Paul's Counsel for Covid-Conflicts

Church leaders know that with the re-opening of places of worship, we will need to shepherd our people through the inevitable conflicts that will arise.

Some think it was foolish for churches to close in the first place, while others are reluctant to return until a vaccine can make it entirely safe. Some think the whole situation has been overblown and government leaders have needlessly ruined the economy in an over-reaction to a perceived threat; others think we are in danger of giving the virus new avenues of attack by opening too much too soon.

It’s not as if there were a chapter and verse in Scripture to guide us in these matters. Brothers and sisters in Christ disagree sincerely and profoundly on how we all ought to respond to the situation before us – and without specific guidance from Scripture, we are left to sort this out on our own, each of us according to our own individual conscience. That makes black-and-white thinkers on both sides deeply uncomfortable.

How are we to handle issues like these, where opinions are deeply divided on matters of conscience?

Paul dealt with that question in his letters to the churches in Rome and Corinth. In both of those letters, he tells us that love of our brothers and sisters is more important than making sure everyone agrees with our point of view on matters of individual conscience.

The issues were different then – dietary restrictions and the observance of holy days. But the principle is timeless: in such matters, let love of your brother’s spiritual well-being take the lead, and set aside your preferences for the sake of your spiritual siblings.

I’ve adapted and edited Romans 14 from The Message paraphrase to show how the Apostle Paul would advise us about our own conflict over Covid.

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with.

Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.

Ask yourself this question: Do you have any business deciding how everyone else should respond to the current crisis? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.

So our part is to let each person be free to follow the convictions of his or her conscience.

What’s important in all this is not whether you are cautious or bold in your response to the crisis. How you respond to the crisis is not nearly as important as how you respond to your brothers and sisters who disagree with you. And sitting in judgment on your spiritual siblings is not one of your options. None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. It’s God we are answerable to, not each other.

So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I’d say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse.

Eventually, we’re all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God.

So tend to your own knitting. You’ve got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God. Forget about deciding what’s right for each other.

Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is.

God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of how well you practice social distancing or whether you should wear a mask. God’s kingdom is about each of us single-mindedly serving Christ.

So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault. You’re certainly not going to permit debates over social distancing etiquette to wreck God’s work among you, are you? (adapted from Romans 14, the Message)

It’s surprising how timely and relevant Paul’s words are, isn’t it? Remember, this is not a man to shy away from admonishing people about sin. He roundly condemns sin in the churches when he sees it: sexual immorality, factions, and doctrinal error all draw down his wrath.

But on issues where Scripture is silent and believers must develop their own views, Paul takes an entirely different tactic. He wants to make it clear that the law of love takes precedent. We’ve got to allow each other room to disagree and still treat each another graciously. The people with whom we disagree are not our enemies, they are our spiritual siblings.

We’re all coming out of what feels like a two-month hibernation. And we’ve all formed opinions about the crisis over the past few weeks. This is the perfect opportunity for us to practice the art of loving deference toward those with whom we disagree. This is especially true when our conflict is with our spiritual siblings, people who, like us, were once traitors and rebels but are now adopted with us into God’s family.

So when we gather again with the people of God, brothers and sisters, let’s keep our personal opinions to ourselves and let our love for one another take the leading role.

Persevere,

Paul Pyle
Discipleship Pastor

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