On Worship, Freedom, and Love
Let’s get one thing very clear. We are not choosing to do virtual worship services because of governmental restrictions. We have the freedom to worship and we doggedly maintain that right no matter what any city council or governor might dictate. We are choosing to do what we are doing out of wisdom and love—especially for the elderly and most vulnerable among us.
There is a delicate balance here, and great danger. John Whitehead cites the danger we are all feeling.
“At a minimum, this is a time for heightened vigilance. Our Constitution erected a government of limited powers with the task of ensuring that our freedoms are protected against government abuse. While we may tolerate these restrictions on our liberties in the short term, we should never fail to be on guard lest these one-time constraints become a slippery slope to a total lockdown mindset,” said constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People. “What we must guard against, more than ever before, is the tendency to become so accustomed to these lockdowns, authoritarian dictates, and police state tactics justified as necessary for national security that we allow the government to keep having its way in all things, without any civic resistance or objections being raised.” (here)
Federal and state governments should not have the right to restrict worship, but we do not want to act like fools in the defense of that right. If we concede our rights easily, we will lose them. If we exercise them foolishly we will also lose them and hurt others in the process.
So God bless the pastors and congregations all across this country who have found novel ways to worship over the last month. Thank God for the drive-in services, live streams, Zoom services, and video posts. Thank God for individual believers who have taken time to minister to family, friends, neighbors and fellow church members over phones, email, Twitter, and Facebook–even snail mail and sidewalk chalk drawings.
We will meet together again when it is wise. Hopefully, wisdom and governmental guidelines coincide. This is only temporary.
But until then. Be faithful weary Pilgrim, the morning I can see.
I have a question. Why do you hope that “wisdom and governmental guidelines coincide” concerning when a church should again gather together in person? If this wisdom can be acted upon truly independent of outside guidelines as you stated elsewhere in your article, what does it matter? (By the way, what expectation should the church have that it and the world will be in agreement about anything especially since our worldviews are suppose to be different?)
At a time when religious liberty is under attack in the United States, one should not be opining about “foolish” defenses of liberty and hopeful coincidence of church wisdom and governmental guidelines. While some who might be perceived as leaders among us (due mainly to their pastoring a “successful” church) increasingly sound like Sanballat’s and Tobiah’s urging a fleeing in the face of danger, there are a handful of now seemingly despised pastors who are willing to stand their ground for the defense of the faith including that a church must gather in person.
My Bible teaches me about men who defended a field of lentils (2 Samuel 23:11-12), of men who risked their lives just to retrieve water from Bethlehem’s spring (2 Samuel 23:15-16). Even Paul informs us of Epaphroditus who hazarded his life for the sole purpose of meeting Paul’s material needs with gifts from Philippi (Philippians 2:25-30). I must admit that I do not recognize this spirit of a “foolish” defense of liberty of which you speak. Nothing done for God is foolish. These passages do not just make “good preaching;” they make good practice.
My Bible teaches me that God makes a difference in the lives of those who trust in him. (i.e. Psalm 124:1-5) While an expression for a hopeful coincidence of wisdom and guidance may be rooted in a desire for a lack of conflict (that is a good thing), it unintentionally would deprive the church of an undeniable testimony to the world that faith in God makes a difference. As I urged my church in person in our building yesterday, we cannot expect people to want our God when we act in crisis just like they do. We must allow God the opportunity to be a difference maker. We surely MUST not tempt God with foolish behavior, but neither should we deprive Him of a witness to His power and glory in such a time. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 Where in your counsel to others would God have that opportunity?
My short statement was not meant in any way to be a condemnation on those who believe they can safely, lovingly, and wisely hold services right now.
Wisdom and foolishness always have a context. What is wise in South Dakota might not be wise or loving in New York City depending on the circumstances. We must trust the promise of God to grant us each individually His wisdom as we seek His will. That is the nature of individual soul liberty.
I do disagree with one particular statement you made. “Nothing done for God is foolish.” People have done many things for God that have clearly not been His will and have been foolish. Certainly, everything done by faith according to His will is wise (and not foolish). I assume that this is what you meant.