B I B L I C A L L I V I N G I N

A N A G E O F C O V I D

Biblical Principles for Community Living in a Global

Pandemic

F. Wayne Mac Leod

Light To My Path Book Distribution

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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
Preface
Chapter 1 – Plagues in the Bible
Chapter 2 – The Law and Leprosy
Chapter 3 – Addressing Uncleanness
Chapter 4 – Medicine in Israel
Chapter 5 – Community Thinking
Chapter 6 - Respect for Our Physical Bodies
Chapter 7 - Respecting Authorities
Chapter 8 – Traditions and the Law’s True Intention
Chapter 9 – Freedom of Religion
Chapter 10 – Differences between Sincere Believers
Chapter 11 – Living with Differences
Chapter 12 – The Redemption of our Trials
About The Author

PREFACE

s I write, the world has struggled for over two years with the

effects of COVID-19 and its various mutations. Millions of

people have lost their lives to this dreaded virus. Lives and

culture have changed, and our economy has suffered.

Government restrictions have been met with diverse and sometimes divisive

opinions. Some people believe the whole thing to be a conspiracy. Others

see the vaccine as the mark of the beast described in the book of Revelation.

Regulations imposed on us have transformed how we worship or celebrate

holidays. Masks and social distancing have affected the mental health of our

children. Those who object to the vaccination requirements have lost jobs

or been banned from attending social and religious events. There is no

question that COVID-19 has changed our lives.

What is our responsibility as believers in the Lord Jesus? Are there any

Biblical precedents or principles that can guide us through this pandemic?

While I am aware that I am treading on divisive territory here, I want to

base my response to this worldwide pandemic on the clear principles of

Scripture.

I trust that this brief reflection will help us examine what the Bible has to

say. As believers, this is our one true guide in all matters. While not

everyone will agree with my understanding of the passages I will examine,

may the study at least direct each reader to seek the wisdom of the

Scriptures in their response to this difficult worldwide crisis.

God bless,

F. Wayne Mac Leod

CHAPTER 1 – PLAGUES IN

THE BIBLE

hile the Bible does not speak directly about COVID-19, it does

talk abundantly about plagues and contagious diseases.

Consider, for example, the story of the ten plagues inflicted on

Egypt at the time of the exodus. These plagues began as an answer to

prayer. The children of Israel cried out in their bondage, asking for

deliverance. God demonstrated His power and authority through a series of

plagues that brought Egypt to its knees. The intention of God in these

plagues is evident in Exodus 7:5 when God says:

(5) The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I

stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of

Israel from among them.” - Exodus 7:2-5 ESV

Egypt was brought to its knees as God poured out one pestilence after

another upon it. The nation’s economy was devastated. Apart from the

Israelites, no family in the country escaped death and disease. Egypt would

never again be the same.

Plagues were not limited to foreign nations, however. In Exodus 32, Aaron

fashioned an idol in the form of a golden calf. The people then bowed down

and worshipped it. Notice the response of God in Exodus 32:35:

(35) Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they

made the calf, the one that Aaron made - Exodus 32:35 ESV

This plague fell on those who worshipped the golden calf. It was God’s

means of punishing Israel for bowing down to another god.

A similar event took place in Numbers 11. Israel complained about the food

God had given them in the wilderness. In response, God sent flocks of quail

into their camp. Those who had been grumbling gorged themselves on this

meat. Listen to the account of what took place that day:

(33) While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was

consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the

people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great

plague. (34) Therefore the name of that place was called

Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who

had the craving. - Numbers 11:31-34 ESV

According to Numbers 11, the Lord sent a plague among the people,

striking down the discontent in their midst. This was such a significant

event in the nation's history that she named the place Kibroth-hattaavah,

which means “graves of the craving.” This was in remembrance of those

who grumbled about the manna God provided.

As Israel travelled through the wilderness, Moses sent spies into Canaan to

explore the land and bring back a report. When they returned to camp, they

reported that the people of the land were too powerful for them to conquer,

discouraging the people from entering the land God had promised them.

Notice the response of God in Numbers 11:36-37:

(36) And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who

returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by

bringing up a bad report about the land— (37) the men who

brought up a bad report of the land— died by plague before the

LORD. - Numbers 14:36-37 ESV

Once again, the Lord sent a plague to kill these spies who brought back this

negative report.

Later in Numbers 16, a man named Korah led a group to revolt against

Moses and his authority. God responded in anger and sent a plague among

the people. Numbers 16:49 tells us that 14,700 Israelites died as a result:

(49) Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides

those who died in the affair of Korah. (50) And Aaron returned

to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague

was stopped. - Numbers 16:41-50 ESV

Numbers 25 details how Israel turned from God to sexual immorality with

Moabite women and Baal worship. Once again, the result was a plague that

killed twenty-four thousand Israelites:

(9) Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-

four thousand. - Numbers 25:9 ESV

When David allowed his pride to get the best of him and he took a census

of his people, the Lord determined to punish the nation because of his

actions. He sent a pestilence on Israel, and 70,000 men died as a result:

(15) So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning

until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan

to Beersheba 70,000 men. - 2 Samuel 24:15 ESV

The book of Revelation describes a time of great pestilence on the earth. A

fourth of the world will be devastated by sword, famine, pestilence and wild

beasts:

(7) When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the

fourth living creature say, “Come!” (8) And I looked, and

behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and

Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a

fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with

pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. - Revelation 6:7-8

ESV

In Revelation 8, John saw a great star falling from the sky to the earth,

poisoning the waters of the earth so that many people would die:

(10) The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from

heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers

and on the springs of water. (11) The name of the star is

Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many

people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. -

Revelation 8:10-11 ESV

Revelation 9 recounts the blowing of seven trumpets releasing plagues on

the earth. According to these verses, one-third of humanity will be

destroyed by the plagues unleashed by these trumpets:

(13) Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice

from the four horns of the golden altar before God, (14) saying

to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four

angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” (15) So

the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day,

the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of

mankind. ... (18) By these three plagues a third of mankind was

killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their

mouths. - Revelation 9:13-15,18 ESV

Finally, Revelation 11 tells us about two witnesses who will come in the

final days. Notice the power they will be given according to verse 6:

(6) They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall

during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over

the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with

every kind of plague, as often as they desire. - Revelation 11:6

ESV

These two witnesses will have the power to shut the skies and afflict the

earth with every kind of plague as often as they desire.

I share these examples for a reason. The Bible speaks about plagues and

diseases that ravage nations and claim the lives of thousands of people.

Since the fall of Adam and Eve into sin, sickness and disease have

devastated our world. The Bible speaks openly about plagues and diseases.

It is not my purpose to determine the reason for plagues and disasters. What

is clear from the verses we have examined is that nothing is new. The Bible

has something to say about pandemics and devastation caused by disease

and plagues. If we want to know how to deal with COVID or any other

virus or contagious infection, we will do well to examine what it has to say.

CHAPTER 2 – THE LAW

AND LEPROSY

eprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases of Bible times. There

were many reasons for this. It was a life-altering disease because

the infected individual was immediately isolated from family and

society due to its contagious nature.

In Leviticus 13, Moses lays out God’s requirements for anyone diagnosed

with the disease. According to the law of the Old Testament, leprosy did not

just infect people but also their clothing and homes. Consider the words of

Leviticus 13:

(47) “When there is a case of leprous disease in a garment,

whether a woolen or a linen garment, (48) in warp or woof of

linen or wool, or in a skin or in anything made of skin, (49) if

the disease is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin

or in the warp or the woof or in any article made of skin, it is a

case of leprous disease, and it shall be shown to the priest. -

Leviticus 13:47-49 ESV

The law stated that a garment with greenish or reddish-coloured growth be

brought to the priest for examination. Most Bible commentators believe the

growth on the garment to be a form of mould, fungus or mildew. Leviticus

14 goes on to speak about leprosy that infected a home. Again this appears

to be a case of mould or decay of some kind.

(34) “When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you

for a possession, and I put a case of leprous disease in a house

in the land of your possession, (35) then he who owns the house

shall come and tell the priest, ‘There seems to me to be some

case of disease in my house.’ - Leviticus 14:34-35 ESV

The leprosy of the Bible was a condition that affected human skin, clothes

or even buildings. The law of Moses was very clear about what was to

happen when such a case appeared in the nation.

