A call to Christians in a time of trouble

I have heard recently of a couple of instances where Christians have been disgruntled and are publicly complaining against the government and planning acts of civil disobedience.

This is a call to understanding and love. I was reading in Mark 13 this morning where Jesus is telling His disciples about the end times. I noticed while I considered civil disobedience His focus was on His followers trusting the Holy Spirit to give them words to speak to authority when they were persecuted for His name’s sake. He didn’t encourage civil disobedience in any way. I further meditated on Paul and Silas rejoicing after being persecuted for His name’s sake and singing hymns in jail rejoicing to have been counted worthy to suffer for His name. I considered where James taught to count it all joy when we faced many trial and tribulations. It becomes clear that the proper way to accept persecution for His name’s sake is with trust and rejoicing.

As I thought about whether or not any Christians are being persecuted for His name’s sake by the temporary gathering ban, I concluded that we were not. When the Christians in the Bible were persecuted for His name’s sake, they were distinctly selected from all other groups specifically for their allegiance to Him.

In the case in the USA today, we are being asked to abstain along with all other groups from gathering in large crowds to slow the spread of COVID-19. We are not being singled out specifically for our allegiance to Christ distinctly from all other groups. This is an opportunity for Christians to place the interest of others above their own considering the elderly and sickly to be more important than themselves.

There is a time for civil disobedience. It is when we are being told we have to sin by authority. When that happens, we should accept the consequences we receive from the God-established authority with rejoicing and trust that the Lord will give us what we should say that He might receive Glory.

TOM KRAUTKREMER

Bonners Ferry