A Christian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
By: Tim Davis
Tags: Coronavirus, Disease Outbreak, Covid 19, Christianity, Christian Living

Trials, tribulations, and suffering are all a part of the Christian experience. If you don’t know that already, just wait. They’ll eventually come to you — no matter how far along you are in your Christian walk. As J.I. Packer writes in Knowing God, “There is nothing unnatural, therefore, in an increase in temptations, conflicts, and pressures as the Christian goes on with God — indeed, something would be wrong if it did not happen.”

And 1 Peter 4:12–13 tells us, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” Suffering is to be expected, and even welcomed, because it produces perseverance, character, and hope (Romans 5:4).

Add to that, as Christians, aren’t we supposed to be a living sacrifice, walk as Jesus did, and even surrender our bodies to the flames for the sake of God’s love? The answer: yes, yes, and yes! Christ is our life, and we live fully in Him. In fact, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). The apostles and the early Christians knew this well. Their lives were often fully spent and even cut short for the sake of Christ. They knew their lives were nothing compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Christ Came to Save Our Souls Not Our Bodies

In our “name it, claim it” Western Christian culture, some Christians believe they’ll encounter less suffering or problems than unbelievers. “Just pray for healing and trust God, and everything will be ok.” That’s just not the case. Simply ask Christian missionaries or Christians in other countries who face persecution and poverty every day. The truth is, Jesus came to give us eternal life not to ease and comfort. He came to heal our broken spirits forever not to heal all our diseases and eliminate suffering.

Lately, as I’ve considered the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, I’ve thought about something C.S. Lewis wrote in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. When Lucy asks if Aslan (an image of Christ) is safe, Mrs. Beaver responds, “Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe, but he’s good.”

That is a very hard pill to swallow, isn’t it? To believe in a God who loves us dearly and saves us eternally, but still allows suffering for a greater purpose (one that we may not know until we’re in heaven). How do we move forward in trusting a personal, gracious, and amazing God even if we don’t know what tomorrow brings? Well, the truth is, it’s always been that way. We are rarely aware of the viruses and hidden problems that war against our bodies and souls. Yet, God still remains in control.

How to Respond to the Coronavirus Pandemic

You may be asking, “What does this have to do with the current COVID-19 pandemic?” If you are like everyone else in the world, a certain amount of fear has gripped you lately. How can it not!? Based on what we hear in the media, the drastic drop in the stock market, and the vanishing toilet paper in the grocery stores, you’d think the apocalypse is upon us. If we don’t think reasonably or allow God’s peace to fill us, we could give way to fear and bad choices (ones that don’t align with what God desires). Essentially, there are two ways a Christian can go wrong in responding to the novel coronavirus outbreak:

Response 1: I’m not scared of the virus.

Good for you! And you shouldn’t be. God calls us NOT to fear. We are more than conquerors in Christ! For these Christians, it may be tempting to “walk through the fire” and even throw caution to the wind. It’s as if they’re displaying their unwavering bravery and rock-solid trust in Christ.

I get it! After all, I opened this article writing about dying to oneself, living like Christ, and even embracing suffering. Still, God calls us to be wise too. You’re no less of a Christian if you choose social distancing. In fact, it could be an act of love — especially if you have the virus and live with other people. I’m sure they probably don’t want you to spread the coronavirus love throughout the house!

Here’s another point to consider. God does not always call his people to walk into adversity and suffering. In fact, sometimes he wants us to avoid it. Consider this:

An angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. (Matthew 2:13)

The magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. (Matthew 2:12)

Paul was let down in a basket to escape his prison cell. (2 Corinthians 11:33)

Paul was let down in a basket to escape his prison cell. (2 Corinthians 11:33) An angel escorted Peter from jail, past the guards, and out of the city. (Acts 12:5–10)

Jesus walked through a crowd of people who were ready to throw him off a cliff. (Luke 4:28–30)

There are many other examples in the Old and New Testament where God instructed his people to avoid situations that would cause suffering or death. In addition, consider the believers in China, Iran, and other countries that are vehemently opposed to Christianity. Their churches flourish “underground,” purposely meeting with each other in secret. There’s nothing wrong with playing it safe. Even the bravest Christian wouldn’t simply walk off a cliff, believing God would save him.

Response 2: I Need to Hide in a Hole

I assume this is by far the most common response to the coronavirus scare. After all, nobody really wants to die. Heaven may be a wonderful place, but most of us still have a fear of death (to some degree or another). And pandemics like COVID-19 bring to mind the Black Plague, which killed 50 million people in the 14th century, and the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, which had a death toll between 17 and 50 million.

But stats aside . . . who REALLY is in control here? A wonderful verse in Psalms always gives me comfort as I remember how fragile my life really is:

“Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:25–26)

If you’re someone who deals with fear or control issues, the pull to withdraw and build a safe haven is probably strong with you. Even though social distancing is a good idea at this point, we shouldn’t give in to fear. Christ is our hope, our strength, and ultimately the one who keeps us safe — even if we are surrounded by those who have an infectious disease.

This may sound like a contradiction when you compare it to Response 1, but it’s not. God wants us to be wise in how we respond to the pandemic, yet not fearful. After all, “to live is Christ, to die is gain.” He calls us to be salt and light in the world and to rescue souls who are perishing. That may involve — in fact, it probably will — taking risks and not always playing it safe. So, are you living like Christ? Being wise according to God’s wisdom, but also being an example of His love?

There Is Always Hope

This morning, I opened my Bible Gateway app. I like to read the verse of the day. Today it was this:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

God is our hope. You hear that? Nothing else! Not social distancing, flu shots, face masks, hand sanitizer, or rolls and rolls of ultra-plush toilet paper. I believe in the complete sovereignty of God. Things happen for a reason. Yet, He wants us to make wise decisions guided by the Holy Spirit. Also, we have very smart medical professionals and researchers in the world who know how do deal with pandemics — as best they can. And we’d be wise to pay attention. But ultimately, our hope is in Christ.

I’m so thankful that in times like these (and in all other times) we are in God’s hands. Regardless of what we go through, we can know there is a greater purpose than what we see. As we watch this pandemic spread across the world, pray for those infected and those affected by it. Most importantly, remember God is in control.

I’m reminded of something Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (Job 13:15). My wish is that I’m not slayed any time soon. Yet, there’s something beautiful about that verse. That regardless of what happens to my body, my eternal life is in his hands. And that gives me the bravery I need to respond in love, in wisdom, and without fear.

I’ll let Martin Luther close out this article. His words strike the perfect balance between the two responses I listed. It’s also quite appropriate, because it came during a time when the world was undergoing a deadly plague. Perhaps, we can learn from his apt words: