worship that seek deeper encounters with God.
- Focus on Revival and Evangelism: Remnant groups within these movements often seek to reignite the church’s mission, holding revival meetings and emphasizing personal conversion experiences.
- Critique of Prosperity Theology: Many in this remnant critique the “health and wealth” gospel that can sometimes pervade charismatic circles, calling for a return to simplicity, sacrifice, and humility in following Christ.
Key Characteristics Across All Traditions
- Return to the Fundamentals: The Remnant Church consistently seeks a return to the basics of faith—scripture, prayer, and community—in a way that resists the institutional or cultural compromises that have developed.
- Distinctive Ethical Standards: There is a common emphasis on living out a faith characterized by personal holiness, accountability, and sacrificial love.
- Unified by Purity and Simplicity: The Remnant Church, across all traditions, typically shuns complex structures and resists materialism or the pursuit of power, instead focusing on humility and service.
Each tradition’s Remnant Church seeks to reclaim what it views as essential to its faith’s vitality and purity. Across all expressions, the Remnant Church acts as a moral and spiritual conscience, advocating for a faith that aligns with its understanding of divine principles and the earliest expressions of the church.
The Remnant Church manifests uniquely within each Christian tradition. Its defining features often reflect both the strengths and challenges of each specific structure, yet it remains united by an underlying commitment to authenticity, purity of faith, and often a desire to return to foundational beliefs and practices. Here’s a look at how the Remnant Church might appear across various traditions:
1. Liturgical Traditions (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican)
In liturgical churches, which emphasize formal worship, tradition, and sacramental life, the Remnant Church tends to focus on a deepened personal faith that moves beyond ritual. Often, it manifests as a community seeking renewal through:
- Intensive Devotional Practices: Emphasis on contemplative prayer, frequent participation in sacraments like the Eucharist, and practices of spiritual discipline that foster a direct, personal relationship with God.
- Scriptural and Doctrinal Fidelity: Prioritizing biblical study, often in tandem with church tradition, to bring practices and teachings back to what is viewed as their scriptural roots.
- Simplified Worship and Fellowship: Some groups may meet outside the formal church structure, using simplified forms of worship and community to foster deeper connections.
- Emphasis on Holiness and Personal Transformation: These groups often resist the institutional and hierarchical aspects they perceive as compromising the faith, focusing instead on internal transformation and ethical living.
2. Protestant (Reformed, Methodist, Presbyterian)
Within mainline Protestantism, the Remnant Church often appears as a revivalist or reformist group that seeks to counteract perceived doctrinal drift or secularization, characterized by:
- Focus on Biblical Literacy and Teaching: A commitment to deep scriptural study, with small groups that emphasize exegesis and application of scripture to daily life.
- Grassroots Revival Movements: Often emerging as a response to what they see as declining influence of the church in society, the remnant may form movements advocating personal conversion, evangelism, and public witness.
- Commitment to Social Justice and Mission Work: Groups in this context may view their mission as aligning with Jesus’ teachings on justice, service, and compassion, seeing this as a corrective to overly intellectual or disengaged worship.
- Focus on the Sovereignty of God: Many reformed remnant groups prioritize a return to doctrines of God’s sovereignty, election, and holiness, often critiquing modern worship trends they see as too centered on individualism or cultural accommodation.
3. Congregational and Baptist Traditions
The Remnant Church within congregational or Baptist circles often emphasizes grassroots purity and a strong sense of community accountability, reflecting the independent, decentralized nature of these traditions:
- Biblical Inerrancy and Doctrinal Purity: These groups often focus on a strict adherence to scripture, resisting liberal theological trends and standing firmly on traditional interpretations of doctrine.
- Emphasis on Personal Conversion and Testimony: A hallmark of the Remnant Church here is the value placed on personal salvation and the born-again experience, often encouraging strong evangelistic efforts.