Report The Case

Leviticus 13 begins with these words:

(1) The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, (2) “When a

person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or

a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of

his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one

of his sons the priests – Leviticus 13:1-2, ESV

Notice what is happening here. When a person was infected with swelling

or eruption on the skin, they were to report this to the priest. The law of

God was very clear in this regard. All such conditions were to be made

known to the religious leaders. Leprosy was taken seriously.

Realize that it would not always be convenient for the infected to report

their case. These individuals had families, jobs and obligations just as we

do. To report a suspected case of leprosy would have disrupted their routine.

It could impact whether the family had anything to eat that week. Bills had

to be paid; children had to be fed. There would have been many concerns

surrounding a positive diagnosis of leprosy.

Despite the inconveniences and deep concerns about a positive diagnosis,

God expected every person who suspected infection to reveal their

condition to the authorities. Concern for the spread of this disease took

priority over any personal concerns the individual might have.

Examination Of The Infected Person

Leviticus 13 tells us that the priest was to examine those who reported a

suspected case of leprosy. God showed the priest how to diagnose each

instance and the symptoms they were to look for to determine whether the

individual was leprous. The priests were to look for the following signs:

1) White hair (Leviticus 13:3)

2) Swelling in the skin and raw flesh (Leviticus 13:10)

3) Evidence of spreading from head to foot (Leviticus 13:12)

4) Reddish-white spots in a boil (Leviticus 13:18-19)

5) Signs that the infected area was deeper than the skin (Leviticus

13:20)

6) A burn that turned reddish-white or white (Leviticus 13:24)

7) Thinning hair that was turning yellow (Leviticus 13:20-30)

God takes the time in Leviticus 13 to teach the priests how to look out for

contagious infections among the people. It was the responsibility of each

priest to follow up on every reported case.

Two-Week Isolation Of Suspected Cases

God also instructed the priests in what they were to do if they suspected a

positive diagnosis of leprosy.

First, if after examining the reported case, the priest suspected that the

individual had leprosy, he was to isolate the person for seven days:

(4) But if the spot is white in the skin of his body and appears

no deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white,

the priest shall shut up the diseased person for seven days. –

Leviticus 13:4, ESV

During these seven days, the individual was separated from the community.

Remember that this meant very limited contact with family and friends. It

also required that the person not work for that time.

The second stage came after the seven-day isolation period. At this point,

the priest would re-examine the suspected case. If the disease showed no

evidence of spreading, the individual would proceed to the second period of

isolation for another seven days:

(5) And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if

in his eyes the disease is checked and the disease has not

spread in the skin, then the priest shall shut him up for another

seven days. - Leviticus 13:5, ESV

This second week would give the body time to heal and clear up any

infection. Once again, however, this individual was to have no contact with

anyone else.

Finally, after two weeks of isolation, the priest would examine the person

again. If after this second week the diseased area had faded or showed

improvement, he would pronounce the individual clean, and they were free

to go back to their family. Notice, however, that the law required that all

clothes the individual wore be washed to remove all possibility of disease

spreading to anyone else.

(6) And the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day,

and if the diseased area has faded and the disease has not

spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it

is only an eruption. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean.

- Leviticus 13:6, ESV

If the priest discovered that the disease had spread after the two-week

isolation period, the individual was declared unclean and would need to

remain isolated.

(7) But if the eruption spreads in the skin, after he has shown

himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again

before the priest. (8) And the priest shall look, and if the

eruption has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce

him unclean; it is a leprous disease. - Leviticus 13:7-8 ESV

Permanent Implications For Those Who Were Not

Healed

The implications for those who did not improve during this two-week

isolation period were quite grim:

(45) “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn

clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall

cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ (46) He

shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is

unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the

camp. - Leviticus 13:40-46 ESV

The Law of Moses had four requirements for the leper.

The first requirement was that they wear torn clothes and let their hair hang

loose:

(45) “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn

clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, - Leviticus

13:45a, ESV

In those days, people would tear their clothes as a sign of mourning and

grief. This is what is happening here in Leviticus 13:45. Those who were

not healed of leprosy were to live and dress like those who grieved. Their

appearance would notify the citizens of their community that they were to

keep a distance from them.

The second requirement for the leper was that they cover their mouth:

he shall cover his upper lip – Leviticus 13:45, ESV

Notice that the verse specifically commanded the leper to cover the upper

lip. In other words, the leper was to cover his entire mouth. This was done

with a cloth and would prevent the spread of germs to people in the

community.

Third, lepers were to announce their presence:

he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ -

Leviticus 13:45, ESV

Lepers were to cry out: “Unclean, unclean,” when they approached

someone in their community. This assured that there would be sufficient

social distance between the infected person and anyone else in the

community and prevented infection from spreading.

Finally, lepers were to remove themselves from the community and live

outside the camp of God’s people in isolation:

(46) He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He

is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside

the camp. - Leviticus 13:46 ESV

The implication of this was quite severe. There would be limited social

interaction with family and friends. Lepers would become dependent on

others to provide the necessities of life. They would even be excluded from

worship at the house of the Lord. We have a clear reference to this in the

case of King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:

(21) And King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death, and

being a leper lived in a separate house, for he was excluded

from the house of the LORD. And Jotham his son was over the

king’s household, governing the people of the land. - 2

Chronicles 26:21 ESV

What did God expect from His people in the event they suspected they were

infected with a contagious disease? He required that they take it seriously

and report their symptoms to the priest, who would examine and isolate

them for two weeks. Remember that the isolated individual was only

suspected of having leprosy –the official diagnosis would only come after

isolation. However, they were to distance themselves as a precaution lest

they spread the disease to others. Those diagnosed with a contagious

disease were to remain isolated, cover their mouths and announce their

condition to all who approached them. Infectious diseases existed in the Old

Testament among the people of God. God required that they take every

precaution lest they spread the infection through the community.

CHAPTER 3 –

ADDRESSING

UNCLEANNESS

ne of the responsibilities of the priests as God's representatives

was to teach Israel the difference between clean and unclean.

Whole chapters of the Bible are devoted to instructing God's

people in this important matter. The consequences for ignoring these

regulations were often quite serious. In many of these commands, God's

concern was for the nation's physical health.

The Lord God taught His people what they could and could not eat.

Leviticus 11 details the kinds of animals that could be eaten and which were

to be avoided. Generally speaking, an animal with a parted hoof that

chewed the cud was edible (Leviticus 11:3). Only sea creatures with fins

and scales were eaten (Leviticus 11:9). Leviticus 11:13-19 details the list of

birds to be avoided. Israel could eat crickets, locusts and grasshoppers, but

all other insects were unclean (Leviticus 20-23). All rodents and reptiles

were avoided (Leviticus 11:29-30). By establishing these dietary laws, God

demonstrated His concern for the health of His people.

The laws of Leviticus 11, however, go farther than this. Unclean animals

were not to be eaten, but the Law of Moses also cautioned against even

touching these animals.

(24) "And by these you shall become unclean. Whoever touches

their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, (25) and

whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes

and be unclean until the evening. – Leviticus 11:24-25, ESV

Sometimes the carcass of an unclean animal needed to be removed and

carried somewhere to be discarded. The individual who disposed of any

part of an unclean body would also become unclean. These individuals

were to wash themselves and the clothes they wore and self-isolate for the

rest of the day.

Sometimes the body of an unclean animal or insect fell on an object in an

Israelite home. The law of God required that if the body of any unclean

animal or insect touched a garment or container of skin or wood, then these

objects were to be washed and would be unclean for the rest of the day:

(32) And anything on which any of them falls when they are

dead shall be unclean, whether it is an article of wood or a

garment or a skin or a sack, any article that is used for any

purpose. It must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until

the evening; then it shall be clean. – Leviticus 11:32, ESV

If the body of an unclean animal or insect fell into a food container, oven or

stove, these objects in which that body fell were destroyed

(33) And if any of them falls into any earthenware vessel, all

that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it. (34) Any

food in it that could be eaten, on which water comes, shall be

unclean. And all drink that could be drunk from every such

vessel shall be unclean. (35) And everything on which any part

of their carcass falls shall be unclean. Whether oven or stove, it

shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean and shall remain

unclean for you. - Leviticus 11:33-35 ESV

Unclean animals carried diseases and germs of all kinds. It was the heart of

God to prevent the spread of any infectious sickness. For this reason, He

required that His people bathe and wash their clothes every time they came

into contact with such animals or insects. He also expected that they avoid

contact with anyone else until the evening. The bowls and jars touched with

this uncleanness were destroyed in certain cases. All of this was for the

health of the community. While this would have meant some

inconvenience, Israel would bear this inconvenience for the community's

health.

