The recent events with the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) have had interesting social implications that I believe are worth discussing as a Believer.  The media outlets are acting as if the world has come to an end; some going so far as to dub it “World War 3.” The sands of time are seeming to rewind.  The American people (since I am observing my fellow U.S. Citizens) are quite divided on how to perceive the authorities providing information on COVID-19.  Some dismiss it as propaganda while others take it as Gospel Truth.

Here is the ground work: a rogue virus is killing people throughout the world, deadly for the elderly and immune compromised persons, highly contagious and dormant for several weeks before reveal symptoms.  The U.S. is in a historical condition with a President that had neither military nor political background.  The opposing party has failed several times to impeach this President, has a history of utilizing the media to propel their worldviews and primarily focuses on handicapping individual citizens to obtain greater political and governmental power.  The world super powers are in a struggle to keep the peaceful balance of military and trade.  The population of the planet is nearly 8x greater than 100 years ago.  Technology has advanced so rapidly that annual “revolutions” are now common.  Science is regarded as the ultimate authority for measuring the status, direction and velocity of humanity.  World War 3 is on the horizon as nations try to ignore that every conflict since 1914 is the same struggle with new names.  Religious codes have succumbed to the Post-Modern worldview; pretending to be unique and exclusive while admitting all things are relative.  Education is about utility instead of progress.  Knowledge is about agendas instead of discernment.  Faith is blind instead of seeking the truth.

In this confusion a sinister enemy reared its head: Death.

Social media, your family and every human being is whispering and shouting “COVID-19” but missing the secret ingredient.  Sicknesses are awful for everyone.  No one likes getting sick especially if it has a chance to kill you.  Yet, that is the point.  COVID-19 is not the problem; COVID-19 simply revealed the state of every man: death is coming for you and you cannot get away.  While walking through stores, such as Meijer or Walmart to buy essential items, there is a common look in nearly everyone’s eye: fear.  As you walk by them, they seem to ask “Are you the one to kill me with COVID-19?”  For the first time in my life, I am observing the power of death influencing the masses.

As Christians, where does this leave us?

For the average American Christian, going to church and worshiping God hasn’t been a challenge or struggle culturally.  America was founded with basic human rights, identified necessary boundaries between religion and government and recognized and respected the responsibilities of the individual.  However, there is more to reality than individuals and governments, religion and the state, private property and public property.  This reality is the battle between Jesus and Satan.  The verdict between righteousness and wickedness.  The conflict between the moral and immoral.  The divide between life and death.  The embodiment between eternal and mortal.  The line is drawn.  Which side are you standing on?

Some might find this language melodramatic or hyperbole…look again.  Those that propagate the world’s agenda do not hold back because they understand the stakes.  This life is a battlefield, and you are standing on it.  Do you understand that your soul is at stake?  The soul of your brother, your sister, your father, your mother, your son, your daughter?

This Resurrection Sunday churches were empty and individuals celebrated alone.  I have one question: If you believe Jesus holds power over Death, why did the fear of Death keep you from celebrating Jesus’ victorious Resurrection?  What is the mortality rate among human beings?  100%.  100% of humans die; today, tomorrow or 50 years from now, but you will die.  If you have not made peace with the reality of Death, you are not ready to follow Jesus.

On gathering together, church leaders were provided ample opportunity under U.S. law and Biblical authority to keep meeting.  Using “social distancing” as the justification to close churches is complete crap.  There is a huge range of adequate, wise and proper fellowship in the church building between “all” and “nothing.”  Instead of considering it their duty to continue meeting physically with precautions (providing gloves, masks, sanitizer), churches voluntarily gave up the right to meet physically in the face of social pressure.  What other rights are church leaders going to give up next?

While I understand individual families choosing to not attend church, it is a catastrophic and detrimental failing of church leadership to close the doors. In Michigan(I cannot speak for other States), it is still legal to meet. However, most Churches closed at the mere suggestion by government officials–prior to the “stay at home” Executive Order. To quote Joker, “What happened? Did your balls drop off?” Let members of the congregation choose individually whether to attend. Is the fear of a lawsuit so terrifying that pastors won’t risk meeting? Did anyone even read the official document or just take CNN as Gospel Truth? Where are the men of righteousness?  C.S. Lewis was right! Men without chests! “We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise.  We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”  Complete and utter cowards hiding behind pathetic (and unverified) rumors that Death is knocking on your door.  When did the wisdom of this world override the wisdom of God?  When did science take control of your view of God?  Is knowledge your idol and ignorance your symbol?