- Independent Community and Accountability: Many groups form small, accountable communities where personal holiness and mutual discipleship are prioritized, sometimes operating independently from larger congregational networks.
- Mission and Evangelism: The Remnant often has a strong focus on outreach, seeing themselves as called to a unique role in spreading the gospel authentically, without institutional support.
4. Restorationist (LDS, Christian Restorationist)
Within Restorationist traditions like the Latter-day Saints (LDS) and other similar movements, the Remnant Church is typically concerned with returning to the earliest practices or “restored” teachings of the church:
- Commitment to Foundational Teachings: Emphasis on the teachings of early leaders or prophets, often with a return to what is seen as the original tenets of the movement, resisting modern adjustments.
- Personal Revelation and Direct Relationship with God: The Remnant in this context might stress personal revelation, encouraging members to rely less on hierarchical structures and more on individual communion with God.
- Emphasis on Simplicity and Community Values: Smaller groups may favor a simpler worship style and more rigorous personal discipline, prioritizing a lifestyle that reflects early Restorationist ideals.
- Focus on Prophetic and Apocalyptic Themes: There may be a heightened awareness of eschatology, emphasizing the imminent return of Christ and the need to live a life of purity and readiness.
5. Charismatic and Pentecostal Traditions
In Charismatic and Pentecostal churches, the Remnant Church tends to prioritize authentic spiritual experience, often viewing itself as a return to the early church’s charismatic expressions:
- Pursuit of Spiritual Gifts: There is a strong focus on gifts of the Spirit—such as prophecy, healing, and speaking in tongues—as essential markers of genuine faith and empowerment by the Holy Spirit.
- Radical Discipleship and Fervent Worship: The Remnant often embraces a more intense form of worship and lifestyle, with practices of fasting, prayer, and worship that seek deeper encounters with God.
- Focus on Revival and Evangelism: Remnant groups within these movements often seek to reignite the church’s mission, holding revival meetings and emphasizing personal conversion experiences.
- Critique of Prosperity Theology: Many in this remnant critique the “health and wealth” gospel that can sometimes pervade charismatic circles, calling for a return to simplicity, sacrifice, and humility in following Christ.
The Remnant Within Adventist Movements
Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church identifies itself as a remnant church based on its adherence to the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17). The SDA interpretation often includes a belief in the Sabbath (Saturday worship) and the prophetic ministry of Ellen G. White. However, even within Adventism, the remnant concept challenges members to go beyond nominal observance.
The true remnant within SDA movements may not be confined to institutional boundaries but consists of those who:
- Uphold a Christ-centered faith, prioritizing personal transformation over doctrinal legalism.
- Live out their faith in humility, focusing on outreach, charity, and the character of Christ.
- Recognize and address areas of institutional complacency or exclusivity, striving for a broader unity within the Body of Christ.
Key Questions for the Adventist Remnant
- Does the remnant prioritize a relationship with Christ over institutional identity?
- Are they living as witnesses of hope, actively engaging with the broader Christian community?
The Remnant Within Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses emphasize the concept of a faithful remnant through their teaching about the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14, whom they believe are the “anointed” who will reign with Christ in heaven. The rest of Jehovah’s Witnesses identify as the “great crowd,” tasked with living faithfully on earth.
The remnant within Jehovah’s Witnesses may consist of those who:
- Seek a deeper understanding of Scripture independent of Watchtower literature, guided by the Holy Spirit.
- Embrace the love of Christ and the unity of all believers rather than emphasizing doctrinal separation.
- Question institutional authoritarianism, pursuing personal relationships with God.
Key Questions for the Witnesses’ Remnant
- Does their faith inspire a spirit of freedom in Christ, rather than fear or control?
- Are they willing to engage with other Christians and find commonality in the gospel?