In Leviticus 14, the Lord describes His requirement for a home infected

with "a case of leprous disease." Most commentators see a reference to

mould, mildew or fungus growth in an Israelite home. Such cases were

reported to the priest who ordered that the house be emptied of its

belongings. It was then put under quarantine for seven days. After seven

days, the priest would re-examine the infection. The infected stones and

plaster were removed if it had spread, and the entire house scraped down.

The scrapings were brought to a dump outside the city (see Leviticus 14:36-

42). If, after all this work, the infection reappeared, the whole house was

pulled down and carried out to a dump outside the city (see Leviticus 14:43-

45). Anyone who entered that home was to wash their clothes and self-

isolate until the next day (see Leviticus 14:46-47).

The Lord also cautioned His people about bodily discharges in Leviticus 15.

These discharges were of various kinds and might include a bleeding sore,

emission of semen, or blood, as in the case of a woman on her monthly

period. These bodily discharges were unclean. The Law of God was very

specific when it came to anyone who had such a discharge:

(4) Every bed on which the one with the discharge lies shall be

unclean, and everything on which he sits shall be unclean. (5)

And anyone who touches his bed shall wash his clothes and

bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening. (6)

And whoever sits on anything on which the one with the

discharge has sat shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in

water and be unclean until the evening. (7) And whoever

touches the body of the one with the discharge shall wash his

clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the

evening. – Leviticus 15:4-7, ESV

Every bed or chair upon which an individual with a discharge sat became

unclean. Anyone who came into contact with something that this person

touched was to bathe and self-isolate until the evening. They were also to

wash all the clothes they wore that day. If the unclean individual touched

another person without washing their hands, that individual was to go

home, wash their clothes, bathe and self-isolate until the evening. Any

earthenware vessel that a person with a discharge touched was destroyed.

(11) Anyone whom the one with the discharge touches without

having rinsed his hands in water shall wash his clothes and

bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening. (12)

And an earthenware vessel that the one with the discharge

touches shall be broken, and every vessel of wood shall be

rinsed in water. - Leviticus 15:11-12 ESV

These laws of God were not optional but mandated. Anyone unclean person

who came to the temple defiled the temple and risked being struck dead for

their blasphemy:

(31) "Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from

their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling

my tabernacle that is in their midst." - Leviticus 15:31 ESV

Anyone who ignored the laws regarding uncleanness and refused to cleanse

themself was cut off or banished from the people of God.

(20) "If the man who is unclean does not cleanse himself, that

person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, since he

has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. Because the water for

impurity has not been thrown on him, he is unclean. - Numbers

19:20 ESV

The disobedient were banished because they defiled the sanctuary of the

Lord. In other words, they showed contempt for God and His people by

living in their impurity.

From these verses, it is clear that the Lord God required that His people

understand how disease and infections spread. As a people of God, they

were to do everything possible to prevent the spread of germs, infections

and sickness. They were to do this despite the inconvenience this caused

them personally. The housewife was to destroy her oven or stove if there

was a risk of uncleanness in it. Families would lose their homes because

they were infected with disease-carrying mould or mildew. Families would

do extra loads of wash or self-isolate for a day or a week to not spread any

disease to another person.

Sin has brought sickness and disease to this world. None of us are immune

from this. God expected that His people battle the spread of disease and

infection in their society. They would do so by carefully observing the

regulations regarding clean and unclean objects.

Please understand that I am not saying that we are under the Old Testament

law in our day. The Law of Moses, however, does give us a better

understanding of the heart of God and our obligation to do all we can to

battle the spread of contagious disease in our day as well.

CHAPTER 4 – MEDICINE

IN ISRAEL

hat does the Bible say about sickness and how to treat it? How

did God's people in Bible times view disease? To answer this

question, let's begin with the words of Exodus 15:26:

(26) saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the

LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and

give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will

put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I

am the LORD, your healer."- Exodus 15:26 ESV

Exodus 15:26 are the words of the Lord God to His people. Notice what He

tells them here. If Israel did what was right, God would not put diseases on

them. In other words, God would use sickness and disease to teach or

punish His people.

This idea is confirmed in what the Lord said to Israel in Deuteronomy 28:

(15) "But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God

or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I

command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you

and overtake you. (16) Cursed shall you be in the city, and

cursed shall you be in the field. (17) Cursed shall be your

basket and your kneading bowl. (18) Cursed shall be the fruit

of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your

herds and the young of your flock. (19) Cursed shall you be

when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

(20) "The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and

frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are

destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your

deeds, because you have forsaken me. (21) The LORD will

make the pestilence stick to you until he has consumed you off

the land that you are entering to take possession of it. (22) The

LORD will strike you with wasting disease and with fever,

inflammation and fiery heat, and with drought and with blight

and with mildew. They shall pursue you until you perish. -

Deuteronomy 28:15-22 ESV

Once again, the Lord God tells His people to be careful to follow His

commandments. If they did not do so, God's curse would be upon them.

The evidence of this curse would be their fruitless fields and the disease,

fever, drought, and mildew that infected their bodies, homes and land.

This was the understanding of the disciples of Jesus in John 9. Notice the

question they asked Jesus when they encountered a man who was blind

from birth.

(1) As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. (2) And his

disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his

parents, that he was born blind?" (3) Jesus answered, "It was

not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of

God might be displayed in him. - John 9:1-3 ESV

The disciples assumed that this man was born blind because of some sin he

or his parents had committed. The answer Jesus gives is important. He told

them that this man was not born blind because of sin but rather that the

purpose of God might be displayed in him. In saying this, Jesus shows us

that not all sickness is a punishment from God for sin. The goal of some

illnesses and diseases is to reveal the power and work of God.

Paul had to learn this when he prayed three times for God to remove a

physical affliction from him.

(7) So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the

surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me

in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me

from becoming conceited. (8) Three times I pleaded with the

Lord about this, that it should leave me. (9) But he said to me,

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in

weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my

weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. - 2

Corinthians 12:7-9 ESV

God told Paul that it was His purpose for him to bear this affliction so that

His power would be revealed in Paul's weakness. There was a reason in

Paul's ailment, and God would use it in Paul to glorify His name.

While we don't have time in this chapter to examine this more fully, what is

clear is that the Bible teaches us that God uses sickness and disease for

various purposes. First, He uses it to get our attention and correct behaviour.

Second, as in the case of the man born blind, God used physical affliction to

demonstrate His power to heal or strengthen.

What was clear in the minds of God's people was that God was not removed

from sickness. Certainly, sickness and disease resulted from the fall of

humankind into sin. But God would use this to accomplish His purpose in

their lives. What was important for the people in Bible times was to discern

what God was doing through sickness and submit to His purpose. If this

sickness was intended to correct their behaviour or attitudes, then they

needed to submit to God for their healing to take place. If God wanted to

demonstrate His power to heal, they needed to allow God to use their

sickness to manifest that power. If He wanted them to rely more fully on

Him in their weakness, they needed to surrender to God and learn what He

had for them.

Listen to the words of the apostle James in James 5:

(14) Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of

the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil

in the name of the Lord. (15) And the prayer of faith will save

the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he

has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (16) Therefore, confess

your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may

be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as

it is working. - James 5:14-16 ESV

The apostle tells his readers what they should do when sick in this passage.

They were to call on the church elders to anoint them and pray for them.

Notice also that he goes on to say, "if he had committed sins, he will be

forgiven." While James understood that not all sickness was the result of

sin, he knew that there was a possibility that God was correcting the person

who came for prayer. For this reason, he reminded believers in this passage

to confess their sins to one another so that they could be healed.

The responsibility of the elders was to help the sick discern what God was

saying through their sickness. Was God using the affliction to correct a

behaviour or attitude? Was He using their condition to reveal His presence

more deeply? By coming to the spiritual leaders, the sick were seeking to

discern the purpose of God in their illness.

In our sickness, God captures our attention. While not all illnesses and

diseases result from sin, we need to understand that God is not silent in

these times. He uses our sickness to speak to us. Even sickness has a

purpose. It can readjust our priorities or teach us lessons we would never

have learned in any other way. Our ears need to be opened more than ever

in our pain to understand what God has for us. This appears to be the

mindset of the Old and New Testament believers.

Another important understanding in the Old and New Testaments was that

the true healer of diseases was the Lord God. Consider the words of the

Psalmist in Psalm 102:

(2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

(3) who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, -

Psalms 103:2-3 ESV

The Psalmist praised the Lord because He forgave sin and healed all his

diseases. Believers of the Old Testament would seek the Lord for their

healing.

It is quite surprising how little the Bible speaks about the profession of

physician. The word "physician" occurs only eleven times in the Bible.

Joseph had Egyptian physicians embalm his father (Genesis 50:2). Job calls

his friends "worthless physicians" when they could not heal his pain (Job

13:4). Jeremiah grieved over the condition of his people because of their sin

and asked, "Is there no physician there?" (Jeremiah 8:22). The Gospel

writers speak about a woman who had a flow of blood that no physician

could heal (Mark 5:26; Luke 8:43). Colossians 4:14 tell us that Luke was a

physician, but we have no record in Scripture of him ever practising his

profession. Jesus responds to the objection of the religious leaders about

eating with sinners by reminding them that it was those who were sick who

needed a physician, not those who were well (Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17;

Luke 5:31). He presented Himself here as the physician for the sinner in

Luke 4:23. Jesus quotes a proverb commonly used in His day: "Physician

heal yourself" when the people of his day questioned His interpretation of

Scripture (Luke 4:23). The final reference to physicians in the Scripture is

found in 2 Chronicles 16:12, which says:

12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his

feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he

did not seek the LORD, but sought help from physicians. – 2

Chronicles 16:12, ESV

Here we have the story of King Asa, who refused to seek the Lord when

his feet were diseased but chose to consult physicians instead. The very

next verse tells us that he died as a result. It appears that the sin of Asa

was not that he consulted the physician but that he refused to seek the will

and the purpose of the Lord in his disease. He turned from the Lord and

what He was trying to say to Him in his affliction.

While physicians were present in those days, they were not the only ones

to be consulted in times of illness and disease. God's people sought the

Lord in their sickness and pain. While some did very likely consult the

physician, first and foremost, they were to place themselves in the hands

of the Lord. One of our great errors as believers today is not seeking the

Lord in our afflictions, for He has much to teach us through these

ailments. He wants to meet us in these times.

We must understand that the Bible is not against physicians and medical

treatments. Consider the words of Jesus to the church of Laodicea:

13 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you

may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe

yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and

salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. – Revelation

3:18, ESV

The Lord counsels the church of Laodicea to buy salve to anoint their eyes

so that they could see.

Timothy was a faithful servant of God who often suffered from poor health.

Listen to Paul's counsel in 1 Timothy 5:23:

23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the

sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) – 1 Timothy

5:23, ESV

Paul could have prayed that God heal Timothy of his "frequent ailments,"

but he did not. Instead, he encouraged him to take a little wine to settle his

stomach.

One day, God sent Isaiah to King Hezekiah to tell him he would die.

Hearing this word from God, the king immediately repented of his sin and

pleaded with God to extend his life. God sent Isaiah back with another word

for the king:

21 Now Isaiah had said, "Let them take a cake of figs and

apply it to the boil, that he may recover." - Isaiah 38:21, ESV

Isaiah told the king's servants to apply a "cake of figs" to the king's boil so

that it would heal. God's remedy was not instant healing but the application

of medication to the wound.

Jesus told a story about a man robbed, beaten and left to die at the side of

the road. Luke 10:34 describes what a hated Samaritan did for him:

34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil

and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him

to an inn and took care of him. - Luke 10:34, ESV

The Samaritan bound the wounds of the wounded man. Notice also that he

poured oil and wine on him as well. The wine would have killed the germs,

and the oil aided the healing. Jesus commends this man for applying this

medication to the wound of an enemy.

Consider also the words of the writer of Proverbs to those who were in deep

distress:

6 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, And wine to

those in bitter distress; (7) let them drink and forget their

poverty and remember their misery no more. - Proverbs 31:6,7

ESV

The strong drink given to the perishing would ease their pain. Wine given to

those in bitter distress would help improve their emotional state.

We see from this that Scripture is not against easing suffering through

remedies of various kinds. It also encourages the use of treatments to help

the body to heal. Remember, however, that the believer's confidence is not

in the remedies and medication but in the Lord who heals.

There is one more final point I want to make in closing. Consider what The

Tyndale Bible Dictionary has to say about the contribution of the Hebrews

to medicine:

The most significant contribution the Hebrews gave to medicine

was in the hygienic measures outlined in the Law, particularly

Lev 11-15. While these had primarily a religious significance,

they undoubtedly improved the general level of health and

physical well-being of the people.

Philip W. Comfort, Ph.D., Walter A. Elwell, Ph.D.,

"Medicine and Medical Practice," Tyndale Bible Dictionary,

Electronic Edition, L A R I D I A N: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 2001,

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

The Law of Moses promoted healthy living and lifestyle. God taught His

people the kinds of food they should avoid. He encouraged the isolation of

the sick and gave them rules of hygiene that prevented the spread of

diseases and infections.

What does all this have to teach us? Sickness, disease and ailments ought to

bring us to God. In these times, we are to listen carefully to Him. We are to

learn what He wants us to understand. Scripture does not discourage

physicians and remedies to promote healing and ease pain, but these

solutions do not replace our need to seek God in sickness, nor should they

keep us from recognizing that the healing we need is from Him. The Bible

speaks more about the sick seeking the prayers and counsel of their

religious leaders than it does about physicians. This is because God wants

us to seek Him in times of need.

As I write this, the world faces a pandemic that has taken millions of lives.

We have become focused on how to cure and curtail this virus. While this is

as it should be, Scripture teaches us that we also need to seek the Lord and

what He is telling us in times such as these. I suspect that there are many

lessons God is teaching us. Are we ready to listen? He has allowed our lives

to be disrupted. He has challenged us to step out in new ways and re-

examine our priorities. The one thing worse than going through a pandemic

is coming out the other end the same. We must allow God to refine us

through it. He will do so if we trust in Him.

CHAPTER 5 –

COMMUNITY THINKING

od required that His people demonstrate compassion and concern

for one another. The apostle Paul confirms this in his words to

the Philippians:

(3) Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility

count others more significant than yourselves. (4) Let each of

you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests

of others. (5) Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours

in Christ Jesus, (6) who, though he was in the form of God,

did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but

emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in

the likeness of men. - Philippians 2:3-7 ESV

According to the apostle Paul, it was the responsibility of every believer to

consider others as “more significant” than themselves. That is not to say

that we should see ourselves as insignificant or of no value. Paul is simply

telling the Philippians that they needed to look out for the interests of those

around them. They were to follow the example of Jesus Christ, who

willingly emptied Himself and became a servant.

It is easy for us to become so focused on ourselves and our interests. We

push ahead with little concern for others. We become so focused on

achieving our personal goals that we step on people to get where we want to

be. Paul reminds us that God expects us to consider others when making

our decisions. Many of life’s problems originate with people who do not

consider the impact of their choices on friends and neighbours.

In Romans 14, the apostle Paul addressed a difference of opinion among

believers over food and the celebration of holy days. He ended this

discussion with the following words:

(13) Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any

longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or

hindrance in the way of a brother. - Romans 14:13 ESV

According to Paul, the Romans were to allow differences on minor matters

and commit themselves never to do anything that would cause a brother or

sister to stumble in their faith. We obey this principle when we consider the

view of our brother or sister when making our decisions. In other words, we

must ask ourselves how our choices and actions will impact others?

Listen to what Paul told the Corinthians:

(31) So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to

the glory of God. (32) Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or

to the church of God, (33) just as I try to please everyone in

everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of

many, that they may be saved. - 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 ESV

According to Paul, we are to “try to please everyone in everything we do.”

We must understand here that Paul was a people pleaser in the sense that he

was governed by what people thought of him. This is not what the apostle is

saying here. He is telling the Corinthians that the Lord God expected them

not to seek their own advantage above that of others. We are not to climb

over people to get what we want. Instead, we must be willing to consider

the impact of our actions on those around us. We need to do what will

benefit the larger community and not just ourselves.

The apostle demonstrated this principle in his life. Consider how he

described his ministry and that of his coworkers in 2 Corinthians 6:

(3) We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be

found with our ministry, (4) but as servants of God we

commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in

afflictions, hardships, calamities, (5) beatings, imprisonments,

riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger - 2 Corinthians 6:3-10

ESV

Paul ministered in such a way that he put no obstacle in the path of another.

The apostle endured hardship, beatings, imprisonment, hunger and sleepless

nights so as not to burden those to whom he ministered. He willingly

suffered to bring the message of hope to the communities where he worked.

