Thanks for the Remnants

As an elementary student at the local public school I sang the hymn, "Come Ye Thankful People Come" each Thanksgiving season. God's final judgement of the world is the theme of that hymn. At the time I was not yet a believer, but coming from a Christian home I never questioned any of the teachings of Christianity and had no doubt about the truth of what I was singing. Later, as a teenager, the Holy Spirit began to convince me of my own sin as well as the coming judgement before a holy God. Over the period of the next few months I was brought to a place where I cried out to God to rescue me, through his son, Jesus Christ, from the judgement which I deserved.

I couldn't possibly list everything God used in my life to bring me to repentance, but I am thankful that I grew up in a culture which still retained remnants of a Christian culture. That culture has nearly been replaced by one which is unfamiliar with basic Christian truth.
Believers sometimes find it easy to dismiss the influence of a Christian culture on the conversion of individuals by saying, "An omnipotent, gracious God can save sinners apart from any particular circumstances." Obviously he can, but he has chosen to draw people to himself through their particular personal and cultural circumstances.

The kind of culture we live in does make a difference to us and our neighbors. It's not just our present well being which is at stake, though that itself is important in God's plan for the world. Our unbelieving neighbors can benefit eternally from living in a culture informed by the Scriptures. When concepts like sin, guilt, judgement, redemption, repentance, forgiveness, etc. are commonplace in a culture it becomes easier for them to understand the life giving gospel of Christ. I know that from my own experience. Thank God for the remnants of Christendom.