A Much Greater Pandemic

During these times in our world, I am treating this COVID-19 pandemic like it is something that I need to take seriously and protect my family from, based purely on the science that I have seen.  We all have different ways that we are handling things and we all have different opinions.  My goal with this writing is not to get into the semantics behind it, dive into any conspiracy theories, or to hit a nerve with anyone on their personal views of the pandemic…

Earlier today I was explaining my reasoning to someone as to why I was limiting my 1-on-1 exposure with people, even though I still go to the grocery store (albeit with my mask on).  My explanation was as follows:

Just because there is no way that I can completely avoid COVID-19 does not mean that I should live with reckless abandon and live as if there is nothing to worry about.  That would be the same thing as me saying, “Because there is sin in the world and I will inevitably sin no matter how hard I try to be perfect, I should do nothing to protect myself from the sins of this world and let whatever happens to me happen.”

As the world has fallen into chaos within the past few months, I am reminded of something; our world is in constant chaos because we live in a fallen world.  Yes, the specific cause of the chaos will change over time (i.e. pandemics, terrorism, economic fallout, etc.), but the chaos will never go away.  That is what Satan feeds on; chaos, confusion, and especially sin.

1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.“

Sin is a contagious virus that is far more deadly than COVID-19, HIV, or any other virus you can think of.  Those things all kill the physical body, but sin kills the spirit and leads to ultimate death and separation from our Father.

It starts as a little, ‘questionable’ sin by you paying a little bit more attention to the actor in the movie than you should as you are watching with your spouse.  Then it progresses to you looking intently at other people of the opposite sex when you are out in public.  After that, it moves to you purposely going out of your way to find PG-13 material when your spouse is not around, “just because you are curious… You’re not hurting anyone.”

A little while later, you are looking up questionable images, but are not physically doing anything so it really is not that big of a deal — even though you feel the need to delete your search history.  A few days after this, you start playfully flirting with someone you met online because it creates a fire in you that you have not felt since you were in the dating world and you deserve to feel that again.  Then you start to fantasize about this person, but you would never truly do anything with them because you are a good person and God has control of your life.  Weeks later, you find yourself getting physical with this person and now you are caught up in an extramarital affair, but you do not remember how it escalated so quickly.

James 1:15 – “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.“

While this is not my story, nor anyone’s that I know, I will tell you how it escalated so quickly.  This person let it; one small, purposeful decision at a time until everything became so big that it ruined their life and dragged others into the toxicity as well.

We have to defeat sin at its baby stages before it grows into a monster that we can no longer control.  It is our duty as Christ-followers to not take a passive stance against sin, but rather an offensive approach to defeating the sin that dwells within our hearts.

Colossians 3:5-6 – “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  On account of these the wrath of God is coming.”

There are two ways that we can do this, and they have to be intentionally done in tandem:

James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

By submitting ourselves, our hearts, and our spirits to God, we rid ourselves of sin where it all starts.  By resisting the devil, we do not allow sin to return to the place that it wants to reside.

The concept of defeating sin is a very simple idea: cut off the spread and it will die.

The concept of defeating COVID-19 is a very simple idea: cut off the spread and it will die.

Executing on these concepts?

The hardest thing to do in the world…