Why only a holy remnant preserves society
Throughout the Bible and the teachings of the Church Fathers, there is a recurring theme that a holy remnant preserves society from moral decay and divine judgment. This concept — that a small group of righteous individuals can act as a preservative — has roots in Jewish tradition, continues in the New Testament, and runs throughout the history of the Christian church. From Abraham’s intercession for Sodom to the teachings of Jesus about being the “salt of the earth,” the idea of a faithful remnant protecting the world remains relevant.
Today, it speaks directly to a growing divide in the Church over whether personal holiness or political activism is more effective in transforming society. However, the witness of Scripture and history overwhelmingly shows that it is the presence of holy men and women who primarily serve as God’s preservative in a sinful world.
The Jewish tradition of the righteous remnant
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There is an ancient Jewish belief that there are at least 36 righteous individuals at any given time whose presence preserves the world from destruction. This belief finds roots in Jewish mysticism and rabbinic tradition, which speaks of the Lamed Vavniks — 36 hidden righteous people who serve as a spiritual buffer for the world. Even though these individuals may be unknown to society, their faithfulness to God holds back divine judgment.
This concept parallels Abraham’s intercession for Sodom in Genesis 18. In this passage, Abraham pleads with God not to destroy the city if a certain number of righteous individuals can be found. Abraham asks, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23). Starting with 50, Abraham eventually negotiates down to 10 righteous individuals, and God promises to spare the city for their sake. Though God ultimately destroys Sodom because even 10 could not be found, this passage reveals God’s willingness to extend mercy for the sake of a few faithful people.
Furthermore, this story can be extended to include the fact that God only found one man on the whole earth, Noah, who walked with Him, thus precipitating the destruction of the world with the global flood.
Also, Elijah, despairing of the moral state of Israel, believes that he is the only faithful person left who has not worshiped Baal. However, God reveals to Elijah that He has preserved 7,000 in Israel who have not bowed to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). The existence of these 7,000 faithful people shows that God always preserves a remnant, even in the darkest of times, to carry forward His purposes.
Similarly, during the Babylonian exile, we see God using Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, as part of the remnant to preserve the Jewish people and extend God’s kingdom to the Babylonian and Persian empires.
The New Testament: Jesus and the remnant
The concept of a holy remnant preserving society continues in the teachings of Jesus. One of the most famous teachings on this subject comes from Matthew 5:13, where Jesus calls His disciples “the salt of the earth.” In the ancient world, salt was used to enhance food flavor and as a preservative, especially in hot climates where food would spoil quickly. Salt worked by drawing moisture out of the food, preventing the growth of bacteria and halting decay.
By calling His followers the salt of the earth, He was indicating that their presence would preserve the world from moral and spiritual decay and possibly judgment. However, according to Matthew 5:13, if Christians cease to be righteous and holy, they can no longer preserve the world. Their influence is nullified.
The apostle Paul calls the church “children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). The righteous remnant, according to Paul, stands out in a dark world, reflecting the light of Christ and holding back the forces of darkness.
Holiness vs. political activism
One of the most pressing challenges in the modern Evangelical church is the tension between personal holiness and political activism. In today’s climate, there is a growing sentiment that personal piety is ineffective unless it is paired with cultural engagement or political involvement. However, history and Scripture demonstrate that holiness is never a waste of time. Instead, it is often the key to preserving society from moral collapse.
During the collapse of the Roman Empire, the monastic communities preserved Christian faith and knowledge in the face of societal decay. These monks, dedicated to prayer, study, and manual labor, became centers of learning and spiritual renewal, ensuring that the light of the gospel continued to shine even during the darkest times in history.
The Early Church Fathers also embraced the concept of a righteous remnant. In The City of God, St. Augustine argued that the presence of Christians in the Roman Empire held back God’s judgment. He wrote that the holiness of the saints, even amid a corrupt society, acted as a preservative, delaying the full outpouring of God’s wrath.
John Chrysostom believed that just as salt keeps food from spoiling, the righteous preserve society from complete moral decay through godliness and prayers.
The power of intercession and preservation
(From “Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew- Homily 15”)
Scripture also provides multiple examples of the righteous interceding for a sinful world and delaying or preventing judgment. Moses interceded for the people of Israel after they worshiped the golden calf (Exodus 32), and God relented from the full extent of His wrath because of Moses’ prayers. Similarly, in Daniel 9 and Nehemiah 1, Daniel and Nehemiah interceded to restore Jerusalem. They confessed the sins of his people, pleading with God for mercy, which resulted in King Cyrus giving a decree for the Jews to rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem.
James 5:16 reminds us that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” The prayers of the righteous remnant can turn the tide of history. They mediate between God and a sinful world, delaying judgment and bringing about repentance and revival.
The concept of a holy remnant, preserving society, is woven throughout the Old and New Testaments and supported by centuries of Christian teaching. From Abraham’s intercession for Sodom to Jesus’ call for His disciples to be the salt of the earth, we see that God consistently uses a faithful remnant to delay judgment and preserve society from moral and spiritual decay.
Dr. Joseph Mattera is renowned for addressing current events through the lens of Scripture by applying biblical truths and offering cogent defenses to today's postmodern culture. To order his bestselling books or to join the many thousands who subscribe to his acclaimed newsletter, go to www.josephmattera.org.
