By: Christopher Guffey
Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Psychology
Masters of Divinity in Global Studies
Chance, Supernatural/Demonic, Natural, or Creation in Revolt?
At various times in history, the world has responded to disease in a variety of ways. In the pre-Enlightenment age, disease was viewed in terms of the supernatural – demonic or the wrath of god/God. After the Enlightenment, mankind has a tendency to view disease through the lens of nature – virus, infection, and transmission. The post-modern views disease as nothing more than chance, chaos.
Scriptural authority is timeless, transcending mankind’s understanding through various ages. It views disease through the lens of three forces: (1) supernatural, (2) natural, and (3) creation in chaos as a result of sin.
As to the first:
- God uses disease, pain, and suffering as an act of correction – Amos 3:6, Isaiah 14:30, & Hosea 6:1.
- Demonic forces and the Adversary are agents of chaos and destruction – Job 1-2 & 2 Corinthians 12.
As to the second (“natural” is meant to convey “common to all man”): Matthew 5:45b & Acts 7:11.
As to the third: Genesis 3:17-18, Luke 21:11, & Romans 8:22.
Prayer: Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, help me this day to understand the reason for my suffering and the chaos of the world around me. Help me to see disease through your eyes, so that I may have your wisdom and understanding, faith to face the challenge, and conviction to do the right.
Who is in Control?
In the midst of disease, it is clear who is not in control – mankind. With all of our wisdom, knowledge, and science; we have merely scratched the surface of true understanding. We cannot predict futures, control destinies, nor isolate crisis. In the midst of chaos, we are mindful of our own finiteness.
But scripture points to purpose. Everything happens for a reason – Psalm 27:13. If there is purpose, there is One who is orchestrating all things, moving through history, and sovereign over all. His name is Jesus Christ – John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-17, & Hebrews 1:3.
Prayer: Christ Jesus, the One in whom all things are held together, I would lose all hope in this, if it were not for the truth of your sovereignty. I understand this creation is in revolt against its creator, but I trust that you are in control. Protect me from what I do not see, understand, nor control. Lead me in safety through this day and watch over my moments, as only you can.
What is the Answer?
Creation in chaos, divine discipline, and natural fallenness lead us to despair and destruction. But scripture teaches us Christ is in control. These two truths lead us to an undeniable conclusion – the fallen world, disease, and all of the chaos are direct results of sin. Sin from Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and sin in the present pride of mankind.
As such, there can be only one remedy for sin – Jesus Christ. In Colossians 1:15-17, the writer declares that everything was created by Christ, for Christ, and to the glory of Christ; that all things are upheld and sustained by His power. Therefore, the apostle continues – “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). It is in the cross of Jesus Christ, that man and creation alike are reconciled.
Further discovery: Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 66:22, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 2 Peter 3:13, & Revelation 21:1.
Prayer: God, my faith cannot rest in the present world, for it is falling apart. My faith must rest in Jesus Christ – His life, death, and resurrection on my behalf. I believe what Jesus did on the cross of calvary was enough to pay the penalty for my sin and I entrust my life to His lordship and rule. I await, with all saints, the eternal blessed hope of a new heaven and earth bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
What is Our Purpose?
Understanding that man is not in control and that the world – though it is played out according to the sovereign plan of God – is in chaos, man wrestles with his most important question: “What is my purpose?” The continual testimony of scripture is that man was created to know Christ and to make Him known – we were created for the glory of God.
Every action is meant to bring pleasure to God. Every decision is to be according to the counsel of God. Every inclination, thought, and passion is held captive by the consuming desire to know Christ and model Him to the world around me. My profession is merely and expression of my existent calling – to know Him and make Him known.
Further discovery: Genesis 1:26, Matthew 5:13-18, Matthew 28:16-20, Ephesians 1:3-4, & Philippians 2:15.
Prayer: God help me to fulfill my mission today – to know your son Jesus and make Him known by being transformed into His image and testifying of His great work on my behalf. Help me to be salt and light, to be an example to those who are not in the faith, and to give you great pleasure in my works.
What is Our Responsibility?
In the midst of disease, difficult decisions must be made. Do I attend church? Do I tend to the sick? Do I isolate for my safety and for others? What can I do to help others? Much ink has been spilled over this very topic in Christendom.
Scripture (Genesis 1-2) that God created man. The beauty of His good creation is found in the distinct privilege that was given to man – to be an image bearer of God. The uniqueness of man is found in this “image bearing.” As such, God created man with moral responsibility – a choice between eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge or not. Further, God created man as “unity in plurality” – body, mind, and spirit – to reflect the Trinity. Therefore, Christian responsibility must consider God’s command to take care of our bodies – 1 Corinthians 6:19. The ultimate testimony to this truth is the command to not murder – Exodus 20:13. The command not to harm another human life, which extends to our own, is a testimony to God’s high view of the bodies He created for us to live in. Therefore, one of our responsibilities is to care for these bodies God has given to us.
