Fellow Christians, this world is not our home. If we are to believe in the name of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be saved from condemnation (John 3:16-17), we know that our ultimate safe zone, where we are completely protected and secure, is with God. That is our true home.
If our true home is with God, then what of our time away from God? Here, away from God’s New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22), Christians have a home with Jesus (John 15), and yet due to our temporary residence permit, we are simultaneously sojourners and refugees in this world- mysterious exiles until Jesus comes back (Ephesians 1:9-10) .
Sojourners because we are brief visitors in a foreign land, and days such as these (i.e. SARS-CoV-2 viral pandemic) come when we are more than aware that our residence permit here on this earth is quite temporary, and not in our hands. Much like any government approving residence permits, the nature of our role in the foreign land determines the length of stay and the level of access we are given to resources by the government. In this case, God’s authority determines both the nature and the length of our stay in this foreign land (Psalm 39:12).
Refugees because we are are escaping a war that we began against God, and fleeing the curse (Genesis 3) as we run towards Jesus, the ONLY safetower (Proverbs 18:10).
Interestingly, the German version of Genesis 3 and Proverbs 18:10 connects our flight from the curse at the Garden of Eden, as well as Jesus being our safe refuge all with same root word of “fluch,” in German. The clue is found in the etymology of the word for refugee, “flüchtlingen.” “Flücht,” in German means flee, while “Fluch,” denotes curse, and “verflucht” used to describe the nature of man after the original sin in the Luther bible in 1 Mose 3:14-19! So really, we are all flüchtlingen in our lives, in need of God’s righteousness through Jesus Christ as we make our way homeward (Ephesians 2). The Hoffnung für alle (Hope for all) German bible gives further insight into our status as refugees in this world as it proclaims the Lord as the only sure refuge (zuflucht):
Der Herr ist eine starke Festung: Wer das Rechte tut, findet bei ihm sichere Zuflucht.
Sprueche 18:10, HOF
For all these reasons, as both sojourners and refugees, we are at war with the ways of the world, the enemy and our own flesh (Matthew 4, 1 Peter 2:11).
I am not asking that we disobey government rules for social distancing, since we are aware of the sanctity of life given to us by God (Genesis 2:7). For example, we can boldly help in the face of danger while obeying the policies put forth in each region we are subject to, perhaps by volunteering to bring food and medical supplies to those who are in need without putting them at risk.
Rather, I ask that those of us who profess Christ as God act in ways that are selfless and united in our status as global refugees together with those who do not yet know God (i.e. humans of all nationalities whom God cares about). This is contrary to the temptation of the enemy and our flesh to give into the prevailing “me-first” attitude that we have begun to observe as individuals and organizations profiteer and exploit the public via the COVID-19 pandemic.
Self-preservation comes from a spirit of fear, fear of the loss of our own self, but why should a Christian fear losing one self when he or she is safe in the arms of Christ? Therefore, acting in ways that are selfish are unbiblical, especially when it causes damage to the lives around us (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).
Secondly, when external war or plagues strike this earth and devastate humanity, we can turn to Christ our Lord and cry out for help, perhaps for our own lives and for the lives who are afflicted, but my letter today is to ask that we pray even more for the salvation of those around us who do not yet believe in Jesus Christ as Lord. For they are not yet in sure hands, as we are, as explained above!
The enemy wants us to operate in a spirit of selfishness out of fear of our own lives. But if we know that our ultimate home is with God, then why need we fear death on this earth? Does not Revelation 12:11 affirm that we can overcome the adversary by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony, and even unto DEATH not be afraid? In case we have forgotten, we have a God who stuck His face in DEATH and came out ALIVE (Mark 16). We believe in the resurrected Jesus Christ, who gives us not a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). My prayer for the global Church is that we would operate in all three realms: Power through the adoption into the family of God (Romans 8:10-17), love for God and for others (Matthew 22:36-40), and of a sound mind (James 1:5) in this COVID-19 pandemic. Amen.
