Corona Virus Forces A New Type of Easter Celebration
Introduction To The Christian Social Lifestyle
Its Easter and it’s time to celebrate the anchor of our existence. We call ourselves Christians because we have the joy of eternal salvation in Christ Jesus. The reality of that comes into practical account when eventually we meet Him, either from dying before the rapture, join Him at the Rapture of the saints or if we miss that by any chance, at the end of time when he reinstates His rulership over the earth and the heavens. By implication therefore, that joy bubbles in us while we are still here on earth. But how do we express that identity in our routine terrestrial interactions? We owe to ourselves to keep that treasured possession as our identification for entering His presence when the time comes, but how do we reflect that while we bid the time here on earth. The clue that Apostle Paul give us goes this way:
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:1, 14–15, KJV).
Our love for us is an expression of our gratitude for taking the bullet on our behalf. Since, we cannot afford to let go of it, we find ourselves constrained, that is, bound by that love for a stranger who chose to take the bullet for us, even when we did not know how to get out of the Father’s judgement. Even His accusers found no wrong in Him. They spent more than three years following him around trying to pin a legally binding accusation against Him. When they failed, they invented a political story that even Pilate who was living in the same community found difficult to believe. In other words, He sacrificed Himself for our salvation rather suffer for His own sin. Then, He rose from the dead in a way that remain unique to this day.
We have testimonies of dead people who rose from the dead after men of God prayed for them, both in biblical times and today. However, no man other than Jesus Christ ever died and woke himself up from the dead. And then He told us that this is the evidence that after the forgiveness of our sins, we live again. That is, once we become born-again, it’s a new deal altogether. We have life because He overthrew our uncleanliness. And this is our bond, to ensure that whatever we do or wherever we go reflects our appreciation of His suffering that reconciled us to God’s kingdom and joint heirs of His promise. Hence, when faced with challenges, we commonly hear Christians ask the question, “what will Jesus do?” While, it sounds arrogant to try to match man to Jesus Christ, we must also remember God clearly says, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16, KJV).
To attempt some guidance, we will review the guidelines for a desirable lifestyle from these perspectives; the Christian life in pandemonium such as the Corona virus plague has forced on us, the Christian life within the Church of God, the Christian life within the community in normal time and in special circumstances, and the Christian life in dealing the authorities, that is carnal (especially governments) and spiritual authorities.
You may be wondering how this may be possible because this essentially is all of life. Yes, it is. It includes every interaction, such as, when you must face your landlord or, praying for a colleague at work without letting them know about it or, something abnormal happens on your flight back home after a tiring business meeting. How can you be on guard all this time and not let out some humanity against that airline staff for mistreating that person sitting near you. The point that I am trying to make is that it is not you or by your alertness. You have help. Jesus the standard has not left us helpless. Therefore, the challenge to remain holy all the time is not by your power but Jesus has provided the enablement to make it happen. Apostle Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, KJV). So, you have support if you understand it and, are ready to tap into it all the time. It is an inexhaustible source.
The bottom-line basis for Jesus to accept the disgraceful death of the accursed through the crucifixion is to transfer us into the realm of God’s holiness by taking responsibility for our sins, excuses for our ungodliness and doubt in our qualification. Essentially, a crossover from an outcast to crown prince with the authority of state. The scriptures clarify:
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3, KJV)
What’s The Challenge?
The challenge is that character called Satan. Yeah, he’s got the blame once again. But its true. Everyone wishes they could be all that good that mummy taught them to be. However, occasionally we drift against our own will into doing something that will not make mom proud. And that is not because we are rebellious, we just want to express our anger or right or show that we are smart enough to discern the agenda of the other guy or guys against us. And it may be that simple, a provocation.
That Satan will do anything to get us into trouble with God is no understatement. The point we may not realize is that Satan believes that he is in competition with God over who should be in charge. I am not sure that the last statement is correct, though. It appears to be that Satan wants us to believe that he is very powerful and smart enough to pull us to his side of the divide. My challenge has always been this. If Satan could not destroy Job, and Jesus disgraced him, what was he doing in heaven trying to take over? (Revelations 12:7–9). Yet, that is proof of how desperate he can get. And that people don’t blame him for horrible incident without a reason.
Have you read Galatians 5 recently? Did you closely look at verses 19 to 21 (Galatians 5:19–21). I will encourage to google the meaning of each challenge of the flesh mentioned, meditate on it and see if you run clear enough to qualify as being holy as God. Remember that is the standard that we established earlier (1 Peter 1:16)? In relation to the authorities, do you despise government officials and insult leaders. That includes from your boss to your pastor to the president. We are told that because they are installations of God for a purpose, even angels dare not accuse them before God (2 Peter 2: 10–12). That is Christian lifestyle. It is folly to others, but it is based on scriptural principles, respect and the fear of God. Principles like these require deeper understanding and we will attempt to break them down respectively in other articles.
So How Does One Approach a Respectable Christian Lifestyle?
As we go about our daily lifestyle even on earth, God’s eyes are also upon us watching our every move. It is rare to imagine anything happening without God approving it, despite the arrogance of the deception commonly bandied about that Satan is the ruler of the universe. They will refer you his interaction with Jesus at the end of Christ’s forty fast to prove that. However, if he was the ruler and in-charge, why did he not have his way, why did Jesus throw him away with a single scripture? That is our hint that Satan will try all sorts of games on us if he can dare try to challenge heaven. Yet, it is our duty to remember that so long as we belong to God, we have not only protection, we also have guidance. Nothing slips by Him unless He allows it for a specific purpose (Psalms 91).
God guides us through His Word, the scriptures. The point of an article such as this is to try to decode those words and simplify the mysteries. He also guides us through spiritual leaders called prophets. The scriptures say that He does nothing without letting the prophets know about it. However, you need to separate what originates from Him from what originates from hell, but he allows to go on. A plague such as the corona virus pandemic is from hell, but He permitted it to prove His Almightiness according to the prophets. He gave us several warnings but even the prophets who knew the name of the plague did not understand its nature or origin. This is how we know that He permitted it.
He identified the office of the prophets clearly for us in Numbers 12:4–8. Specifically, verse 6 says, “And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.” So, we get guidance from God through His Word and His prophets. Additionally, in this dispensation, He released the Holy Ghost on earth to guide each one of us as well according to His promise. Peter confirmed the fulfillment of Joel 2: 27–32 in his response to the people immediately following the Pentecost. Verse 28 of Joel 2 reads, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.”
The wise king Solomon in his old age admonished us to be careful with authorities because they are powerful people. Yet, with all their might, as we respect them, we must understand that the will of God supersedes the opinion of the physical king. In other words, even if the king is mistaken, so long as we do not disrespect authority God is still available to protect and to deliver us (Ecclesiastes 8:2–5). Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are worthy examples of this admonition.
Therefore, as you go about your daily routine, trusting in God as your shield and buckler, His promises that no evil shall befall you reigns (Psalms 91). Remember the words of Solomon, don’t argue too much about the reasoning of the authorities over you, even if they are short on intelligence or evil, just lay them in God’s hands, He knows how to deal with the situation (Jude 1:8–10). Show love to everyone, shake out fear because you have God on your side, trust in the authority if ordained guidance. He will be with you always.
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (1 Peter 2:24, KJV).
Remember, there was a purpose for the above sacrifice, it is you, He will go through anything to keep you, so long as you look up to Him.
Happy Easter!
Pastor Noah is publisher of Pentecostals, a digital magazine focusing on Generation Z power issues with Christianity. His call is to ignite the fire of ambition in young leaders. He speaks professionally on social media management of Christian evangelism. He is the author of the book titled ‘Christian Behavior: How Christians Walk With God’.
