Exposure
Historical events often provide
venues whereby God can teach us spiritual lessons. The coronavirus
pandemic and the U.S. reaction to it are examples. Let’s lay some
groundwork.
In his last private time with his
disciples (John 13-17), Jesus provided a beautiful analogy
depicting his relationship with them—the Vine and the Branches (John
15). In 15:3, he spoke these rather profound words: “Now ye are clean through the
word which I have spoken unto you.” In the context, Jesus
referred to his “purging” (pruning) of the fruitful branches
(15:2) so they could bear more fruit. In 15:3, when he pronounced them
“clean” through the word, he taught that mere exposure to his spoken
words had a ‘pruning’ effect on them.
Exposure to the words of Jesus with
their cleansing effect, while DESIRABLE for the branches, is DETESTABLE
for unbelievers. Jesus told Nicodemus: “For every one that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved" (John 3:20). The most uncomfortable situation
for an unbeliever with his evil deeds is exposure to the light with a
subsequent ‘reproval’ of his sin. That is, a ‘cleansing’ is the last
thing an unbeliever desires. So to avoid cleansing, he avoids exposure
to the light (truth) at all costs.
This brings us to the coronavirus.
Have you ever seen such a national panic to avoid exposure to a viral
contagion? America is in the process of shutting down school systems,
church meetings, sporting events and rallies—any and all mass
gatherings in order to avoid exposure to the coronavirus and its
potential spread. What is now true in the physical realm with regard to
the coronavirus has long been true in the spiritual realm with regard
to truth and the cleansing effect exposure brings.
It’s almost as if God is saying:
“America, your reaction to the coronavirus (fear of exposure) is
exactly how you’ve been reacting to my words for decades. So I’m giving
you something in the physical to remind you of your greater spiritual
peril in avoiding exposure to my Son, his words and their cleansing
power!”
There are many things these days to
which America fears exposure—nuclear threats, terrorist attacks,
infectious diseases. But NONE of these troubles can compare to the fear
of exposure to the words of Jesus and their cleansing effect. Making
America GREAT again MUST involve making America CLEAN again. And as
long as America harbors an aversion for the words of scripture,
cleanliness is impossible. Any measure of national greatness void of
spiritual cleanliness is a fool’s errand in the sight of God!
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