I said the other day I was going to do more posts that interact with the Bible and theology. Perhaps this will help me to be a little more consistent, and persistent, in my Bible reading. That would be a good thing.
I've noticed that many of the people spreading conspiracy theory videos on Facebook, with regard to the COVID-19 crisis, are generally my charismatic Christian friends. I guess it should not come as a surprise that Charismatics would have no particular regard for rationality. I first heard the chemtrail conspiracy theory from a devoted Charismatic. As a culture, they are cultivators of gullibility and empty hype. They often seem to value enthusiasm more than truth. They value a Christian-ish buzz more than wisdom.
I suppose wisdom must begin with an admission of vulnerability, an admission of weakness. And it must move on from there to right understanding of where our strength comes from. In a world being engulfed by a lava flow, where is the higher ground?
In the story of Adam and Eve, the serpent suggested they eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so that they could be like God. He encouraged them to be jealous of God. To choose, rather than dependence, independence. Rather than vulnerability, power! The lust for independence and power lies at the root of much human dysfunction.
Ever since then men and women, the human race, has been walking in "the valley of the shadow of death." Not occasionally, or only at the end of life or when a loved one dies. That valley is where we live and breathe, where we wake up in the morning and go to bed at night. Egged on by the serpent, Adam and Eve subjected themselves and their descendants to futility and waste. This is life in the valley. It shouldn't take a microscopic virus to remind us of that.
None of this is to say that we are helpless, but it does mean we will tend to turn to false promises, the schemes of charlatans and power-hungry "leaders," to solve this seemingly intractable problem for us. Here in the desert, we will put our trust in many false promises before we trust in the one true source of hope.
When Jesus began his ministry, he preached a consistent message. The Kingdom of God is near. Now when Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden, they were banished from that kingdom. Jesus was announcing that the opportunity to live within the realm of God's goodwill was being made available. That is a realm of peace. And a ream where Jesus himself is King.
I am aware that all this sounds crazy and like something only the truly gullible would believe. But Jesus confirmed his message by many miracles and then, ultimately, by rising from the dead. And every follower of Jesus can say with the Apostle Paul, "Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me." [1 Corinthians 15:8]
But we have not been magically lifted out of the Valley of the Shadow of Death and placed in some Eden of prosperity and ease. Instead, we are called to the same ministry that Jesus had, telling people who live under that shadow, "God is not angry with you. He calls you to come live in his kingdom (that is, recognize your true king)." This is is our message as it was Jesus' message. And in addition to the message, we are to bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control here, even here, in this dark time. [Galatians 5:22] We are not afraid, because we have discovered a Love that casts out fear. [1 John 4:18] We are not at war with the world or anyone in it, because our allegiance is to a kingdom of peace. [Romans 14:17] This world of war is not our home, but the Prince of Peace [Isaiah 9:6] has come, and as a result, this world will be His world again. Hope is here. [Revelations 21:1-4]
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