The Remnant Within the Worldwide Church of God
The Worldwide Church of God (WCG), originally founded by Herbert W. Armstrong, taught a highly exclusivist theology, emphasizing Old Testament laws, holy days, and a unique understanding of prophecy. In the 1990s, the church underwent significant doctrinal changes, transitioning to mainstream Christianity and becoming Grace Communion International (GCI). Despite these shifts, offshoots like the United Church of God and Living Church of God still hold to Armstrong’s teachings.
The remnant within these movements may include those who:
- Recognize the need for grace and the centrality of the gospel over legalistic adherence to rituals.
- Avoid splinter-group exclusivity, focusing instead on unity within the broader Body of Christ.
- Seek to integrate the truth of Scripture with love and humility, avoiding a superiority complex.
Key Questions for the WCG Remnant
- Do they prioritize Jesus Christ as the center of their faith?
- Are they willing to move beyond the isolationism of Armstrongism toward a kingdom-minded approach?
The Remnant Within Christian Science and Unity Movements
Christian Science
Founded by Mary Baker Eddy, Christian Science teaches healing through understanding God and spiritual reality. It has often been criticized for minimizing the role of Christ’s atonement and elevating metaphysical interpretations. The remnant within Christian Science may consist of those who:
- Rediscover the biblical Jesus and His work on the cross as central to salvation.
- Balance the emphasis on healing with the broader gospel message of grace and redemption.
- Acknowledge the limitations of metaphysical doctrine in the face of the holistic truth of Scripture.
Unity Church (New Thought Movement)
Unity movements focus on positive thinking, spiritual healing, and universal principles. The remnant within these movements may be those who:
- Seek a grounding in Scripture rather than solely relying on metaphysical teachings.
- Recognize Christ not just as a teacher but as Savior and Redeemer.
- Strive to reconcile universalist tendencies with the exclusivity of Christ’s claim (John 14:6).
Reflection on the Remnant Across These Movements
The remnant in these traditions represents a call to:
- Return to the centrality of Christ: Amid doctrinal or cultural traditions, the remnant holds fast to the gospel’s simplicity—faith in Christ as Savior and Lord.
- Seek unity in the Body of Christ: While differences in doctrine exist, the remnant emphasizes love, humility, and unity over division.
- Pursue personal sanctification: A genuine relationship with God transcends institutional or cultural boundaries, calling each individual to live a holy and faithful life.
This vision of the remnant calls believers from all traditions into a Free Assembly—a gathering of the faithful from every denomination and background, unified by a shared commitment to Christ, Scripture, and the Great Commission.
Key Characteristics Across All Traditions
- Return to the Fundamentals: The Remnant Church consistently seeks a return to the basics of faith—scripture, prayer, and community—in a way that resists the institutional or cultural compromises that have developed.
- Distinctive Ethical Standards: There is a common emphasis on living out a faith characterized by personal holiness, accountability, and sacrificial love.
- Unified by Purity and Simplicity: The Remnant Church, across all traditions, typically shuns complex structures and resists materialism or the pursuit of power, instead focusing on humility and service.
Each tradition’s Remnant Church seeks to reclaim what it views as essential to its faith’s vitality and purity. Across all expressions, the Remnant Church acts as a moral and spiritual conscience, advocating for a faith that aligns with its understanding of divine principles and the earliest expressions of the church.
Belief Statement for the Remnant Church
Theology
We believe in the supremacy and sovereignty of the One True God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—whose love and holiness are fully revealed through His Word and work in the world. Our purpose is to glorify God by living in faithful obedience, embodying His truth in a world seeking light. We hold fast to the authority of Scripture, which serves as our foundation and guide, revealing the will and character of God. We believe that all who seek Him with humility and a genuine heart will find His mercy, grace, and truth.
Personal Sanctified Salvation
We believe that salvation is a gift of grace from God, offered to each person through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This salvation calls us to a life of sanctification—an ongoing journey where we strive to be more like Christ in every thought, word, and deed. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we pursue holiness, purity, and a transformed heart, rejecting worldliness and embracing a life of love, integrity, and purpose. In this process, we seek to be set apart, reflecting God’s nature and truth to those around us.