He considered the needs of others as more important than his own.

This concept of community thinking is laid out clearly in the Law of Moses.

An Old Testament law that has always intrigued me is found in

Deuteronomy 22:8:

(8) “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for

your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your

house, if anyone should fall from it. - Deuteronomy 22:8 ESV

The law of Moses included regulations about how an individual could build

their home. In Bible times, the flat roof was living space. The problem with

a roof was the risk of falling off the edge if someone went too close. The

law required a “parapet” or wall around the edge of the building to prevent

anyone from falling. Notice that the “guilt of blood’ would be brought upon

a home if someone fell from their roof and died. The homeowner was to

take on the expense of building this wall on his roof as a precautionary

measure. He was to do all he could to protect anyone visiting his home from

potential harm.

Exodus 21 describes the responsibility of a man whose ox gored someone

to death:

(28) “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox

shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner

of the ox shall not be liable. (29) But if the ox has been

accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned

but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox

shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. -

Exodus 21:28-29 ESV

If the ox killed a man or woman, it was stoned to death, and the meat could

not be eaten. If, however, the ox owner knew the animal was violent and

left it loose when it killed someone, then both the ox and the owner were to

be put to death. The owner was put to death because he did not take the

necessary precautions to restrain his violent animal. In this case, he was

responsible for his animal’s actions.

Exodus 21 explains the requirement of God for the owner of a pit into

which someone’s animal fell:

(33) “When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and

does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, (34) the

owner of the pit shall make restoration. He shall give money to

its owner, and the dead beast shall be his. - Exodus 21:33-34

ESV

If a neighbour’s animal fell into a pit that was not covered, the pit owner

was to pay full price for the animal to his neighbour. He was responsible for

this accident because he did not take the precaution of covering it up.

Consider also the law of God in Exodus 21:18-19:

(18) “When his men quarrel and one strikes the other with a

stone or with fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed,

(19) then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his

staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the

loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed. - Exodus

21:18-19 ESV

We have a case here of two men who quarrelled, and one of them hit and

wounded the other. As a result, the wounded man was confined to bed or

had to walk with a staff. The law required that the man who wounded him

pay for the loss of his wages until he was completely healed.

The law required that slaves be freed if they lost an eye or tooth because

their owner or representative struck them:

(26) “When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female,

and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye.

(27) If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he

shall let the slave go free because of his tooth. - Exodus 21:26-

27 ESV

For the sake of a tooth, the owner would lose a slave. God required that

slave owners consider the wellbeing of their workers. They were held

responsible for injury

Listen to the law of God concerning a person who injured their neighbour:

(19) If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be

done to him, (20) fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for

tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to

him. - Leviticus 24:19-20 ESV

If you broke your neighbour’s arm, then the law required that your arm be

broken in punishment. If your neighbour lost his eye or tooth, then yours

would be pulled out as well.

What does all of this teach us? The Bible obliges us to live lives that take

the wellbeing of others into account. Old Testament believers were required

to take precautions against potential danger. They were to build a wall

around their roof, fence in their violent animal, and cover any pit they had

dug lest they cause harm to another human being or their animals.

God also expected that His people be responsible for any harm they did to

the health or physical wellbeing of another human being. If I caused the

loss of a tooth, I would lose my tooth in punishment. If I injured someone

so that they lost work, I was responsible for paying their wages until they

were well enough to work again.

As believers, we are called to be community thinkers. We are to strive for

the ultimate good of our community. As the apostle Paul said to the

Corinthians

(3) We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be

found with our ministry - 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 ESV

Believers are to lead the way in community concern and wellbeing. We are

to take the precautions necessary lest our actions negatively impact the

health and wellbeing of those around us.

CHAPTER 6 - RESPECT

FOR OUR PHYSICAL

BODIES

riting to Ephesian husbands about marriage, the apostle Paul

said:

(25) Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church

and gave himself up for her, (26) that he might sanctify her,

having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

(27) so that he might present the church to himself in splendor,

without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be

holy and without blemish. (28) In the same way husbands

should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his

wife loves himself. (29) For no one ever hated his own flesh,

but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

(30) because we are members of his body. (31) “Therefore a

man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,

and the two shall become one flesh.” (32) This mystery is

profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the

church. - Ephesians 5:25-32 ESV

While Paul challenged Ephesian men to care for their wives in this passage,

the heart of his argument comes in verses 29-30, where he says:

(29) For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and

cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, (30) because we are

members of his body. – Ephesians 5:29-30 ESV

There are some key points I would like to underline in these words of Paul.

“No One Ever Hated His Own Flesh”

I have always been perplexed by this phrase in Scripture. There was a time

in my life when I did hate myself and wished I could die. Consider Job,

suffering on the ash heap, cursing the day of his birth. Numerous

individuals in Scripture just wanted to die. However, what is interesting is

that behind each of these complaints and death wishes is a sincere love and

desire for physical and emotional well-being. Job agonized because of the

pain in his body and longed to be relieved of this terror. The prophets of the

Old Testament grieved over the response of the people toward them and

longed to be free from rejection. A desire for physical and emotional health

drove them to seek relief through death.

I don’t know many people who long to inflict their bodies with pain and

suffering. When I hit my finger with a hammer, my first reaction is to seek

relief from that pain. If I cut my finger with a knife, I want to stop the

bleeding. When something is heading directly for my face, my first impulse

is to duck and avoid it. God has created us with a need to protect ourselves

and a desire for wholeness.

“But Nourishes And Cherishes It”

Paul goes on to say that within each of us is a need to nourish and cherish

our flesh. When our body is hungry, we seek food. If we are cold, we

pursue warmth. When we are tired, we lay down to rest. These tendencies

are hard-wired into our makeup. We will go through great efforts to satisfy

these physical needs. The word cherish means “to make warm” in Greek. I

have a pet cat that seems to be able to find any source of heat he can. When

he discovers it, that is where he will lay down and rest. It is in his makeup

to seek out comfort. We are like that. We want our bodies to be comfortable

and enjoy the good things God has given. God has created us so that we

naturally protect, nourish and care for the bodies He has given us.

“Because We Are Members Of His Body.”

Paul tells the Ephesian men that they were to care for their wives in the

same way. He gives them the example of how Jesus cared for the church.

Paul concludes his argument with the statement: “because we are members

of His body.” We nourish and cherish our bodies and those of our partners

because we are members of the Body of Christ. In other words, because we

belong to the Lord Jesus and our bodies belong to Him, we nourish and

protect them for His glory.

Speaking out against sexual immorality among the Corinthians, the apostle

Paul said:

(15) Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them

members of a prostitute? Never! - 1 Corinthians 6:15 ESV

Paul reminded the Corinthians that their bodies were members of Jesus

Christ. Therefore, they had an obligation to respect these bodies for His

sake. In this case, by engaging in sexual activity with a prostitute, they

defiled their bodies. As believers, we must keep our bodies pure and

undefiled before God.

The apostle told the Corinthians that their bodies were the temple of the

Holy Spirit:

(19) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy

Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your

own, (20) for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in

your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

These frail bodies house the presence of Jesus Christ. He has chosen to

work through these human frames. We dare not defile the temple in which

He has chosen to dwell. Paul tells us we are to glorify God in our bodies. In

the case described here, the Corinthians were to do this by resisting sexual

immorality. There are, however, many other ways in which we can defile

our human bodies.

We have examined the dietary laws of the Old Testament. In these laws, the

Lord instructed His people to care for their bodies by what they ate. Some

creatures could make them sick, so they were forbidden to eat them. We

honour God in our bodies by eating healthy and keeping them in good

condition.

The abuse of food and drink is seen in the Bible as sinful. Consider the law

of God for parents of a rebellious son who lived a life of gluttony and

drunkenness:

(20) and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is

stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a

glutton and a drunkard.’ (21) Then all the men of the city shall

stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from

your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear. - Deuteronomy

21:20-21 ESV

Proverbs 28:7 is more specific when it says that the companion of gluttons

shames his father:

(7) The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but

a companion of gluttons shames his father. - Proverbs 28:7 ESV

Excessive eating and drinking are discouraged in the Bible. Moderation was

the standard for the believer.

