Issues between Covid and Church is an opinion piece by Pastor-Missionary David Cox missionary in Mexico City. Viewing essential issues in church as affected by Corona Virus.
Contents
Introduction
I think that nobody in the last 50-60 years has contemplated what we are experiencing today. Perhaps during the Spanish flu around 1918, there we things somewhat similar. But the event of Corona Virus seizing the world causes special situations and problems.
The need for communion among the people of God
While so many of our church people show so little importance for spiritual communion between church members in the services and before/after, Covid has shown us where we have taken this for granted.
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
There are two problems here: (1) the assembling of ourselves as “church”. and (2) the fellowshipping of ourselves together as brethren in Christ.
Assembly of the local church
The first issue is the duty and obligation of assembling together in the name of Christ. Our health and safety may be a concern, but it should be “our” concern, not the general concern of government, and it should not be barred by government.
This basic right and duty we as Christians have given it up without much of a fight. This is seriously a problem. In essence, we cease to exist if we cannot congregate. Satan knows this and the longer he can prevent it, the harder it will be to return to anything like we were doing before (which even before Covid hit, many “Christians” were not congregating as they should).
Fellowship of Christians together as “church”
We have to admit that God is a genius, and his ways and commands are perfect and work marvelously. The act of weekly coming together in a social community gathering as church has spiritual benefits. First of all, we are concerned one for another. We are blessed by finding out and praying, maybe even helping our brethren in need.
Secondly, we are blessed by our brethren wanting to find out what our spiritual victories and burdens, our needs and desires are.
Thirdly, there is a social support factor in physically being one on one with another person and talking spiritually with them.
Fourthly, hymns encourage our souls.
Fifthly, sermons edify our spiritual lives.
Sixth, we sacrifice financially to support the Lord’s work.
Seventh, we actually do minister one to another in the church.
Internet Services
While we are legally restricted from congregating, the Internet is providing a uniting factor for us to do some or most of these above points. That is, until Satan twists the knife in our backs even more, and he prohibits anything over the Internet.
We need to understand that all of what is going on in the governments of the world is simply things coming to a conclusion as far as the entrance of the Antichrist and the end of times. While I believe that the rapture will be the signal of the end, we are getting very close to it.
Recommendations
In our day (January 2021) we are seeing restrictions on the means of communicating if your position or your communications don’t “fit” with the desires of those in charge. This is exactly what Satan and the Antichrist will be doing in the Tribulation. We need to be faithful to the end. We need to insist on what God tells us to do as Christians. No matter what the cost.
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Pastor David Cox is a missionary. See my ministry updates here.