California Churches, Christian liberty, and Romans 13

John MacArthur, pastor of Grace Community Church in California, is a crisis figure for the church today.

I believe this moment is filled with nuance – different states in the USA have varying levels of restrictions and exemptions for churches meeting or not during this COVID era.

 

But one thing Grace Community’s statement and actions make clear:

The state cannot forbid the church to meet long term for health reasons, when similar-size gatherings (protests and riots) happen without state penalty.

 

MacArthur’s statement has come under fire for indirectly rebuking churches that are NOT meeting.  I think he has been gracious in his response to this, while also holding firmly to his position.  To me this remains an issue of Christian liberty, whether one may/must go against civil orders forbidding gathering for worship.  Still, I also encourage meeting where the government forbids it in this context.

 

Why?  Because of my interpretation of the COVID data and the political context.  Since it all hinges on these two things, and not a clear reading of Scripture, I must allow other Christians to see these two factors differently than I do.  The news media that people have trusted for decades have become an advocacy arm for a particular (leftist) point of view on both of these points.  (I believe they seek to inflame fear and an aura of crisis until the election, to remove Donald Trump from the Oval Office, while others believe they are more-or-less accurately reporting the facts.  (I speak of the New York Times, CNN, Washington Post, MSNBC, USA Today, probably your local paper, take your pick.)  Because of this, many people have a wrongly informed conscience about who to vote for, and what health practices to follow regarding worship.

 

MacArthur would not be allowing his church to assemble if he thought it threatened their lives.  He talks about the data as a scientific layman and concludes it is not a threat to 99% or more of his congregation.  He is right about that.  You don’t have to be a Dr Fauci at this point to give an authoritative decree on whether or not churches may meet.

 

But this is my view.  For Christians who have been convinced they need to play it extra, extra, extra, extra safe to keep from killing others – okay.  I’ll go the extra mile with you if you insist. 

 

I just wish people would realize how extra of a mile it is.