Living the Word
The governor of California issued a “shelter in place” yesterday, as the state grapples with the latest crisis to hit this area. Last summer, we dealt with wildfires that ravaged and destroyed property and lives. The governor stated yesterday that half the population of California could become infected, which is 20 million people. Is this a sign of the end times? Where are we headed? What is next, martial law?
Many Christians, including Adventists are pointing to Revelation and other passages of the Bible to support the belief that these are indeed signs of the end times, and that we are living in the very last moments of earth’s history. Others, are not so sure that this is the end times. Self-proclaimed apostolic prophet Chuck Pierce of Texas does not believe we are in the end times. In an article in the Washington Post on March 17, he states, “No, the Lord’s shown me through 2026, so I know this isn’t the end of time.” Also, in the same article, Jeff Kinley, author on bible prophecy from Arkansas agrees that what we are seeing now is not a fulfillment of Revelation 6:8. We will come back to these end time prophets in just a bit, but first, I’d like to talk about faith and keeping church open for corporate worship.
I serve a 3 church district in northern California, so I use about 10 lay preachers. When I informed the lay preachers that our churches will be closing for the time being, one lay preacher was upset and disappointed. His response was, “if we are a people of faith, why cancel church? I think Satan wins when we close our church doors. People need the Lord now more than ever before.” Ecclesiastes 3:7 says that there is a time to keep silent and a time to speak. I have not responded to his message, but I will, once I gather an informative and kind response. If I would have responded immediately, I might have said things I would regret.
Does closing church doors at this time indicate a lack of faith in God? There are a few out there who suggest keeping church doors open at this time of pandemic is a sign of faith in God. They suggest that God’s people, especially Adventist, should be the head and not the tail. We should be at the forefront of optimal health, and if we practice God’s health plan, then we will not succumb to the illnesses of the world. We can show the world at this time of pandemic that following God’s health plan in the Bible will immune us from disease. All of those ideas can be valid statements regarding the Adventist health message. Seventh-day Adventists do have the health message which is the right arm of the gospel (Counsels on Diet and Foods, chp 3). This is an opportune time to share with the world, what God has prescribe for healthy living.
However, keeping our church doors open during a pandemic and stepping forward in faith in God cannot be connected as a sign of faith. Take for example, the Pentecostal church that practices a rare, century-old Christian tradition of worshiping God with venomous snakes like timber rattlers, cottonmouths, and copperheads. They cite Mark 16:17-18 and Luke 10:19 as evidence of God’s protection over venomous serpents. Are they practicing their faith in God?
A simple reading of Mark 16 and Luke 10 shows even to the casual reader that those passages are referring to the spiritual battle between good and evil, between light and darkness. So snake handlers claim to have faith, but some get bitten and some die. Of course, the smart ones have anti-venom in their pockets, just in case.
One response to churches opening at this time has gone somewhat viral, at least on my Facebook feed.
Leviticus 13 is what came to my mind when my lay preacher suggested that our churches stay open as a sign of faith in God. When dealing with a medical illness, God’s health plan to is isolate and quarantine the individual with the illness. Seven days was the time period and the priests were to examine the person. This health plan provided for a healthy body of believers, who lived and worked closely with one another. Remember, Israel was to not only be a spiritual representative of Yahweh to the neighboring pagan nations, but also health representatives.
Now, what about isolating someone who is spiritually sick? Does the Bible speak on that topic? In 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, the apostle Paul advises the church leaders to remove the member who is practicing sin. Verse 11, he says, “do not keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.” The name “brother” would be member for us today. So Paul is saying, disfellowship from the church records, the one who continues in sin and refuses to give up living in sin. As you all know, the practice of disfellowshipping in church discipline is for the purpose of redemption and salvation to one who is in rebellion toward God. It is done with grace and mercy toward the rebellious one, seeking to bring that person back into harmony with God.
Deuteronomy 19:15-21 talks about putting away the evil one from among you. Why did God command such action? In Exodus 12, God prepared the Israelites to march out of Egypt after 430 years. But first, they had to accept the blood of sacrifice and be cleansed of impurity. So they painted their doorposts and lintel with the blood of the Lamb, ate the Passover meal of roasted lamb with bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. Verse 15 says, “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.”
Did God have a problem with yeast? Here, God was teaching His people about the effects of sin and how it spreads throughout the people like a virus. The leaven represents sin, and God wanted all their sins to be left behind in the darkness of Egypt. Again, isolation and cutting off, the one who exhibits sin in their life. Romans 6:12 says, “therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.”
God knows the deadly effects of sin. God wants us to know just how stupid even the smallest, most innocent sin can be in our hearts. Steps to Christ, chapter 3 says, “Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. Every sinful indulgence strengthens the soul's aversion to God.” God doesn’t want His people to be half-hearted saints. He wants us to be without leaven, without sin. Of course, you all know that we are made righteous by faith in the blood of Jesus. That is another topic for another time. But for now, I want to end with this note.
A human being is made of 3 components: spirit, mind and body. God made us that way so don’t try to fight it. All three of interconnected. If one part, let’s say the mental is not 100%, then it will also affect the spirit and body. If our spiritual life is not 100%, then our other two parts will be adversely affected. “Mind, body and soul benefit from communion with God” (Mind, Character and Personality, vol 2., p. 404). That’s the way we are built.
As we enter the last days of earth’s history, we are called to be a holy and peculiar people (Deut 14:2 and 1 Peter 2:9). The only way we can be His end time witnesses who proclaim the 3 angels’ messages is to teach the Word, live the Word and die for the Word. To teach, means to share with others. Don’t hold (horde) it to yourself. God has given us a special message, 3 angels (Revelation 14), and a health message, the right arm of the gospel. To live the Word means to practice holiness and healthful living. Only those who possess health can be messengers of truth. And yes, to die for the Word, well means to die for the Word. That means to die to self daily, give up your passions, dreams, hopes and desires of this world, and set your heart on the heavenly kingdom. When you do this, as Paul states, then the matters of this world will be insignificant. And there may come a time when I give up my life for the gospel. There may be a time when I will be thrown into prison. But I can count it all joy (James 1:2).