Coronavirus: Why Do You Condemn Your Brethren?

https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-coronavirus-why-do-you-condemn-your-brethren/

Dear friends, recently, it has come to my attention that certain misguided Christians have been rather quick to condemn those churches and pastors who have voluntarily chosen to abide by the quarantines, curfews and social distancing guidelines which are currently being implemented by government entities, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. To be honest, I can’t believe that these misguided people have so easily criticized and condemned their Christian brethren for something which they should not be condemned for at all. Even worse, these misguided — and sometimes self-righteous — Christians are taking certain Scriptures out of context, in order to try to justify their position, such as the following verse which is found in the Book of Acts:

“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Acts 5:29, KJV

Based on verses such as the previous one, these people claim that we should defy the current government guidelines, even going so far as to boast that they would rather die than stop attending church. Some of them have likewise accused these churches and pastors of denying their faith, because they have closed their doors.

However, the fact of the matter is that these misguided brethren are leaving out a very important part of the story in the Book of Acts. If we read more closely, we discover that Peter and the Apostles replied in the manner in which they did when they were specifically ordered to NOT preach in the name of Jesus Christ. This becomes evident when we read the verse which comes before the one that I quoted above, as we see here:

“Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
Acts 5:28, KJV

Obviously, I agree. If a national government or city government were to order us to not preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then, yes, we would most definitely have to go against their wishes, defy their order and continue to fulfill our mission and obligation to preach the Gospel of Salvation in some manner.

However, any level-headed Christian should realize that the current government guidelines are NOT meant to restrict our witnessing endeavors or to shut down our faith. It is not some evil conspiracy to destroy Christianity, contrary to what some Christians may think. Rather, they are simply meant to contain the coronavirus, and to prevent more people from catching it, by keeping people from congregating in large groups. These very same guidelines are being implemented across the board for any large public, social gatherings. Thus, to suggest that we Christians are being singled out is ludicrous fear-mongering to say the least.

To those misguided Christians who are currently grumbling and condemning their brethren, let me ask you something. Did not Jesus teach us to love our neighbors as ourselves? In case you have forgotten, please consider the following group of verses:

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 22:36-40, KJV

“. . . and if ‭there be‭ any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love ‭is‭ the fulfilling of the law.”
Romans 13:9-10, KJV

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Galatians 5:14, KJV

“If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:”
James 2:8, KJV

Please notice that in the previous set of verses, the Apostle Paul writes “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour.” So if you gather in a large church congregation where either you or others may possibly be sick with COVID-19, and someone else is infected because of you, is that not working ill to your neighbor? So, in my view, limiting church attendance right now is in fact loving our neighbors. It is showing preference for the well-being of others, and NOT just for ourselves. Why? Because by temporarily refraining from congregating in large groups in our churches, we are in fact helping to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, and that is the name of the game right now.

Let me also remind you that in South Korea, the first several hundred people to be infected with COVID-19 in that nation were all members of the same church — which is actually a cult — the headquarters of which is in the city of Daegu where the epidemic began in South Korea, as I discuss in my three-part series entitled “Coronavirus: Just the Facts, Ma’am”. In fact, I have a longtime Christian friend who lives in Daegu. Thankfully, he and his wife have thus far been protected from the coronavirus.

Finally, allow me to inform you that if as a Christian, you choose to defy current government requests to avoid large gatherings, then you are in fact in defiance of God’s Word as well which clearly teaches us to obey the powers that be — or “higher powers” — as we can determine by verses such as the following:

“Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.”
Matthew 5:25-26, KJV

“They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”
Matthew 22:21, KJV

“And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.”
Mark 12:17, KJV

“And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.”
Luke 20:25, KJV

“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
Romans 12:18, KJV

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”
Romans 13:1-5, KJV

“These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.”
Titus 2:15-3:2, KJV

“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”
1 Peter 2:11-17, KJV

In conclusion, in light of everything that is happening at this current time around the world, perhaps now is a good time to consider starting some real home-based Churches and fellowships, just as the Apostles and Disciples did during the First Century.

For those of you who may have possibly missed some of my previous coronavirus-related writings, following is a list of everything I have written to date regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that you will find a lot of useful, factual, instructive and Scriptural information in this material. Please feel free to share this list on your own timelines, pages, in your Facebook groups, and on any other social networks where you happen to participate. Thank you so very much, and God bless you!

Bill’s Bible Basics Coronavirus Information Center:

Bill’s Bible Basics Coronavirus Information Center

Bill’s Bible Basics Articles:

BBB Article: “Coronavirus: Just the Facts, Ma’am”:

https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/coronavirus-1.html

BBB Article: “COVID-19, Financial Assistance and Christian Love”:

https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/covid-19-financial-assistance-christian-love-1.html

BBB Article: “Coronavirus: Defiant Christians, Stay Home!”:

https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/coronavirus-defiant-christians-stay-home-1.html

BBB Article: “COVID-19: Exposure Logging and Contact Tracing: Is It Safe?”:

https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/COVID-19-ExposureLogging-ContactTracing-1.html

Bill’s Bible Basics Blog Posts: