I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a time that people were more divided in their viewpoints. Although, I am not talking about politics or elections. I am talking about division in the church of Jesus Christ. And the division comes over Coronavirus and how it should be handled by Christians.
There are those who believe this is the worst virus we have ever seen. It is a deadly plague and all precautions must be taken. There are those who believe that it is no more problematic than the flu. We should carry on the way life was before the virus hit. These are two completely opposite views, and there are many of those who fall somewhere in between. These differences in views have been heightened now that church has reopened and people’s views are no longer secret because we encounter them wearing a mask or going around shaking hands.
Now, let me just say that I do not think our church here is letting these differences divide us. But the potential is definitely there for this being a cause of division within the Body. I have written on this before, but it is so important, I must cover it again. We cannot let Coronavirus be the factor that causes the church to splinter into certain groups. Let’s see how the Scripture tells us to handle this non-theological issue.
First, we are called to serious humility. Let’s all remember we are not infectious disease experts. We do not hold degrees in virology. And this virus is completely new to the world scene. As much as we think our view is the ‘right’ one, I think we can all agree there is much we could be wrong about. That should drive us to being humble and holding our convictions about this with a bit of uncertainty. As Romans 12:3 says, we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. Be humble about how certain you are.
Second, we are called to serious sacrifice. The Apostle Paul dealt with an issue in the church at Corinth about eating meat. Some in the church thought that eating meat from an idol’s marketplace was sinful. Others saw it as just meat. What did Paul say? “If food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again” (1 Cor 8:13). He was willing to sacrifice eating meat completely for the sake of his brother or sister. He didn’t want them to stumble in what they thought was right; in terms of things not directly addressed in Scripture. There is a great lesson in there for us: what am I willing to sacrifice for the sake of my brother/sister? Maybe it is the comfort of not wearing a mask, maybe it is not having a shared meal. Whatever it is, the Lord calls us to serious sacrifice.
Third, we are called to serious preference. That means that the Scripture tells us to do nothing out of selfishness, to put others first, and to not only look out for your interests (Phil 2:3-4). While I may have preferences I would really like to see happen, the Scripture calls on me to put my preferences second to others. The model for this is of course the Lord Jesus Christ, as He would have preferred to stay in heaven, but instead came to earth and died on a cross (Phil 2:5-8). Remember, the way you would like to do things is not the only way to do things.
Fourth, we are called to serious unity. Jesus’ main prayer for all of those who would believe through the apostle’s words (that’s us) was that they ‘may be one’ (John 17:20-21). That should cause us to take note. What kind of things does Jesus pray for? Well, #1 is unity amongst His people. We cannot forget this. The Lord’s desire is that His people be one.
Hopefully this virus does not divide us, but the possibility is there. As we look around and see some in masks and others shaking hands, we must call to mind what Scripture has for us. Exercise some serious humility, exercise some serious sacrifice, exercise some serious preference for others, and maintain serious unity. May this be a time when the church is known for how it came together and not how it came apart.