Scriptures also encouraged an active lifestyle. Writing to the Thessalonians,

the apostle Paul said:

(6) Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord

Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is

walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that

you received from us. (7) For you yourselves know how you

ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were

with you, - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-7 ESV

The apostle would go even further to say:

(10) For even when we were with you, we would give you this

command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. (11)

For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at

work, but busybodies. - 2 Thessalonians 3:10-11 ESV

The idleness spoken of here is an unwillingness to work and a decision to

live off others. Believers are encouraged to provide for their own needs, the

needs of our family and their community. Scripture rebukes the sluggard:

(14) As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his

bed. (15) The sluggard buries his ho and in the dish; it wears

him out to bring it back to his mouth. - Proverbs 26:14-15 ESV

The lazy person is humorously compared to a door that turns back and forth

on his bed. He is also compared to a man who puts his hand into a food dish

but doesn’t have the energy to bring it up to his mouth.

While there is a reference to games and sports in the Bible, these were more

part of Greek and Roman culture than Jewish culture. The active lifestyle

the Bible describes is not so much a life of sports and recreation as it was of

work and godliness. Writing to Timothy, who was at times quite sickly, the

apostle Paul would say:

(7) Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train

yourself for godliness; (8) for while bodily training is of some

value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for

the present life and also for the life to come. - 1 Timothy 4:7-8

ESV

The apostle recognized the value of physical training, but this was

secondary to training to be godly. In his godliness training, Paul disciplined

himself as an athlete, keeping his passions and body under control to the

service of God:

(24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but

only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. (25)

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to

receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (26) So I

do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. (27)

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after

preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. - 1

Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV

The apostle Peter challenged the woman of his day to be less focused on

their external appearance and more on the beauty of their spirit:

(3) Do not let your adorning be external—the

braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or

the clothing you wear— (4) but let your adorning be

the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable

beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s

sight is very precious. - 1 Peter 3:3-4 ESV

Scripture encourages us to eat healthy foods and live an active lifestyle, but

the focus is not looking good and competing against our neighbours.

Healthy living and lifestyle have more to do with the fact that our bodies

are the temple of God, and we take care of them, so they are healthy and

strong vessels through which He can work.

There is an interesting passage in Luke 4:9-12. In this passage, the devil

took Jesus to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, telling

him to throw himself down from there:

(9) And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle

of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw

yourself down from here, (10) for it is written, “‘He will

command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ (11) and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot

against a stone.’” (12) And Jesus answered him, “It is said,

‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” - Luke 4:9-

12 ESV

Notice what is happening in this temptation of Jesus. The devil wanted

Jesus to risk physically harming His body to prove that God would send His

angels to protect Him. He reminded Jesus of Scripture from Psalm 91:11-12

that said that God would protect Him so that his foot would not strike a

stone and get hurt.

Notice the response of Jesus to the temptation of Satan: “It is said, ‘You

shall not put the Lord your God to the test’”- Luke 4:12 ESV. In other

words, Jesus refused to put his body in danger to prove that the Father

would protect Him. He had been entrusted with this physical body, and He

would not endanger it for some fruitless temptation of the devil. It should

also be noted that the Lord Jesus, who would not risk harm to his physical

body when tempted by the devil, willingly laid it down to be crucified when

asked by the Father to do so.

What do these things teach us about God’s expectations? The Creator has

given us a natural impulse to nourish and cherish these bodies for a reason.

They are the temples of His Spirit through which He has chosen to do His

work. We must glorify God in and through these mortal frames. Just as

Jesus refused to foolishly risk harming His body through the temptation of

the devil, we too must be careful to protect and care for the bodies God has

given us until He calls us to give them up to Him.

What the application of these principles looks like may differ from one

person to another. What is clear is that we are not to recklessly endanger the

bodies God has given us but care for them as temples where He dwells and

through which He accomplishes His purpose.

CHAPTER 7 - RESPECTING

AUTHORITIES

o far in this study, we have examined the teaching of Scripture

about sickness and medicine. We have seen how the Bible teaches

about self-isolation, face coverings and respect for each other. In

times of pandemics, our civil and religious leaders must address many

serious questions. The responsibilities of leadership demand that they do all

they can to protect society from a life-threatening illness. Decisions made

by our leaders sometimes involve sacrifice and require a change of lifestyle.

This is not always appreciated. In some cases, there is pushback from those

who feel their leaders are going too far. This is a delicate issue to address,

but let's examine some basic Biblical principles that may help us determine

our response to these restrictions.

The Call To Obey Authorities

The apostle Paul challenged the Romans to be subject to governing

authorities. Consider his words in Romans 13:

(1) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.

For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist

have been instituted by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists the

authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who

resist will incur judgment. (3) For rulers are not a terror to

good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one

who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive

his approval, (4) for he is God's servant for your good. But if

you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain.

For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's

wrath on the wrongdoer. (5) Therefore one must be in

subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake

of conscience. - Romans 13:1-5 ESV

Paul told the Romans that they were to subject themselves to the authority

of Rome because God had instituted that authority. Understand that this did

not imply that every decision Rome made was godly. Rome put Christians

in the arena to be torn apart by lions. Under its rule, Christians were

crucified and burned to death for their faith. Despite this, Paul told believers

in Rome that they were to do all they could to respect the rules and

regulations put into effect by Roman authorities. He went as far as to say

that they were to be subject to Rome to avoid God's wrath (verse 5). In

other words, God expected believers to obey their political authorities and

be model citizens in their community.

Paul gave this advice to Titus, who ministered to the church in Crete:

(1) Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to

be obedient, to be ready for every good work, - Titus 3:1 ESV

The apostle encouraged Titus to instruct the church to obey their rulers.

Being a Christian under the authority of Christ did not remove their

obligation to obey civil powers.

The apostle Peter held the same position. Listen to his counsel to believers

in his first epistle:

(13) Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,

whether it be to the emperor as supreme, (14) or to governors

as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those

who do good. (15) For this is the will of God, that by doing

good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

(16) Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a

cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (17) Honor

everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the

emperor.- 1 Peter 2:13-17 ESV

Peter taught his readers that they were to be subject to every human

institution "for the Lord's sake." These institutions included the Roman

emperor or his governors (verse 13,14). Christians were not to give anyone

cause to blaspheme the Lord because of their civil disobedience. Instead,

they were to honour those in positions of authority by their obedience and

service as Christian citizens.

Peter would go even further than this and challenge servants to be subject to

their masters even if they were unjust:

(18) Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not

only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. - 1 Peter 2:18

ESV

As important as it was to pursue justice, servants were to consider respect

for their masters as more important than pursuing their personal interests.

Of course, Jesus is a perfect example of this. He was unjustly accused and

crucified but submitted to this for our sake.

Consider what took place as Jesus stood before governor Pilate:

(8) When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.

(9) He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus,

"Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. (10) So

Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know

that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify

you?" (11) Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority

over me at all unless it had been given you from above.

Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."

- John 19:8-11 ESV

These words of Jesus are important. Jesus refused to defend Himself before

Pilate. When Pilate reminded Him that he had the authority to crucify Him,

Jesus told him that this authority came from His heavenly Father. As Jesus

stood before this earthly governor, He did not demand His rights. He did

not demand justice. Instead, He submitted to the decision of Pilate and

trusted His Father to accomplish His purpose through it.

Because of their disobedience, God determined to punish His people in the

days of Jeremiah. He called the prophet to announce His judgement. Listen

to the words God gave Jeremiah to speak to His people in that day:

(5) "It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm

have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the

earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. (6) Now I

have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the

king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the

beasts of the field to serve him. (7) All the nations shall serve

him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own

land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him

their slave. (8) " '"But if any nation or kingdom will not serve

this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and put its neck under

the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with

the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the

LORD, until I have consumed it by his hand. - Jeremiah 27:5-8

ESV

God told His people that He had given their land to Nebuchadnezzar, king

of Babylon. He declared him to be His servant and demanded that all

nations serve him. Any country refusing to do so would be punished by

sword, famine, and pestilence.

Jeremiah's message from the Lord would not have been easy for the people

of God to hear. It required giving up their homes and being driven into

exile. It meant submitting to a ruthless king who, at this point, did not know

the Lord God of Israel. Israel would suffer greatly under his authority, but

God demanded their submission to him.

Daniel declares that it is God who sets up and removes kings:

(21) He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets

up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those

who have understanding; - Daniel 2:21 ESV

If God sets up and removes kings, we need to be cautious about our

response to them. To disrespect what God has ordained is to sin before God.

