HAS COVID UNITED OR DIVIDED THE PEOPLE OF GOD?
The Fruit of a Pandemic
Wayne Boyer
We enter 2022 still dealing with the COVID-(20)19 pandemic. No doubt, this pandemic has changed our lives in so many ways and we were hoping we would be done with it after a year that was filled with fear, death, uncertainty, questions, politics, misinformation, restrictions, and isolation. In all likelihood no one has escaped the effects of this pandemic by way of our daily walk and worldview. And why wouldn’t we be affected? This is the first time most of us have ever experienced a pandemic. Unfortunately, in today’s culture everything related to this pandemic seems politicized in some way, resulting in widespread polarization. One may have thought the development of a vaccine might have produced a cause for hope, but even that has become a source of division. I want to suggest that while the world may experience divisive interaction over the pandemic and all that goes with it, the church of God should not – our own small congregation should not. Sadly, this may not be the case. That’s not to say we do not have the freedom to hold different beliefs on divers issues like vaccines, masks, mandates, etc. However, if we do not regard others as more important than ourselves (Rom. 12:10, Phil. 2:3) in how we deal with our differences then we may be sowing seeds of division and compromising unity within the church body.
In addressing the racial debate, Benjamin Watson (2015) explains that, “We each view every event in life through a specific set of lenses. These lenses are crafted from birth, initially affected by our families of origin and subsequently molded by various encounters with the people, paradigms, problems, and places we encounter in life. Race, economics, and religion contribute hugely to shape our worldview; they also bind us into a group identity. And we tend to adopt the attitudes and prejudices of the groups we’re in. . . . ‘Our side’ isn’t usually a viewpoint that we’ve researched objectively or studied extensively, or about which we’ve intentionally weighed the facts. Maybe a few try to do that, but not most of us. We simply hold to a perspective that we feel is right because we’ve been told (conditioned) to believe it’s right. Our group says so. Our family says so. It must be right” (Watson, p. 33, 34). Watson reveals a process that not only exposes our humanity but also applies to many circumstances in our lives. In no way trying to diminish the serious nature of his work on race relations, his understanding of worldview formation even applies to how we have responded to this pandemic.
Do we find ourselves “taking sides” with or apart from our brothers and sisters in Christ over this pandemic? Do we find ourselves quick to express our opinions on social media with no expression of love or regard for the thoughts and beliefs of others? Do we find ourselves in our groups, openly expressing our opinions as if each person in the group agrees with us; having no concern or understanding where another person is coming from? Do we circulate texts and emails without asking ourselves how the message will be received at the other end and if the message will honor Christ in some way? Is it possible we even intimidate others by the forcefulness or our ideas? Conversely, do we find ourselves developing a root of bitterness towards others in response to what we have read or heard? Do we even entertain a desire to withdraw from our church family? This friends, is not Christ-like communication. Simply put, do we truly care how our actions and words will affect our brothers and sisters in Christ? More importantly, is the time, effort, and emotion invested in our arguments stealing away time and energy that could be used to advance the gospel of Christ? Have we elevated the pandemic above the gospel?
With that said, the goal of this article isn’t to persuade you to violate your conscience or suppress your convictions. The goal is not to change your stance on any of the important issues that may threaten our division; but rather the goal is to potentially have you change your stance towards those in the church with whom you disagree. This article was developed out of my struggles to love those with whom I disagree, so I consider myself the primary recipient of this instruction.
Anthony Burgess (Burgess, 2019), a 17th century Puritan pastor preached a series of sermons in his exposition of John 17; in part, calling and appealing to church unity. While he was preaching about unity in the universal church (e.g. Lutherans, Calvinists, etc.) he relays many biblical principles that apply to the local assembly. He reminds us that divisions are a fruit of the flesh. In expounding Galatians 5:19-23 he says, “Divisions and differences are the fruit of the flesh. Love, peace, and kindness are the fruit of the Spirit, thus, a man cannot demonstrate himself to be in the flesh and devoid of God’s Spirit by anything other than a contentious, divisive spirit” (Burgess, 2019, p.51). He goes on to say, “The godly man is full of love, gentleness, and meekness. It is impossible that pride, arrogance, and envying should be the fruit of God’s Spirit” (Burgess, 2019, p.52).
