What is the Remnant Principle?

(By Pastor Mark Fontecchio)

Question: What is the remnant principle?

Answer: The remnant principle, as seen in Scripture, is that historically God moves in the minority. This can be seen all the way back with Noah, in Genesis 6–7. Noah and his family survived, but everyone else perished. Genesis 18–19 once again reveals the remnant principle to us with Abraham and Lot. Or, consider the nation of Israel; it was the minority of the people who came back from exile because most of the Jewish people had turned away from God.

Think of the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount where He said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13–14). Surely in our day we can witness the principles of these words, as most people during the Church Age reject salvation found in Christ. As we look forward in time, we recognize that even in the Tribulation the vast majority of people are going to take the mark of the Beast.

To be sure, there are exceptions to the remnant principle, where pockets of revival breakout. The pages of history indeed account for great revivals taking place, in certain geographic locations, where the majority of people have come to faith in Christ. However, this is still the exception. A quick survey of the people groups of the world demonstrates that most individuals on earth are not believers in Jesus Christ. The remnant principle is a truth of Scripture that will not be reversed until the Second Coming of Christ. Until that time, Satan is the prince of this world and his army is going to have the appearance of the majority.

Postmodernism is forcing churches to take sides. Churches are splitting over issues like open theism, the emergent church, the seeker sensitive movement, and the purpose driven movement. This is a part of the remnant principle that is healthy for the Body of Christ. How much better it is for the Bride of Christ to take a stand for the Savior, rather than just trying to get along with the world and concede to the doctrines of men.