Did God give Covid-19 to the church?

Did God give Covid-19 to the church? All the calamities throughout history (e.g., Noah’s flood, tower of Babel, plagues of Egypt, Babylonian captivity, the diaspora, the Christian persecutions, etc.) were part of God’s grand design to prepare His people and to disperse them into the world of souls God refers to as His “harvest”.

Luke 10:2 …

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

All these historical events were under the guidance of God. Yes, God uses bad things for His good. The phrase “no pain, no gain” was not coined by the Lord; but it was surely employed by Him many times.

What does this have to do with Covid-19 and the church?

Every time God’s people got comfortable in their lives, they got complacent – every time. God, who is great in mercy and patience permitted opportunities for repentance and revivals by sending messengers. Sometimes, the revivals would occur, but much of the time they did not. In such instances, God would SHAKE UP His people by bringing them heaps of trouble for which they could not resolve without His help.

Covid-19 and the church??

Did God give Covid-19 to the church? The book of Revelation is a prophetic letter written by John, the last remaining Apostle. It graphically lays out the future of our entire universe in amazing colour and detail. The first 3 chapters focus on the current “Church Age” that we have been a part of for the past 2,000 years. Seven letters were written in chapters 2 and 3 and addressed to 7 churches contemporary to John in his day.

However, these 7 churches also represented 7 historical stages that Christ’s church would go through (this double referencing is common to Bible prophecy). We know that these were historical stages because the rest of the book of Revelation is laid out in linear chronological fashion.

The last church type is the Laodicean church. It is known as the church of the people. Regrettably, all churches should be the church of the living God, not the people. For decades now, I have heard men preaching fiery sermons against our current church age and warning of how complacent we have become.

Covid-19?

It took a pandemic for this to fully expose the dire condition of Christ’s church. For a long time now, churches have stopped witnessing to the outside world and have turned inward upon themselves. Despite Christ’s command to go out into the world, the church has focussed its witnessing to the lost by inviting them to come into the church. As a result, we have built “seeker sensitive” church services rather than Saviour sensitive services.

The church was always meant to be for Christians who were saved, baptized, and voluntarily added to the church membership roll. There are New Testament passages that focus on disciplining individuals out of the church, but many current Bible churches aren’t even aware of who their fellow members truly are.

Visitors have always been encouraged to come and hear preaching at the typical church service; however, this eventually shifted the focus from training believers and instead focussing on using the services to evangelizing the lost. Over time, the churches discovered that through entertainment and political correctness, they could draw larger crowds. Church members were happy with the entertainment, programs, and fellowships, while at the same time feeling that they had fulfilled their Great Commission commitment by inviting others out to their meetings.

Churches even learned how to be accepted by the ever-growing secular humanism within their society.

Listen, as God explains our current church age:

Revelation 3:14-19…

14) And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Now Covid-19

Did God give Covid-19 to the church? As mentioned earlier in this editorial, God’s patience eventually wears thin, and He takes action. Our inward-looking Seeker Sensitive / Believer Entertaining / Politically Correct churches need to be exposed for their error.

This one tiny virus has rapidly spread throughout the earth bringing down economies and health care systems. The churches’ response? Don’t close us down we are essential! Essential to who? To its members? To those lost in sin?

It is no secret that today’s standard Bible believing church has become a social club with a time of preaching and prayer (don’t believe me, read Revelation 3 again). We have focussed on influencing our towns with a way of life rather than sharing with them THE way of life! We have become more interested in who our government leaders are than who our GREAT GOD is that sets up our government leaders.

When our governments issued decrees to limit our services, God was in charge. He always has been. God is using His political leaders (whether democratic, despot, or communist) to SHAKE UP His church and get out the gospel of His Son Jesus Christ. This is exactly what has happened.

Here’s what is truly amazing

Bible churches have spread more of the gospel message to the world through government lockdowns than they were doing before Covid-19 hit. It is true! Many churches that have been operating only through a “come to church” evangelizing were forced to get out on the Internet and preach outward to the world.

Also, the church members have had to take a serious look into why they exist. They had to justify their importance to the world and as to who they truly answered to. Is our strength found in the church service or in Christ? They are not the same thing!

So, think about it

Has the past year under Covid-19 restrictions made you a stronger Christian? Have you found yourself digging deeper into God’s Word to find answers? OR have you turned further away from God and become another voice demanding the government do something.

God’s SHAKE DOWNS are divisive and decisive. To those turning to Scripture for understanding – Amen! To those turning to government – Revelation 3…

18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

How about one more example?

The Bible specifically shows of a time when Christians were permitted by God to be persecuted. This was not a lockdown from having a church service with more that 10 people in attendance. This persecution led believers to lose their homes, occupations, communities, and even their lives.

Take a look at Acts 11:19-21…

19) Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

20) And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

21) And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

The scattering of the church led to a great number of new converts! These churchgoers didn’t rebel against government or even demand their rights. They rolled with the punches and preached the gospel!

How do we fair today with our persecution of Covid-19? Did God give Covid-19 to the church? I’d love to hear your comments – mike@macdonaldpost.com.