When we examine ourselves (and we should examine ourselves) what kind of fruit do we see? Do we see love, peace, kindness, meekness and gentleness; or is it more like enmity, strife, anger, disputing, dissention, and faction? Paul tells the Corinthians to examine themselves. He says, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 5:19, NASB). Do we conduct ourselves in such a way that we show that we are possessed by Christ, or is it possible we reveal how much we are consumed with ourselves?
Division in the church flourishes when we forget the mission of the church and our obligation to walk humbly before man and God (Micah 6:8). Paul tells the Philippians, “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27, NASB). And later Paul says, “make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Phil. 2:2, NASB). Do you see the theme and purpose here? Paul speaks of “one spirit”, “one mind”, the “same mind”, the “same love”, and “united in spirit” – this unity served “one purpose” and that was “for the faith of the gospel.” Unity makes the gospel attractive to the world around us. This is clearly made known in the prayer of Christ for those who believe in Him. He says, I ask “that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me…I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me” (John 17:21, 23, NASB). “Christ prays that believers may be united among themselves because this opens a wide opportunity for the gospel. By this unity the world may be persuaded that Christ is indeed the true Messiah because He has brought such true peace among His disciples” (Burgess, p. 84).
Have we lost sight of our mission? Have the cares of the world overtaken us? In some likeness to our spiritual freedom, we live in a country founded on the idea of freedom, but have we used our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh or an opportunity to love and serve others (Gal. 5:13)? Has our worldview become shaped by our politics or by our Savior? Has our physical health become more important than our spiritual health? Burgess has a section devoted to “The Rules for Christian Unity” whereby he lays out false remedies and true remedies for the advancement of unity. Under false remedies he lists two extremes of practice: 1) absolute conformity and 2) unbounded toleration. It’s worth noting and applying (by principle) what he says in relation to absolute conformity. He says, “Certainly, in matters of less concern, where people may err without compromising the faith, or when people build only hay and stubble, not laying other foundations, the apostle commands charitable behavior between the strong Christian and the weak (Romans 14). [When] people impose opinions or practices of less consequence on a people not prepared; then, instead of unity, they make factions” (Burgess, p. 66).
As for true remedies countering the attack on unity, Burgess lays out three areas of “healing” that contain important principles: “1) healing division in doctrine caused by heresy, 2) healing division in godly order cause by schism, and 3) healing division in Christian love caused by contentiousness” (Burgess, p. 69). Again, Burgess is concerned with the purity of the church and Christ being the foundation of the church. His exposition is devoted to the integrity of the church from within and no apparent concern for coexisting circumstances such as a pandemic. Perhaps that could be a model for us. With that said, many of his principles still apply to how we relate to one another in the body.
He says, “to the extent then that people retain Christ and fundamental truth with a humble, godly disposition, desiring to be further informed, do not let the lack of what they should have make you despise the good things they have (Burgess, p. 70). We generally find it so easy to point out the faults and deficiencies of others but the more important question is, do I have the capacity to see evidences of God’s grace in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ and be thankful for that work (Emlet, 2021)?
To help us love one another and protect the body from division we have elders. Paul tells the Ephesians that, “He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, an some as evangelists, an some as pastors, and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, to the measure of the statue which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:12, 13, NASB). Burgess reminds us that “Christians should highly esteem and submit to the godly and faithful pastors God has set over them. For commonly the breach gains when people begin to be offended at faithful pastors” (Burgess, p. 70). At Grace Harbor we praise God for elders who love and handle the Word of God faithfully. During this pandemic they have, on multiple occasions, laid out biblical principles to help us through this pandemic. Have we despised or taken offense at their exhortations? I expound on this further in a prior article (Boyer, 2021).
