A Christian Response to COVID-19

Photo by pixpoetry on Unsplash

A global challenge unlike any other

COVID-19 is presenting difficult challenges to people in all parts of society. Leaders are making tough decisions to safeguard individuals and nations, as well as the economies that support them. Necessary restrictions to protect public health are limiting all sorts of group activities for everyone.

For Christians, this means congregations are not able to engage in corporate worship as they have in times past. The emotional fallout is huge. It ranges from simple concern to outright suspicion regarding the motives of political leaders and governments.

Conspiracy theories abound

With the restricting of the ability to gather for corporate worship, some suggest the Church is undergoing governmental persecution. The government, they say, is using and perhaps even promoting, the pandemic as an opportunity to squelch or limit religious freedoms.

Sadly, this is prompting a less than Christian response by many. In fact, some are actually actively promoting civil disobedience. This disobedience displays itself in the willful organizing of such things as ‘worship protests’. Others defiantly meet in large groups at their local churches. Still others openly defy the wearing of masks and the administration of vaccines. This manifests even to the point of openly maligning individuals involved with unsupported theories of conspiracy and intrigue.

Misuse of Scripture as support

To justify such disobedience, some find ready support in offhand Bible references and sketchy theology. One such Scripture is found in Hebrews 10:25. Here, the writer encourages Believers not to neglect fellowship and gathering with other Believers. To obey government restrictions in this case, some Christians say, would be to disobey a Higher Power – God.

This misappropriation of such “cherry-picked” verses is based upon an incomplete understanding of the very nature of Scripture and its use. A big picture view of scriptural instruction, and the Kingdom narrative itself, leaves no such support for outright disobedience of earthly authorities – especially when they are attempting to fulfil their God-ordained responsibility to care for their citizens. (See Hebrews 13:17; Romans 13:1-5; 1 Peter 2:13-17)

Obedience required of all Believers

Christian believers must always maintain the delicate balance of faithfulness to God’s Kingdom between the present time of waiting and the time when it is fully come. Our calling is to demonstrate faithfulness as responsible citizens who love their neighbour as Christ himself taught.

Obeying governmental health restrictions for collective health and safety presents the Church with an opportunity for a unique witness. It is a chance to shine Kingdom light in an increasing darkness. It is an opportunity for the Church to come out of its safety net and into the world to which it is called.

Corporate worship gatherings are important features of Church life, but such a dependency upon them, as some are claiming, displays a lethal flaw in both thinking and ecclesial practice.

Obedience to both God and human government is possible

Current health guidelines permit public gatherings in groups of fifty or less. In addition, home gatherings can take place with ten people or less. Since this is the case, corporate Church life is not stopped. It is simply restricted. This, however, is not unique to church gatherings. The same restrictions apply to many businesses as well.

The complaint from some Christians arise from lack of familiarity, not a restricting of rights and freedoms. People don’t like change. Given Jesus is present where only two or three are gathered in His name, Church can happen anywhere at any time (Matthew 18:20). It is possible for Believers to obey both God and government in this pandemic.

The appeal to ‘prophecy’

A poor understanding of the gift of prophecy and how to determine whether or not what someone is saying is a prophecy is providing ready fodder for persecution claims. Some ‘prophets’ are claiming this is a time of persecution for the church with governments actively working to oppress the Gospel. They claim government is keeping people from the Word of God and Biblical teaching.

The number of such prophecies during this time is both amusing and heartbreaking. It offers comedic relief from the strain of a radically changed world, while seriously damaging the Gospel witness. Jesus is hidden, once again, through foolishness.

The truth is, Scripture and teaching is more accessible in the West today than ever before. Technology, and the freedom to tap into it, is literally at the fingertips of anyone with a smartphone.

Persecution prophecies are nothing new during times of anxiety and duress, but they always seem to gather a following of the ill-informed. The personal responsibility of every believer is to search the Scriptures and to grow in both grace and the knowledge of our Saviour. The Church was never meant to feed on prophecies, even true ones.

A Christian response

To be a disciple of Jesus is to be both a learner and an imitator. The world right now needs to see some hope. If the greatest hope is Jesus Christ and His kingdom, then the Church must get its act together and speak in unity. It must speak life and hope into the darkness by both word and deed. It must behave as Christ did when he encountered fear, sickness, and need.

Local Believers will serve Christ’s Kingdom much more effectively by engaging in service to the community rather than criticizing government leadership and forming yet another protest. There are protests aplenty. However, there should never be another ‘Christian’ protest over such non-essentials as large, familiar gatherings in a building so we can sing a few hymns or choruses.

Be encouraged, my Friends. Lift up your hearts and let us be about the Father’s work. I bid you peace, joy, and hope in Christ’s name. God bless you.