The law of the Old Testament required respect for those in authority, even

demanding the death penalty for those who disobeyed the priest God had

placed over them:

(12) The man who acts presumptuously by not obeying the

priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God,

or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall purge the evil

from Israel. - Deuteronomy 17:12 ESV

Sodom and Gomorrah have become known as evil cities that God destroyed

in the days of Abraham. Listen to how Jude describes them and their sin:

(7) just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities,

which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued

unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a

punishment of eternal fire. (8) Yet in like manner these people

also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority,

and blaspheme the glorious ones. - Jude 7-8 ESV

Notice the sins listed here. Sodom and Gomorrah indulged in sexual

immorality, rejected authority, and blasphemed the glorious ones. Sexual

immorality, blasphemy and rejection of authority were the causes of Sodom

and Gomorrah's downfall.

We see from these verses that the Lord expects us to be submissive to the

authorities that He has placed over us. As believers, we are to be model

citizens, walking in obedience to the laws of the land and giving no cause

for the unbeliever to blaspheme the name of our God. We are to do so even

if this requires suffering and a sacrifice of our rights and comforts.

The Obligation Of Civil Disobedience

The general principle taught in Scripture is that believers must be subject to

civil authorities, pay their taxes and obey their regulations. Because these

authorities do not know the Lord, there will be times their laws and

requirements force the believer to choose between them and God.

Sometimes ungodly civil leaders demand disobedience to the greater

authority of heaven. This was the case in Acts 5. Here the religious

authorities in Jerusalem demanded that the apostles stop teaching in the

name of Jesus. Listen to the response of Peter to this requirement:

(27) And when they had brought them, they set them before the

council. And the high priest questioned them, (28) saying, "We

strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have

filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring

this man's blood upon us." (29) But Peter and the apostles

answered, "We must obey God rather than men. - Acts 5:27-29

ESV

Peter boldly told the authorities that they were obligated to obey God rather

than man. In other words, they chose not to submit to the restriction of these

religious leaders and would continue to preach in the name of Jesus and

declare Him to be the Christ.

This was not the first time the apostles had to choose civil disobedience. In

Acts 4, when they were told not to preach or teach in the name of Jesus,

Peter and John declared:

(19) But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in

the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must

judge, (20) for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and

heard." - Acts 4:19-20 ESV

For these apostles, there was a higher authority. While God obliged them to

obey their civil government, there was an exception to that principle. When

civil authorities demanded disobedience to God, His people were to resist.

We have examples of this in the Old Testament. Consider the children of

Israel in Egypt. Fearing the increasing population of slaves, Pharaoh told

the Hebrew midwives to kill every male child born to a Hebrew woman.

Notice the response of the midwives to this command of Pharaoh

(17) But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of

Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. (18) So

the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, "Why

have you done this, and let the male children live?" (19) The

midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are

not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give

birth before the midwife comes to them." (20) So God dealt

well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew

very strong. (21) And because the midwives feared God, he

gave them families. - Exodus 1:17-21 ESV

The midwives refused to murder the male infants of Israel. They willingly

disregarded the direct command of Pharaoh because they "feared God." The

result was that "God dealt well with the midwives" (verse 20). God blessed

their civil disobedience because they chose to walk in His purpose rather

than obey the sinful command of Pharaoh.

The writer to the Hebrews identified Moses' parents as a people of faith

when they hid their son from the king and his men who sought to kill every

male Hebrew child in the land.

(23) By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three

months by his parents, because they saw that the child was

beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. -

Hebrews 11:23 ESV

These parents were determined to protect their child against the evil wishes

of Pharaoh. They did so by faith in God and His greater purpose.

We have another example of this in the days of Daniel and his friends in

Babylon. On one occasion, King Nebuchadnezzar built an idol and

demanded that all his people bow down and worship it. Daniel's friends

refused to obey the command of God and were thrown into a fiery furnace.

Before being cast into that furnace, they declared:

(16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to

the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you

in this matter. (17) If this be so, our God whom we serve is able

to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver

us out of your hand, O king. (18) But if not, be it known to you,

O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden

image that you have set up." - Daniel 3:16-18 ESV

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego boldly stood against the command of

Nebuchadnezzar to worship the golden image. They chose to face the king's

wrath rather than disobey the direct command of God. We know the result

of this decision. God protected them in the fiery furnace, and they escaped

unharmed. They were blessed because they chose to obey God rather than

the ungodly requirement of the king.

Daniel did the same thing when the king signed a document requiring that

no one pray or petition any other god other than him for thirty days. Notice

the response of Daniel to this official declaration of King Darius:

(10) When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he

went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber

open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a

day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had

done previously. (11) Then these men came by agreement and

found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. - Daniel

6:7-11 ESV

For his disobedience to the king's declaration, Daniel was thrown into a den

of lions. God protected him because he chose to walk faithfully.

Finally, Revelation 14 speaks of a time when evil will abound on the earth,

and believers will need to reject the requirements of pagan civil

government. In those days, authorities will demand that everyone worship

the beast and receive its mark on their forehead or hand. The Bible tells us

that believers will need to choose between listening to the government's

demand and obeying the commandments of God. The curse of God will fall

on all who choose to worship the beast and receive its mark:

(9) And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a

loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and

receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, (10) he also

will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the

cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur

in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the

Lamb. (11) And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and

ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of

the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its

name." (12) Here is a call for the endurance of the saints,

those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in

Jesus. - Revelation 14:9-12 ESV

While it is not my purpose in this chapter to discuss the "mark of the beast,"

what is important for us to notice is that we have a command of God for

believers to reject this evil civil authority. In this case, we must be ready to

suffer the consequences of civil disobedience.

As a general principle, the Word of God teaches that we are to be respectful

citizens of our land, following the requirements of civil government and

giving no one cause to blaspheme the name of God because of our

testimony. We are to respect the authorities God has put in place and be

willing to suffer hardship, limitations and restrictions. This is the

admonition of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians:

(3) We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be

found with our ministry, (4) but as servants of God we

commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in

afflictions, hardships, calamities, (5) beatings, imprisonments,

riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; (6) by purity,

knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;

(7) by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons

of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; (8) through

honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated

as impostors, and yet are true; - 2 Corinthians 6:3-8 ESV

He counsels Timothy to fulfil his ministry despite the hardship and

suffering he endured:

(5) As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do

the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. - 2 Timothy 4:5

ESV

Scripture tells us that we will face hardship and restrictions as believers.

Like many believers worldwide, we willingly join in suffering for the Lord

Jesus. We will endure injustice and struggle and walk obediently just as our

Lord did for us.

However, there comes a time when we are no longer dealing with hardships

and limitations. Sometimes the regulations of civil authorities place us in

opposition to the direct command of God. In these matters, we will choose

to obey God rather than man. The challenge is distinguishing between

hardship and disobedience to a direct command of Scripture.

CHAPTER 8 –

TRADITIONS AND THE

LAW’S TRUE INTENTION

here is an interesting interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees

in Mark 7. The discussion related to the tradition of washing hands

before eating. The practice was a good one and would certainly

have helped curtail the spreading of germs and disease. As the scene

unfolds, however, the Scribes and Pharisees noticed that Jesus’ disciples ate

without first washing their hands. While we should not read too much into

this, it is clear that these disciples were not overly worried about this

tradition. The Scribes and Pharisees, however, were quite concerned and

brought the matter to Jesus:

(5) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your

disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but

eat with defiled hands?” - Mark 7:5 ESV

Listen to the response Jesus gave:

(6) And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you

hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their

lips, but their heart is far from me; (7) in vain do they worship

me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ (8) You

leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of

men.” - Mark 7:6-8 ESV

Notice three details in Jesus’ response to these religious leaders.

First, He accused them of being hypocrites by telling them that they

honoured God with their lips but not their hearts. Second, He said that their

worship and traditions were vain. Finally, Jesus reprimanded them for

disobeying the command of God to follow the rules of men.

Jesus explained this in Matthew 15 when He said:

3 He answered them, “And why do you break the

commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For

God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and,

‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you

say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would

have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his

father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the

word of God. – Matthew 15:3-6

Instead of supporting their parents, these religious leaders would give a gift

to the temple. People noticed their generosity when they donated to the

temple. However, they were merely doing their duty by using their funds to

support their parents. They justified their neglect of parents by saying that

they were giving their time and money to God. Jesus saw the hypocrisy of

those who so diligently observed the letter of the Law but neglected its

intention. Speaking in Matthew 23:23, He says:

(23) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you

tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier

matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These

you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. -

Matthew 23:23 ESV

Jesus does not condemn the practice of tithing here but shows the Pharisees

that justice, mercy, and faithfulness was its true intention.