Do you think this is a stand alone incident?  Open your eyes and see the conflict around you!  First abortion took hold of this country, then homo-sexuality became the status-quo and now churches say social media is “adequate fellowship.”  Do you not see the line being pushed?  Your Gospel has been rewritten while you hypnotically nod to the world’s social conformity because they put you to sleep.  Wake up!  Your destruction is upon you!  The knife is at your throat!  Do you hear Wisdom crying in the street?  Or have you dismissed her so long that she ignores you in times of trouble?

Repent and open your eyes!  Pray for mercy and turn towards righteousness!  Today the American people revealed the fruitless nature of their faith in Jesus’ victory over death.  “Be strong and courageous!”  Rise, take hold of the truth and show the world our Savior’s power.  Today, more than all others, was the chance for the American church to stand united as one Bride under Jesus Christ only subject to Yahweh Almighty.  Instead, we hid, divided under science and subject to man.  You are giving a testimony; but are you testifying to Jesus’ or Death’s power?

For years there has been a call to purify ourselves in the church; to cast off all immorality and lawlessness among us.  Yet, the church ignored the Lord’s voice.  Now, as church members fornicate, homosexuals give communion, pastors gossip among the congregation, members compare self-righteous works, children rebel against their fathers and the Bride of Christ turned into a whore for the World’s pleasures, God revealed her nature.  The church stood on her self-righteous pride and the secular world called out our hypocrisy.  Today revealed the truth!  Who sang “Oh Death, where is your sting?”  The church did not defend the Resurrection: the very thing that makes us different from the world!  Today the World found cause to blaspheme God because the Church abandon her Betrothed in His moment of Glory.

Pastors!  Are you so scared of the immature and unbelieving among your congregation that you folded under the social pressure?  Where is Elijah?  Where is Moses?  Where is Paul?  Where is Peter?  Where are the church leaders willing to go homeless and poor for the sake of defending Christ’s resurrecting power?  When did the fear of man outweigh your fear of God?  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!  Foolish man!  Do you not see the wrath you have stored up for yourselves?  Was the project to expand your building worth it?  Was the weekly concert and theatrical reading worth the cost?  The Owner has come to collect the Talents, is yours still buried in the sand? 

Church leadership is supposed to defend the flock against the enemy and model Christ for the congregation. Do you think you are protecting us by abandoning us to the fear of Death?  When the government tells you to turn in your children for “reeducation,” gathers you into facilities for psychological evaluation, mandates unspecified vaccines for phantom sicknesses, produces films with alternate histories, burns Bibles because the Online Bibles are “more accurate translations,” replaces physical money with electrical pulses on your hand, regulates interaction for health concerns and convinces you its for the “greater good,” will you send the flock blindly to the slaughter to save your own skin?

And oh Libertarians!  What happened to your liberty and defiance of governmental control?  Where did your courage hide when the State locked your rights away?  Did you even whisper a protest?  Did you make it to the court room?  How did all your hypothetical scenarios of bravery actually play out?  Wake up people of the church!  There is no strong foundation in the philosophies of man!  Oh Revolutionary!  Did your guns save you from martial law?  How many rounds of 44mag did you shoot at the Communist invading your home?  Has reality hit you yet?  Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and authorities of Satan which hold sway through lies and deception!

My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, where is your hope, courage and joy in this time when the world is stricken?  Where are the angelic voices praising God because this fight against Death is already won?  COVID-19 is not about physical health, social reform or political gains.  COVID-19 is here to reveal condition of every man and woman’s heart towards God.  Are you born again into Life, and Life Abundantly?  Or is your Christianity just a Facebook post and traditional habits?  Everything is going to burn in the end.  God is a consuming fire.  Are you purified gold or chaff lost in the flames?  It is time for the church to wake up.  Repent, seek the Lord’s face and cling to Jesus our Hope for our Salvation draws neigh.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, King Jesus the Messiah.