But is our own safety our greatest responsibility? According to Jesus, no – Matthew 25:31-46. God expects for the believer to care for the sick, naked, imprisoned, and outcast. The Christian must stand his post in a time of pandemic. He must care for the souls of men by pointing them to Christ. He must care for their physical needs by sacrificing self. And he must visit the lonely, understanding that without community, mankind misses a part of God’s good creation. After all, should the believer catch the disease, his eternal destiny is secure in Christ.
Prayer: God help me to sacrifice for the good of another today. Help me to overcome my fears and see the needs of others as greater than my own. Place another in my path, that I may clothe him, feed him, and visit him.
What Should We Fear?
To say that the Christian has “nothing to fear” is inaccurate. What is more accurate is to appropriately define what the believer fears – Luke 12:4-7. Fear, appropriately directed, is a powerful force. When man fears God, he is driven to seek reconciliation, which is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ.
What separates the believer from the nonbeliever is the object of fear. The believer fears God – following His commands, seeking reconciliation, and the restoration of relationship. The nonbeliever fears the present world – temporal circumstances, economies, the opinion of men, etc.
In disease, pandemic, and tribulation the Christian is challenged with the words of Christ to “not be anxious about anything” – Luke 12:22-34. The believer understands God’s purpose is to point us to the eternal. We do not fear the present because we know it is not lasting. We set our minds on the eternal kingdom.
Further discovery: Romans 5 & 8:17.
Prayer: God help me not to become fixated on what I see, to be governed by the fear of my surroundings, and to allow my mind to wander into the unknown. Protect me from my own self, as I am tempted to be controlled by fear over my present condition. Instead, fix my attention and captivate my thoughts with the eternal. Help me to live in a righteous fear of you and to trust your promises for me.
What is Our Confidence?
It is difficult to be confident in seasons of uncertainty. But the Christian is calm, reflective, and confident in the greatest of swells. The seas may rise and the storm rage, but the Christian stands firm. His confidence in rooted, not in his own ability, but the good character and love of God – Romans 8:35-39.
Further discovery: Joshua 1:1-9, Psalm 27:3, Proverbs 3:26 & 14:26, Romans 8:28, & 1 John 5:14.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, let my confidence rest in you today. You have shown yourself worthy of all my trust, supremely in the sending of your Son to die my death on the cross. You are trustworthy and true, your promises are secure, and your love unending. Today, I will rest in you.
What is Our Hope?
Just as our confidence must not rest in the present, our hope must also find a greater object. The unbeliever hopes in the present – cure, economic riches, peace, and little suffering. While the believer longs for such, we do not hope in the present.
The unbeliever is held captive to the present hope, for this life is the best there is. When he departs this world through death, he enters an eternity of God’s judgment. But the believer longs for a better city – Isaiah 26. He longs for a place where death does not have dominion, where sickness is no more, where pain has been abolished, and the devastation of sin is removed.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12). Should we pray for healing? Absolutely. Do we long for a more peaceful world? Yes. But our hope is not in the creation of such in the present, but in the promise of such for all of eternity – Revelation 21:4.
Prayer: Thank you sovereign Lord for the promise of a better world. In Christ, I need not fear the end of this world, for you have given me the hope of a better city – one where death has no power, sickness is but a faint memory, and my faith is given sight.
What is Our End?
All men fear death…death is final, irrespective of person, and universal. The difference for the Christian and the non-Christian is the nature of such fear. Men without Christ wonder what death means, whether they properly evaluated the afterlife (if there is even such a life), and what awaits them. The Christian fears death as well, but for different reasons. We fear not the end of death, but the method by which it comes. We have seen the suffering of the present world and we pray for a peaceful passing.
The Christian does not fear the “END” is a more appropriate appraisal, because we know what the “END” of this world brings – clarity (1 Corinthians 13:12). We know that the “END” is not the end. The Christian life is really a waiting game – 1 Thessalonians 1:10. We are living here responsibly, humbly, and in submission to God “waiting” for the return of Jesus, who was raised from the dead and will “deliver us from the wrath to come.”
For the Christian, death is merely a right of passage. It is the avenue by which we are received – John 14:1-14. Because of the resurrection of Christ, death has no power – 1 Corinthians 15:55. Believing in Christ offers the promise of eternal life – John 11:17-27.
Further discovery: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
Prayer: Thank you God for the eternal life offered in Christ Jesus. I need not worry about death because I have believed in you. At the end of this life, comes the rest of eternal life. Because Jesus defeated death and the grave, I am no longer imprisoned by its power; indeed, it has no power over me at all.
What is Our Response?
The Christian response to disease is service, hope, confidence, and faith. We understand that whatever tragedy awaits, we hold fast to the blessed hope of eternity. We believe that even the most difficult of days is an avenue by which we are refined. James 1:2-18 is our response.
Further discovery: 1 Peter 1 & 3:8-22.
Prayer: God, help me to respond to this crisis appropriately – with humility, service, and confidence. Teach me to consider my days, learn from each experience, and honor you. Keep me holy, my actions righteous, and my thoughts clear. Make your servant steadfast in the stormy waters.