Continuing his Rules for Christian Unity, Burgess lays out two rules most noteworthy: 1) avoid misrepresenting what others believe, and 2) be careful how we publicize our opinions. And he didn’t even have social media! He says, “Nothing makes the gap wider, and twists the knife more into the wounds of the church than a malevolent disposition to pervert other people’s opinions” (Burgess, p. 71). He further explains, “We should take care not to impose conclusions and inferences on their doctrines that do not properly and genuinely flow from them” (Burgess, p. 73). We are frequently guilty of imposing conclusions and inferences on others. For example, if we look at the moral issue of abortion – taking the life of a child in the womb, created in God’s image. Christians rightly understand the Bible to condemn this as evil, and it’s not divisive to say that we should all agree on that. In our political system we know one party at least verbally supports that stance to some degree. The other party typically favors abortion and legally advocates for the advancement of abortion. If we have a brother or sister in Christ, who votes for that party, do we infer or conclude our brother or sister favors abortion? Or worse, do we conclude they are not Christians at all? Maybe they abhor abortion as much as we do. Maybe we don’t have a full understanding of their moral and political dilemmas. Maybe we forget that we are all in the sanctification process and need growth in our understanding and spiritual walk. Maybe we forget “our” party has enjoyed power and has yet to end this immoral practice. Just maybe, we need to communicate lovingly without conjecture.
As already mentioned, Burgess cites another rule quite relevant in our day of manifest forms of social media. He tells us to be careful how we publicize our opinions. “Question and examine your own spirit, instead of immediately believing your own heart. It is a firebrand in the church when people have no modest doubts and questions of their own ignorance and proneness to err even in things they are so confident of” (Burgess, 74). “Before you publish it to the world, communicate your thoughts to those who are able, wise, and learned in the church of God” (Burgess, 74). Do we examine our motives? Do we realize our propensity to err (sin)? Do we seek wisdom in a multitude of counselors (Prov. 15:22)? Would we be willing to put our social media post on the church blog?
Finally, Burgess reminds us to beware of our own pride. “Even the disciples began to quarrel with one another over who should be the chief. This is why our Saviour so often urges us to have humility, and enjoins everyone to become like a little child” (Burgess, p. 79).
In his sermon “The News Worth Living For,” Pastor Kevin expounds on the danger of pride. He says, “Pride will siphon the fuel of faith right out of your heart so that you can no longer live for God’s praise. Pride makes us hard instead of holy. Pride does not approach God’s Word ready to hear and obey, but to question. Pride does not rejoice in trials, but grumbles in them. Pride does not grow in suffering, but in rebellion. Pride does not leave room for correction, but is easily offended. It makes us withdraw from God’s people rather than serve them in love. Pride seeks to dethrone God in our lives; therefore pride and grace cannot coexist peacefully” (GHC, 2022). While most of us would not want to admit it or see ourselves as “dethroning” God, can we say we walk in grace and humility? Let us strive to that end by humbly submitting to the providence of God in our lives.
Beware of divisions becoming a spiritual snare (Burgess, p. 94):
Walk humbly; renouncing your own strength, for it is God, not yourself, who must preserve you.
Pray much for the Spirit of God to give you His anointing – and senses exercised to discern between good and evil.
Take heed of fomenting differences and making the wounds wider. Instead, like the Good Samaritan, bring oil, not salt, to the wounds.
Lastly, let this make you long for heaven, where the strife between brethren will cease.
“There is but one God, and they that serve Him should be one. There is nothing that would render the true religion more lovely, or make more proselytes to it, than to see the professors of it tied together with heart-strings of love.”
Thomas Watson
(Thomas, 2011, p. 304)
References
Boyer, W. (2021, February 5). Loving Elders Well. Grace Harbor Blog. https://www.graceharbor.net/church-blog/loving-elders-well
Burgess, A. (2019). Advancing Christian Unity. Reformation Heritage Books.
Emlet, M. (2021). Saints, Sufferers, & Sinners. New Growth Press.
Grace Harbor Church (GHC). (2022, January 09). News Worth Living For (745). Grace Harbor Church Sermons. https://sermons.graceharbor.net/e/romans-1111-36-the-news-worth-living-for-mckay/
New American Standard Bible (NASB). (1995). The Lockman Foundation
Thomas, I.D.E. (2011). A Puritan Golden Treasury. The Banner of Truth Trust.
Watson, B. (2015). Under Our Skin. Tyndale Momentum.
