Coronavirus and the Christian
By Dean Honeycutt
Mitchell County
Is God able to preserve me?
I would like to draw your attention to 2 Timothy 4:18 (KJV 1900)
18 “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
The Apostle Paul is doing the talking here, and he says God “will preserve me.” The word preserve here is the same word we use to describe salvation, to rescue, or to deliver. In this context, the word preserve is future active indicative meaning not only has God saved Paul today, but will continue to preserve Paul’s life until he goes to heaven. Paul could endure the hardships of serving Christ because his life is in God’s hand. Do you believe your life is in God’s hand?
In other words, when we are saved God rescues our life. While on the cross the mob yelled at Jesus “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself.” Jesus did not rescue His life from the cross, so He could rescue my life.
So, I cannot save my life and I cannot preserve my life. Jesus has already done that. If I cannot save my life the only thing, I can do is lose my life for Christ.
Right now, our instructions or directives are Stay apart 6 feet, wear a face covering, stay at home, do not be in crowds of ten or more. And we know that people who are in contact with someone who has coronavirus may get sick.
These are not bad directives, but are they always necessary for a Christian and could they possibly cause anxiety and fear?
God’s word tells us to minister to people, pray with people, lay hands on people, fellowship with people, gather with people, and witness to people. Am I to temporarily suspend my Christian directives for a time to comply with what institutions are telling me to do?
This has been very conflicting for me as a pastor and I have not been able to fully comply with our state mandates. Does this mean I do not have wisdom, or lack intelligence or tempting God?
If you think about wisdom in that way David would have never fought Goliath, Moses would not have crossed the Red Sea, Peter would have never walked on water, and Paul would have never been a missionary.
An eighteen-year-old girl from Georgia jumps out of a plane in a tandem parachute attempt. The parachute does not open properly and spins out of control the reserve parachute is deployed too late. And both the young girl and 35-year-old instructor die.
Both the teenage girl and instructor were taking a known risk jumping out of an airplane. The instructor had probably made hundreds of successful jumps. Many people have died from failed parachute attempts. The young lady probably signed some type of waiver releasing the parachute company of any liability. Knowing the risks did not stop either of them from making the jump.
Trusting God during this pandemic is not like jumping out of an airplane with an instructor taking a risk trusting everything goes well. With a possibility, there may be a problem. That is not faith, but this is the way many Christians are living in this pandemic. We are afraid something is going to happen to us outside of God’s control. And that causes fear.
Look at a couple of examples. First Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3:16. They are living for the Lord and their faith is put to the test. They are thrown into a fire.
Second Stephen also a man doing the Lord’s work in Acts 7:56. Stephen is stoned to death. Answer the following questions about these two events.
- Are both men living for the Lord?
- Are both men’s lives put at risk of death?
- Does God love one less than the other?
- Do both men see Jesus?
- Are both men willing to die for their faith?
- Does God receive the Glory in both events?
- Can I trust God through this pandemic with my Life?
I want to show you something about the word preserve and save or rescue.
- The Lord Jesus did not save Himself so He could save you.
Luke 23:35 (KJV 1900)
35 “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.”
- Jesus Christ saves people from sickness.
Matthew 9:22 (KJV 1900)
22 “But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”
- Jesus Christ will preserve me.
2 Timothy 4:18 (KJV 1900)
18 “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
The God who saved your soul is the God who heals you when you are sick and manifests himself in your life for His glory. Just like the people in the Bible.
Continuing to be the church is not about bravery or courage on my part, it is however about trusting God.
If God brings you to it, He will get you through it.
You can read more from Dean Honeycutt HERE.
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Pastor Dean Honeycutt shepherds Snow Hill Baptist Church in Bakersville, NC. He may be reached at 828-385-0213, snowhillbaptist@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.snowhillbaptist.com.
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