Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that an entire year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were first called Christians first in Antioch.
When on December 31, 2019 Wuhan municipal health commission in china issued the first public announcement of 27 cases of an unfamiliar pneumonia, no country seems to have taken the warning. When WHO went further to announced that there is no evidence of human to human transmission of the virus on january14 most world leaders forgot about the pandemic and many leaders made a political joke out of the announcement As for today, May 19, 2020 the world has lost four million seven hundred and thirty thousands nine hundred and sixty-eight lives [4,730,968] to this monster .Yet, the world seems to be ready to move on despite this alarming death toll. Among the institutions willing to move on is the church; Initially, those ministries who defy the lockdown and held services were promptly arrested by the security agents.
Without the gathering together of the christian faith it is incorrect to define that as a church; you just can not have a church without singing, praising, praying, all done in the spirit of oneness and harmony. Therefore, no matter the role technological and other information gadget may play, without this traditional way of meeting, there is the absence of communion and fellowship which is the core of the christian faith. The church can not run along with the world, it is a thin balancing act for the church obeying rules and obeying the word of God as taught us by faith. If faith heals us, why not stay the path of faith in this pandemic, if we have been healed by the sacrifice made by Jesus and via his stripes by the stripe of christ [1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.] why not show it now, we are moved by the word of God, why not show the world where our faith and allegiance lies? Though the church is in the world; its place and purpose is to give direction to those in authority, pray and intercedes for the nation. It is also in the church’s way to lift leaders, rulers and kings unto God for wisdom and guidance. see 1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.[kjv]
There is no gainsaying the obvious that corporate power of the church can only be experienced when there is a gathering or assembly of the people of faith. See Leviticus 26:8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. It is in this background that the clergymen supporting that the church doors be kept open rest their argument. But sadly, not all men have the same measure of faith. The same bible reveals the individual and not a mass experience can only practice that divine healing, though part of the christian faith. The christian faith that brings divine healing is only by the individual belief in that healing. There is no place in the new testament where Jesus healed anyone who did not come to him [by faith way in his ability to cure them of diseases and heald them of infirmities.] The bible makes it clear in the book of Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him [kjv]. The parishioner must not be cajoled to come to church, or be discouraged from coming by the pastor; let us allow the individual to make his choice, but we should keep the church doors open for anyone who wants to come in for prayers. The common ground should be that we must observe healthy protocols. We must prepare the church who wants to remain open to provide hand sanitizers ,before going inside the hall, social distancing must be adhered to, face mask must be use by all except the clergyman.
Many are recovering from Covid-19, who knows if this is a question of their faith? For now, the medical world and scientists have not found a definite way forward as we have discovered no vaccine, the recovering is because the human immunity has fought this virus mostly in healthy people. This is in line with the christian belief that tells us in the book of Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. [kjv]
Recently, some countries have taken the bold step to reopen their countries in the face of dwindling economy and other financial woes brought about by the lockdown. The irony is that this move have received applause from the people yet; we have found no vaccine. There comes a time we go out to face our demons and this may well be that time; staying indoors, waiting for the worse to happen will not bring about the vaccine or the recovering for sufferers let us show our faith in our God by encouraging one another while keeping social distancing. The world will overcome this as it did other viruses before now. Let us go about doing good, distributing to the needy and helping those who are too weak. Let us keep praying for health workers all over the world.
We shall overcome.
Sapphire strokes 