I have often been intrigued by a story in Genesis 34. In this passage, we

read about Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah. On this occasion, Dinah

went out to visit the “women of the land.” While she was out with her

friends, she met a young man named Shechem. Things got out of hand, and

Shechem raped her (Genesis 34:2). The young man decided to marry Dinah,

but her Israelite family would only consent to marriage if all the men in his

city were circumcised. The men agreed to this, but on the third day after

their circumcision, Dinah’s brothers took their swords and slaughtered them

while they were still sore from their procedure.

(25) On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of

Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords

and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the

males. (26) They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the

sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away.

(27) The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the

city, because they had defiled their sister. (28) They took their

flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the

city and in the field. (29) All their wealth, all their little ones

and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and

plundered. – Genesis 34:25-29 ESV

When their father Jacob rebuked them for what they had done, their

response was: “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?” (Genesis 34:31).

Consider what is happening here. Because Dinah was raped, her brothers

killed every male, looted their flocks, herds and plundered their city. They

also captured all their children and wives. Admittedly, the rape of Dinah

was a horrendous crime but was the action of Jacob’s sons less horrific? We

are left wondering which crime was worse –the rape of Dinah and

Shechem’s desire to marry her or the slaughter and destruction of the entire

city. To add to this is how Jacob’s brothers justified their actions by saying:

“Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?” I cannot read this passage

without seeing a picture of Jacob’s sons patting themselves on the back for

being so righteous. There can be no doubt that horrible things have

happened in the name of God by those who sincerely believed they were

defending the truth.

One day the disciples of Jesus asked Him about the law of divorce in the

Old Testament:

(7) They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to

give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” - Matthew

19:7 ESV

The disciples quoted the law of Moses in Deuteronomy 24:1 here in this

question to Jesus.

The answer of Jesus is quite revealing:

(8) He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses

allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it

was not so. - Matthew 19:8 ESV

Jesus told the disciples that Moses permitted divorce to avoid an even

greater injustice. In other words, to remain married to an individual with a

hard heart would create such hardship and evil that it was better to break the

covenant between the husband and wife rather than suffer the injustice and

sin that resulted from remaining in the marriage.

When asked if it was lawful to heal an individual on the Sabbath, Jesus

replied:

(10) And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked

him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”— so that they might

accuse him. (11) He said to them, “Which one of you who has a

sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it

and lift it out? (12) Of how much more value is a man than a

sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” - Matthew

12:10-12 ESV

While the law of the Sabbath was quite strict, Jesus told the religious

leaders that they had to be discerning in its application. He illustrated this

by reminding them that if an animal fell into a pit on the Sabbath, the

merciful thing to do was to break the law and rescue the animal.

Consider also the instructions of Jesus about bringing an offering to God:

(23) So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there

remember that your brother has something against you, (24)

leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled

to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. - Matthew

5:23-24 ESV

Bringing an offering to the Lord was required under the Law of Moses.

However, there were some conditions where the giver was to refrain from

doing so. One of those times was when the offerer had a broken relationship

with someone else. It was preferable to make amends with one’s brother or

sister than to bring an offering to God.

Consider the words of Paul to the Colossians who lived according to a strict

set of religious regulations:

(20) If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world,

why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to

regulations— (21) “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not

touch” (22) ( referring to things that all perish as they are

used)—according to human precepts and teachings? (23) These

have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made

religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of

no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. - Colossians

2:20-23 ESV

Paul challenged the Colossians regarding their many rules for spiritual

living – “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch.” He tells them that

while these many regulations had an appearance of wisdom, they promoted

a “self-made religion” that did nothing to change the heart.

The Lord Jesus criticized the Pharisees more than any other group in the

New Testament. Listen to His rebuke in Matthew 23:27-28:

(27) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you

are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful,

but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

(28) So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but

within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. - Matthew

23:27-28 ESV

God is more concerned about the heart than He is the outward actions.

Those whose hearts were not in tune with their external actions were called

hypocrites.

One of the great concerns of the Apostle Paul for the Galatians was that

their faith had become more about rules and regulations than it was about

Christ and His wonderful grace and forgiveness. Writing to them in

Galatians 4, the apostle says:

10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I

am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. - Galatians

4:10-11 ESV

The concern of the Galatian church for the celebration of days, months,

seasons and years upset Paul. To him, they had reduced their faith to a set of

traditions and rituals, but it was not about a relationship with the Lord

Jesus.

There are several principles we need to learn from these Scriptures. First,

we are reminded that when the law collides with justice and compassion,

we are to err on the side of compassion and justice. Who among us would

not willingly break the speed limit to get a dying friend to the hospital in

time to save their life? Who among us would not skip church when an

emergency arose in our family? Would it not be calloused and cruel to leave

the sheep in the pit on the Sabbath when we could ease its suffering on that

holy day? There are times when our rigid application of the law makes us

guilty of sin. We must consider the “weightier” matters in our application of

the law.

The second principle we need to learn from these Scriptures is that the New

Testament distinguishes between the “traditions of men” and the commands

of Scripture. It is very easy to get these confused. Consider the words of the

writer to the Hebrews in Hebrews 10:

(24) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and

good works, (25) not neglecting to meet together, as is the

habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as

you see the Day drawing near. - Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV

The challenge here is for the body of Christ to stir up its members to love

and good works. It did this by meeting together for encouragement. The

verse is often used to challenge people to attend church on Sunday morning.

However, this does great injustice to the context. According to the passage,

the goal of meeting together is to stir up one another to love and good

works. I have been in many church services, however, where God’s people

gathered, went through a series of traditions and the only conversations that

took place were about the recent sports scores and the weather. While we

went through the motions and did what was expected, no one was stirred to

love and good works, nor was anyone encouraged.

Early believers did not have church buildings. We have references to them

gathering beside a river in Acts 16:13. Early converts from Judaism would

meet in the temple court, but there came a time when they were no longer

welcome in these facilities, and they were forced to meet in smaller home

groups. Occasionally, when there was the need for a larger facility, believers

used halls or buildings with larger capacity. We have evidence in Acts 12

that believers worshiped behind locked doors for fear of persecution (see

Acts 12:12-16).

What gathering together looks like will vary from country to country and

from situation to situation. It may be a couple of believers gathering

together for prayer and study of Scripture. I remember when a fellow pastor

would phone me in the morning to pray together. The times when I have

been able to stir a brother or sister to love and good works have more often

than not been in a one-on-one conversation about spiritual matters at a

coffee shop. There have been emails or phone calls that have stimulated me

in my walk with God. Hebrews 10:24-25 is not just about going to church

but about taking every opportunity to encourage and support each other in

the spiritual life. Join together with fellow believers for encouragement and

edification. When a brother or sister is struggling, pick up the phone or send

them a word of encouragement. Drop in to see them and pray with them.

Support them in their pain. Going to church may or may not be where this

will happen. What is important is that no brother or sister be abandoned but

know they are loved and supported by the larger body of Christ.

I use this illustration because it is so easy for us to assume that we have

done our duty if we have gone to church on Sunday morning. This practice

is wonderful, but we can keep the tradition and fall short of the intention of

God for assembling.

Finally, these verses challenge us to carefully examine what we are fighting

for as believers. We can have full churches empty of spirituality. Like the

Pharisees, we can observe the traditions but be like whitewashed tombs,

clean outside but full of dead bones and rotten inside. Sometimes the Lord

will strip us of the privilege of bringing our offerings and songs to help us

understand His priorities. Consider the words of God through the prophet

Amos:

(22) Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain

offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of

your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. (23) Take

away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your

harps I will not listen. (24) But let justice roll down like waters,

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. - Amos 5:22-24

ESV

The one thing worse than God stripping away Israel’s privilege of bringing

her offerings and songs of worship was her refusing to learn what He

wanted to show them about justice and righteousness. May God give us the

grace to hear Him. May our traditions and rules not silence His voice in our

hearts. May our traditional application of the law not strip it of its true

intent Chapter 8 – Traditions and the Law’s True Intention

There is an interesting interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees in Mark

7. The discussion related to the tradition of washing hands before eating.

The practice was a good one and would certainly have helped curtail the

spreading of germs and disease. As the scene unfolds, however, the Scribes

and Pharisees noticed that Jesus’ disciples ate without first washing their

hands. While we should not read too much into this, it is clear that these

disciples were not overly worried about this tradition. The Scribes and

Pharisees, however, were quite concerned and brought the matter to Jesus: