Covid19 And possible Good God is working through it.

Gregory Thompson · Apr 9, 2020

Perhaps the church is being given the chance to become more intimate with God.

If there's good to be found in the social/physical distancing.

It's probably that.

It's a common perception to say God sent this (enter disaster name here) to "the world" but what if it was a side effect of something else God actually did, and this side effect was meant to draw us who are called according to His purpose closer to Him.

A passage for theologizing is found in Ezekiel 14. Read the whole passage and imagine the empty church buildings in context of the emptying mentioned in the passage in regards to Job, Noah and Daniel being the only ones left. (if they were indeed there)

If judgment is here, it begins with the house of God, like it is written in 1 Peter 4:17. It's not sent towards the world, just to the church. God chastises those he loves. However, if we are not chastized, then we are bastards and not sons as the scripture says. (Hebrews 12:8)

I think it is backwards to think God will judge the world while we are commissioned to proclaim the good news to the whole world because Romans 2.

God is being patient and all wrath will be released on one day towards the world. However, right now, those who trust Him and live in relationship towards Him through the Holy Spirit will receive judgment.

So I would counsel those saying it is judgment to turn your lense towards the family of God, the local congregation, the church overall - and seek Him to be more intimate with Him.

charsan · Apr 9, 2020

Michael Collum said:
Perhaps the church is being given the chance to become more intimate with God.

If there's good to be found in the social/physical distancing.

It's probably that.

Nothing about this is good. I become intimate with God in the Holy Eucharist, something many here can not understand or just minimize and now through the work of evil and evil man that close intimate relationship with God has been ripped away. I give up there is no hope left and nothing will ever be the same.

Gregory Thompson · Apr 9, 2020

charsan said:
Nothing about this is good. I become intimate with God in the Holy Eucharist, something man here can not understand or just minimize and now through the work of evil and evil man that close intimate relationship with God has been ripped away. I give up there is no hope left and nothing will ever be the same.

I love communion. What makes communion really awesome is when everyone comes prepared and is in a place of deep trust towards God.

Jesus prayed "may they be one as we are" to the Father (John 17)

And I experience that type of oneness in the body of Christ.

So the stronger our connection to God without the props is, the better the group experience will be, when we come back together.

charsan · Apr 9, 2020

Michael Collum said:
So the stronger our connection to God without the props is, the better the group experience will be, when we come back together.

The Holy Eucharist is not a prop, the Holy Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ and it is not just communion

Gregory Thompson · Apr 9, 2020

charsan said:
The Holy Eucharist is not a prop, the Holy Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ and it is not just communion

I agree, it is the body and blood of Christ.

However, relying on a vessel to experience God is adding a middle man element which Jesus died to eliminate.

If you were on a deserted island, how would you connect with God?

For me, I learned to connect to the source of the sacraments, so I can enjoy the experience even when I cannot find a church to be in community with.

I say this, because there are many options available to you - and you just need to ask the Father to help sustain you during this time. And He will.

charsan · Apr 9, 2020

Michael Collum said:
However, relying on a vessel to experience God is adding a middle man element which Jesus died to eliminate.

The Holy Eucharist is not a vessel it is the Real Presence, I can tell you do not understand.

Michael Collum said:
If you were on a deserted island, how would you connect with God?

I wouldn't and would try to kill myself because my connection was gone. I can not be as evangelicals are

Carl Emerson · Apr 9, 2020

charsan said:
Nothing about this is good. I become intimate with God in the Holy Eucharist, something many here can not understand or just minimize and now through the work of evil and evil man that close intimate relationship with God has been ripped away. I give up there is no hope left and nothing will ever be the same.

Herein lies the issue - as He said it is all about relationship and His Word - not tradition, ritual or anything else.

Relationship and His Word are not effected by C19 or anything else.

MyLifeForChrist · Apr 10, 2020

In those few states where Republicans have fought to preserve his houses of worship; God has used this tragedy, rightly, to prove that a majority of Christians will refuse this God-given right no matter how safe any type of worship might be.

This is the sad truth coming out of this and truly "God working through it" as the OP offers.

Gregory Thompson · Apr 10, 2020

charsan said:
The Holy Eucharist is not a vessel it is the Real Presence, I can tell you do not understand.

I wouldn't and would try to kill myself because my connection was gone. I can not be as evangelicals are

If it's real presence, then you don't need the vessel.

My understanding is, it is a vessel and it is also the real thing the scripture says both, so I believe and experience both.

However, if this carries on for a longer period of time, like it probably will in the US - any religious belief relying too heavily on a building, a ritual, or meeting will probably have severe difficulty.

Which is why I'm encouraging to connect to God's presence moment to moment, and work through those trust issues, since through faith we are saved, and through faith (trust) we live move and have our being in Him.

charsan · Apr 10, 2020

Michael Collum said:
If it's real presence, then you don't need the vessel.

You will never understand that the Eucharist is not a vessel, so please stop pretending you do.

1213 · Apr 10, 2020

Michael Collum said:
Perhaps the church is being given the chance to become more intimate with God.
...

I don’t believe this was sent by God, because it is used against freedom of people and it doesn’t really hit the fascistic rulers that want to limit freedom of people.

BobRyan · Apr 10, 2020

Michael Collum said:
Perhaps the church is being given the chance to become more intimate with God.

If there's good to be found in the social/physical distancing.

It's probably that.

It's a common perception to say God sent this (enter disaster name here) to "the world" but what if it was a side effect of something else God actually did, and this side effect was meant to draw us who are called according to His purpose closer to Him.

God's destructive judgments are a time of mercy for the world. As in the case of 9 of the TEN plagues in Egypt - the nine were designed to get the Egyptians to re-consider before heading off the cliff into the 10th plague and those that died when the Red Sea closed in around them. Nine chances to re-think it.

fewme · Apr 10, 2020

charsan said:
You will never understand that the Eucharist is not a vessel, so please stop pretending you do.

Why will he never understand?

charsan · Apr 10, 2020

fewme said:
Why will he never understand?

It is quite evident that he is dismissing the Eucharist as nothing but a vessel. It is evident that he does not have a clue about what the Holy Eucharist is and what it means to Liturgical Traditional Christians. We are not those who see the Holy Eucharist as a mere symbol but as the Body and Blood of Christ

Mountainmanbob · Apr 10, 2020

I think God just may be riding this one out?
Since the fall these things have been happening.
Nothing New Under The Sun.
M-Bob

fewme · Apr 10, 2020

charsan said:
It is quite evident that he is dismissing the Eucharist as nothing but a vessel. It is evident that he does not have a clue about what the Holy Eucharist is and what it means to Liturgical Traditional Christians. We are not those who see the Holy Eucharist as a mere symbol but as the Body and Blood of Christ

Well he could learn, or he could simply be in disagreement with you.

charsan · Apr 10, 2020

fewme said:
Well he could learn, or he could simply be in disagreement with you.

Look he could learn but most evangelicals won't and don't want to learn. I am not willing to sit by and let him get away with saying the Holy Eucharist is a prop.

fewme · Apr 10, 2020

charsan said:
Look he could learn but most evangelicals won't and don't want to learn. I am not willing to sit by and let him get away with saying the Holy Eucharist is a prop.

It's hard for most people to change their views. Could that be you too? I'm certainly in that boat.

charsan · Apr 10, 2020

fewme said:
It's hard for most people to change their views. Could that be you too? I'm certainly in that boat.

Nope. I will never entertain that the Most Holy Eucharist of the Lord which is the Real Presence is a prop, that is the height of heresy!

fewme · Apr 10, 2020

charsan said:
Nope. I will never entertain that the Most Holy Eucharist of the Lord which is the Real Presence is a prop, that is the height of heresy!

You might want to read my words again.

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