"When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them." Luke 4:40 (NKJV)
Just last night our President, in order to stop the spread of coronavirus in the U.S., cut off all travel from Europe to the United States effective Friday, March 12th. Prior to President Trump's announcement the World Health Organization declared the situation a global pandemic, sending markets into a 'tailspin.' (reuters.com) The NBA has suspended the rest of the season. "March Madness" won't come to the Benz stadium. Some may ask, ‘What if I get the disease?’ or ‘What if the economy suffers?’ Christians need to pause for a moment and ask another question. What should we who follow Christ think about all of this? If we are to 'take every thought captive into the obedience of Christ,' (2 Cor. 10:5), how do we take these thoughts captive, and think God's thoughts after Him? Here are my initial thoughts in light of Scripture, concerning COVID-19.
1. God is sovereign over the details. It is God who 'works all things according to the counsel of His own will' (Eph. 1:11). 'Whatever the Lord pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places' (Ps. 135:6). God is sovereign over all things in Heaven and on Earth, and it is vain to question His ways (Daniel 4:35). Whether or not we like it, He tells us, 'I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things’ (Isa. 45:7). Of course, this does not mean that He is the author of sin (I John 1:5). In some sense though, Christians should take comfort in knowing that NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING happens by chance, or apart from God's decree, and this includes the coronavirus.
2. Man is responsible for his actions. Peter did not shy away from declaring to the ones who crucified Jesus that they would be held responsible for killing the Lord of glory. In the same breath he also declared that they had done just as God had decreed before the foundation of the world: 'Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death' (Acts 2:23). We may not shirk our responsibilities simply by pointing to God's decree and His sovereignty. Christians are not fatalists, no, we know that God is sovereign, AND that we have the responsibility to do what is right. For His good, wise, and holy purposes, God has determined that the coronavirus reach this level, and yet, we are absolutely right in taken reasonable measures to prevent its spread and contracting it ourselves. In other words, follow the sound advice of medical professionals.
3. Jesus came to heal our diseases. I recently saw that one church cancelled its healing services...wait for it...on account of the coronavirus. Years ago, I believe it was Chuck Swindoll who made the point that if all of these faith healers are legit, then why do they not go to the hospitals and heal those in their beds? I'm saying that the gift of healing was a temporary spiritual gift given to those during the time God was depositing Scriptural revelation. Yes, God is sovereign, and if He chooses to bring healing to someone today, He will! However, let us not forget that when the bible says that by His stripes (wounds), 'we are healed,' there is a truth we are not to overlook, and it is this... Jesus came to bring healing! Ultimately, that healing process will be complete at the last day, at the resurrection, when this 'corruptible' has put on 'incorruption,' when this 'mortal has put on immortality,' and when ‘death is swallowed up in victory!' (1 Cor. 15:54). As he went about healing many during his earthly ministry, Jesus simply gave us an appetizer of what is to come!
4. Our trust ought to be in God. Since God is not only sovereign, but is 'only wise,' (Rom. 16:27), and 'is good to all,' we may trust Him, even if we were to get the virus. This is why Job was able to say 'though He slay me, I will trust in Him' (Job. 13:15). Job knew that God always Has good reason for allowing all that He does, yes, even decreeing, as we say, 'whatsoever comes to pass.' Job took comfort in the fact that even though he were to die, there would still be a resurrection! (Job 19:25,26) The apostle Paul argued, based on these truths about God-His sovereignty, His goodness, and His salvation offered through Jesus Christ-that everything in the Christian's life must 'work together' for his good (Rom. 8:28), and that 'good,' he notes, is to 'be conformed to the image of His Son,' which means God is using all things in the lives of His children to make them more like Jesus, His trusting and obedient Son who brought glory to His Heavenly Father. Even sickness may be used unto this end in the life of the Christian, and the coronavirus is no exception. Eternity and the big picture always put the present in its right perspective. The apostle Paul, who at times had abundance, and at other times had need and sometimes suffered greatly, was able to say, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' (Phil. 4:12-13). This leads to one more thought.
5. Christians can use the coronavirus to witness for Christ. We who believe points 1 through 4 ought not to put these truths under a bushel. No. What an opportunity we have to glorify Jesus Christ! Rachel and I both have taken this opportunity already. Apart from the politics involved in the situation, we ought to be able to point people to the Fall which brings about disease, to the finality of this life, eternity to come, and the Savior who heals our diseases. My wife has done this with our dry cleaner. I took the opportunity to tell my neighbor, that 'while I don't want to get the virus' (man's responsibility!), that 'for me, to live is Christ and to die is gain!' (trust in my sovereign and merciful God!).
So how will you respond to such outbreaks and pandemics? Will you panic or will you trust? Will you act in fear and clam up, or, will you take the opportunity to 'take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,' and give glory to God? Join with me in pointing others to the Lord and Giver of Life!
-Pastor Kevin
(All Scripture quoted using the NKJV)