Truth, Lies, and Hope During Coronavirus
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| (Image courtesy of http://christianitymalaysia.com.) |
Needless to say, it did happen here in the USA. At first, I was very sympathetic. I wanted to do the right thing as a Christian, so I encouraged people not to be afraid and to do what the government wanted us to do. After all, the Bible stands true no matter what is going on: "Submit yourselves to the governing authorities, for all authority is instituted by God" (Romans 13). I handled it pretty submissively for the first two weeks.
Then, as I began to witness the hysteria and panic - toilet paper shortages, "non-essential" workers being laid off, plastic shields at my local grocery, mask shortages - I swung near to the other side of the pendulum. This is ludicrous! I thought to myself. I began to see videos and read stories and hear rumors of conspiracy-type theories, and I began to feel a spirit of rebellion rise up inside of me.
Another week passed, and I began to find myself more in the middle. But, one day, when I stepped toward my neighbor and he began to back away when I was outside talking to him, already standing fifteen feet away, I began to really question things. When I found myself cautious and paranoid about others and wondering if they had "the virus," I grew ashamed of the fear I myself was exhibiting.
Yesterday, when I read from a reputable news source about China's powerful connection to the WHO, and when my wife told me the New York Times published an article saying that we might be doing social distancing until the year 2022, I decided enough was enough. I had to do something. So here I am, writing this article that only a handful of people read....
In all seriousness, I have come to this conclusion: while there are some truths surrounding the virus, there are also just as many lies. The way I see it, the truth is that this virus is a pandemic because the world is suffering from it and real people are dying from it. On the other hand, the statistics are slightly misleading and full of media hype. Yesterday, the big news was that the USA was now leading the world in coronavirus deaths, surpassing even Italy. I found myself uttering a big sarcastic wow when I read that! What mainstream media fails to mention is that the USA has a population several times larger than Italy, and that even while America leads the world in coronavirus deaths, that total is only 26,000. I know, that's not politically-correct of me to say only, but think about it: 12 million babies have been murdered this year alone, and yet no one is shutting down anything because of this incredibly more devastating threat. There have been an estimated 140,000 deaths from the seasonal flu this year alone; an estimated 300,000 suicides this year so far; and 1.4 million deaths from smoking in 2020. Yet who is calling for smokers to practice social distancing? Why aren't more governments making smoking illegal?
Now, don't get me wrong. Death is bad. Death is not good. Death is real and it is sad. Death can be scary. But does death require a worldwide shutdown? How about a nationwide shutdown? Viruses will never go away. Do we isolate ourselves from others for weeks, months, or years, until this virus is gone? I must admit, it is getting harder and harder for me to submit to such restrictions - especially when I and others begin to see some of the politicized power moves that the elite world leaders are playing behind the scenes.
There are certainly both truths and lies about coronavirus, and many questions that are left unanswered. Are there globalist elites who want to control the world through fear, so that they can gain even more power and more money? I don't doubt it. I won't write these off as conspiracy theories and I don't think you should either. Jesus himself says that "the love of money is the root of all evil." The desire for more power and money will drive people to do a lot of horrible things.
This season of chaos and coronavirus is not yet over. Who knows when it will be? I don't. There is fear, distrust, panic on one hand that we feel and that our neighbors feel. There is also politically-correct jargon that doesn't help anything, but only prolongs this frightful season. There is also arrogance and disobedience to authority on the other hand. As Christians, we must meet somewhere in the middle, I think. Let's call things what they are, not writing off everything that goes against our world's leaders as conspiracy, but also not joining in with cries of anarchy. Let us be wise and let us be willing to minister to others even though the government tells us we cannot, if it comes to that. We must obey God when government directly goes against God's commands. (Oh Lord, give us wisdom.)
In times like these - when worries, doubts, anger, confusion, and a hunger for truth flurry inside and around me - I like to go back to what I know. Now, what I know might not be much, but it's all I need:
1) God created the world. There was a time when nothing existed except for God, but he decided to declare his glory by creating things - people in his image being the pinnacle of his creation. This creation was meant to declare his glory forever. No death, just glory.
2) Man sinned. Man, deceived by the devil, decided he wanted to be a little god, so he rebelled against God and was cursed. Thus, all humans now suffer pain, hunger, thirst, sadness, and all other unfortunate effects of sin. The worst consequence was death. No longer would God's glory be on full display forever in his creation. Now it was blemished, darkened, and in need of destruction. But God...
3) God is redeeming the world. Though man deserved death and all creation along with him because of its corruption, God did not destroy everything. Instead, he decided to redeem it. This means that he decided to make things right. But he knew that he couldn't make things right using anyone here on earth, for all things on earth were corrupted. So God sent his only Son, Jesus, to redeem the world. By his perfect life he gained the righteousness for the world that it lacked. By his substitutionary death, he died the death that only those who rebelled against God rightly deserved. By his resurrection, he created new life in himself, so that all those destined for death could now have life - and God's glory could live forever in them as he intended!
What does all this mean for me and you right now?
At the end of the day, I must remind myself of this reality: God has redeemed the world through Christ. That reality is both present with us now and it is distant, to be fulfilled in the future. Christ has redeemed us over 2,000 years ago at the cross and in the empty grave. Christ will redeem us in the future when he bursts through the clouds with blinding light, piercing all the earth's inhabitants with its penetrating brilliance; his white horse will gleam; trumpets will sound a fanfare that none has ever heard before; the dead in Christ will rise; and Christ's church will meet him in the air. What a day, glorious day, that will be!
Perhaps you find yourself on the side of the "mainstream media." Yet, by ushering in a new vaccine, you won't create a utopia, and you won't usher in Christ's kingdom. His kingdom is not of this world. We will never create a utopian society on this earth as long as man and his sin are in power. Christ must come. His kingdom is not of this world.
Perhaps you find yourself on the side of the "conspirarists." By "waking" the world, you won't create a peaceful and free society, or bring Christ's kingdom. His kingdom isn't of this world and peace doesn't exist outside of him. Christ will bring his kingdom when the Father tells him, "Son, it's time. Go get your bride."
Perhaps you find yourself somewhere on the fringe or somewhere in the middle: sick, scared, nervous, isolated, lonely, or just flat out exhausted. By worrying you won't add a single hour to your life. By being afraid of death, you won't keep death away. By dwelling on your own circumstances, you won't cure yourself of your loneliness; and you won't find rest in your own self. Look to Christ! He is coming again! And he brings with him the power to make all things right; indeed, he will make all things right! Hallelujah!
In times like these - or when I've had a hard day with disobedient kids, machines that breakdown, when I can't remember things, or I've had a disagreement with my wife - I long for the day when the sin inside of me and around me is forever and absolutely destroyed and done away with. When I feel tired, I long for the day when Christ's kingdom will come and I will mount on wings like eagles and never grow weary again. When I feel sad, I long for the day when Christ will pierce through the clouds and my heart will see the salvation of my God - oh, what joy! When I feel happy and joyful, I long to see my Savior's face to know what true joy feels like.
Until that day, no matter what comes, let us live with this hope: that Christ came into this world to save sinners; that Christ lives even now and is seated at the right hand of the Father; that Christ awaits but a single word from his Father and he will ride swiftly to our rescue; and that Christ is coming again, as surely as you read these words! Amen and amen!
"He came yesterday as the world’s Savior. He will come tomorrow as the world’s Sovereign. Almost two thousand years ago the Lord Jesus Christ said,
'I will come again' (John 14:3).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (J. Vernon McGee).
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