The Church
We believe that the Church is not defined by buildings or structures, but by the community of believers, united in Christ. We are called to be a “remnant”—a faithful body of Christ, living in humility, prayer, and deep commitment to the gospel. Our purpose is to serve as salt and light in a dark world, representing God’s truth and love. We seek to model authentic fellowship, accountability, and encouragement, striving together to build one another up in love. We believe that the Remnant Church is God’s instrument for revival, a beacon of hope, humility, and unwavering faithfulness, standing as a testimony to God’s enduring love and truth.
The concept of the “Remnant” in biblical theology refers to a faithful, often small group of believers who remain true to God amidst apostasy or widespread rebellion. Here is a comprehensive list of biblical references to the Remnant:
Old Testament References to the Remnant
- Genesis 45:7 – God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.
- Joseph speaking to his brothers, referring to the preservation of the family line as a remnant.
- Isaiah 1:9 – If the Lord Almighty had not left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.
- God preserves a faithful remnant in the face of judgment.
- Isaiah 10:20-22 – In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
- A remnant of Israel will remain faithful to God and rely on Him.
- Isaiah 11:11-16 – In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people…
- A prophecy of God regathering the remnant of His people from across the earth.
- Isaiah 37:31-32 – Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.
- God promises the remnant will bear fruit after a time of judgment.
- Jeremiah 23:3-4 – I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them…
- God’s promise to regather His people from exile.
- Jeremiah 31:7-8 – This is what the Lord says: “Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations… See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth.”
- God speaks of gathering a remnant of Israel back to their land.
- Ezekiel 6:8 – But I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the nations and countries.
- God promises to spare a remnant during judgment.
- Amos 5:15 – Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.
- Calling the remnant to pursue righteousness.
- Micah 2:12 – I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
- God’s promise to gather a remnant of Israel.
- Zephaniah 3:12-13 – But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in the name of the Lord.
- The humble remnant will be preserved.
- Zechariah 8:12 – The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew.
- The remnant will experience God’s blessing and prosperity.
- Malachi 3:16-18 – Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard… “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession.”
- The faithful remnant will be treasured by God.
New Testament References to the Remnant
- Matthew 24:22 – If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.
- Jesus speaks of the elect or remnant being preserved in the last days.
- Matthew 24:31 – And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
- Reference to God gathering His remnant (the elect) at the end of time.
- Romans 9:27-29 – Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved.”
- Paul quotes Isaiah to show that a remnant of Israel will be saved.
- Romans 11:5 – So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
- Paul affirms the existence of a faithful remnant chosen by God’s grace.
- Romans 11:7-10 – What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened…
- The elect (remnant) are preserved, even as others fall away.
- Romans 11:25-26 – I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.
- The remnant of Israel is preserved and will eventually be saved.
- Revelation 12:17 – Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
- A reference to the remnant who remain faithful to God’s commandments and Christ.
- Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language… they were crying out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
- This is often viewed as a depiction of the remnant from all nations, gathered before God’s throne.
- Revelation 14:1-5 – Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads… They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
- The 144,000, symbolizing the faithful remnant, are shown as being set apart and faithful to God.
Theological Significance of the Remnant
The biblical idea of the remnant serves multiple theological purposes:
- Preservation of the Faith: The remnant signifies the preservation of true faith in the face of apostasy, rebellion, or judgment.
- Grace and Mercy: God’s grace and mercy are often evident in the preservation of the remnant, even in times of judgment. The remnant represents God’s faithfulness to His promises.
- Hope for Restoration: The remnant often points to future restoration, where the faithful group is regathered and rewarded.
- The Faithful Community: The remnant symbolizes those who remain faithful to God’s covenant, often contrasting with the larger society or nation that has turned away from Him.
- God’s Sovereignty: The preservation of a remnant highlights God’s sovereignty in choosing and sustaining a faithful people.
