Nine Theses on COVID

 1. God is sovereign over COVID

This is not in the news at all. The secular worldview of the CDC, WHO, Dr Fauci, the medical community, and the media, affects the way they tell us about COVID. People want to think THEY are sovereign over COVID. “We can beat this,” is the common expression of this credo. If you just wear a mask you won’t get it, is the assumption. Hmmm. Keep God in this picture. God is sovereign over COVID, not mankind. RC Sproul liked to say that not a single atom moves in the universe without God’s say-so. Much less a COVID strain in the human population.

2. Do what you can to avoid spreading germs to others

We always qualify the doctrine of sovereignty: we are not talking about fatalism. It isn’t that there is NOTHING you can do. A heightened awareness of germ spread, to be kind to others, is a good thing.

3. Be gracious with each other

The extent to which masks are useful, or to which we change our lives for mitigation, is the big dispute. On a scale of 1 to 10, one being “live as normal, but stand a little further apart and shake hands less”, 10 being “don’t ever gather with more than 8-10 people and always wear an N95 mask,” I’m personally around a 2. Since none of us really knows the extent to which we have control over COVID, we need to exercise grace with each other. Maybe you are a 6 on the scale, and the medical reality is a 7. I shouldn’t condemn you for not being closer to my 2 view, when I don’t know for certain. Same for your opinion!

4. Filter COVID news carefully

I DO know the media presses you to be a 10 on the scale, and I’m sure that is not helpful.

I would cautiously argue that the closer to 10 you are on the scale, the more you are taking on the secular worldview that you can manage and prevent exposure to the virus. It’s also true that the closer to a 1 you are on the scale, the more fatalistic you are tempted to be. I know I’m tempted to ignore COVID, to live as usual, and let God sort it out. I need to pay attention to earthly means God has given (applied medical knowledge) to love others.

5. More of our acquaintances are getting COVID

As this happens, we may be more tempted to fear, and to adopt that 10 on the scale perspective. But Pastor [x] being in the hospital does not justify all the draconian lockdowns, or every fearful prediction ever made about the disease. We’ve already been through this with President Trump contracting and recovering fine from COVID. His response: don’t live in fear of it. 47.2% of the country, his 74 million voters, seem to agree. The media’s response: what is he TALKING about, of COURSE we should be afraid of COVID!! 51.1%, 80 million voters for Biden (Mr. Long Dark Winter), agreed with THAT.

6. COVID is seriously harmful and lethal to a small minority

I’m not saying there is NOTHING to fear from COVID, nor denying the severity of some cases, nor the extensive after-effects for many who survive it. But the scale of deaths and scars from it is much lower than we assume. This is the media-reporting effect: every rare plane crash is reported, so people think planes crash more than they do. Same with severe COVID cases. Should we alter our lives drastically for a tiny minority?

7. Contracting COVID is not the end of the world for the vast majority

Society’s main priority right now is to not contract COVID. Either out of fear of dying, or from a more pragmatic worry of “I don’t want to be out of work and my kids out of school for 2 weeks.” Is it wise to have this be our highest priority? Absolutely not. Worshiping God together is higher. Gathering with family for the holidays should be higher. General social interaction, even if modified, should be higher. Pray for wisdom in assessing risk. Avoiding exposure to COVID should be a higher priority today than exposing ourselves to a cold or the flu a year ago, but it shouldn’t be the absolute end goal of our lives, either.

8. Expect to get COVID – you, or a loved one, or someone at church

This will change your perspective. EXPECT it. What if all your efforts can’t stop God’s will that you contract COVID? As your pastor, I expect one of us to get COVID in the next 1-3 months. WHEN we do, do not freak out. It is not necessarily a judgment on you for your selfish, non-10-on-the-scale behavior. “Who sinned, this man or his family, that he contracted COVID?” (See John 9:2) Our media is very censorious, moralistic and judgmental over this. They assume if you got COVID, someone defied some restriction orders. “If only you would LISTEN to us!...” No, let God be your judge, not their standard. As our culture becomes more secular and pagan, they will become more irrational and superstitious in this way. Resist thinking like them. Your friend didn’t necessarily get COVID because they weren’t vigilant enough to wear a mask. At the same time, there is such a thing as being reckless.

9. Last pastoral exhortations

a. Trust your future to God, not your own plans. 2020 went off the rails, we like to say. From a Biblical worldview: Proverbs 19:21: “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” God will do many things in your life that you don’t expect. Take 2020 as exhibit A.

b. Pay attention to unseen ways to love your neighbor. Sometimes doing something inconvenient and unnecessary, like wearing a mask, IS a way to love your neighbor. This is a higher commandment than exercising your freedom – our Lord Jesus said so Himself. There are times we choose between exerting our constitutional rights, and willingly forfeiting them to love our neighbor.

c. Be patient with everyone, especially civil, church, and school authorities, and businesses you patronize. They have a tough job right now. Encourage them instead of criticizing.