The past few weeks during this Covid-19 scare I have seen and heard several christians use the verse 2 Timothy 1:7 as a reason to not be careful and cautious.
This is what we call cherry picking.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
The verse was wrote to define our attitude towards persecution and affliction due to our faith and our testimony. Not to shame us for being afraid or cautious due to a disease or flu or virus.
Never should you be afraid to witness or testify of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is our calling to talk of our Savior.
To share of His great love, His sacrifice for us. The shed blood of Christ is the only thing we should have confidence in, and never waver in the witnessing and testifying of it.
To use this verse to shame folks into carelessly exposing them or their families to a disease or illness? That is just unsound and stupid.
Jesus did not push His fate, many times He said His hour had not yet come and did not needlessly endanger Him or His disciples. He knew God had a time for Him and He abided by God's schedule.
Joh 7:6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
Joh 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
Joh 7:8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.
There is a difference in someone telling you not to testify, not to witness, not to be a Christ follower, and the government of man telling you to exercise caution.
We are to be subject to the government that God Himself has put over us, unless that government goes against God Himself.
In the Old Testament lepers had to warn people that they were unclean with loud calls, God set that up to protect the people from illness. God ,in the Law He set forth, set several restrictions on man that man might protect themselves from disease.
This situation we are in is unique, not in that disease is new, but in that the government has instituted stern measures to ensure as few people get sick as possible.
For this reason, and this reason alone, people are urged to resist large gatherings. Not to stop the spread of the Gospel.
The President of the US called for a national day of Prayer, to pray to God that the spread of this disease be stopped. That the people be spared. How is that persecution of our faith and testimony?
please exercise caution, follow the guidelines set forth by the government until this pestilence is gone.
Witness using the tools that we have at our disposal. We have the radio, the TV, the internet, and our lifestyle example to use as effective witness to those that do not believe.
But do not bludgeon people with your words and opinions to shame them into needlessly exposing themselves to danger.
Every man must do what is right for him and his family. Every pastor must do what is right for his flock.
The Good Shepherd goes out to seek the one who is lost but does not take His flock out to the danger with Him.
He would not be The Good Shepherd if He endangered His flock at every turn.
So to shall a man do for his family or a pastor do for his people. He was given charge over them, he will answer for them. Therefore he must do what is best for his flock.
Christ kept all that He was given charge over, so to shall the man of God do.
He will give account for how he led, therefore no one can tell him how to lead. He must follow the Spirit's leading.
In this time use caution, use common sense.
Keep your testimony strong, keep your compassion alive, and stay safe.
This is what we call cherry picking.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
The verse was wrote to define our attitude towards persecution and affliction due to our faith and our testimony. Not to shame us for being afraid or cautious due to a disease or flu or virus.
Never should you be afraid to witness or testify of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is our calling to talk of our Savior.
To share of His great love, His sacrifice for us. The shed blood of Christ is the only thing we should have confidence in, and never waver in the witnessing and testifying of it.
To use this verse to shame folks into carelessly exposing them or their families to a disease or illness? That is just unsound and stupid.
Jesus did not push His fate, many times He said His hour had not yet come and did not needlessly endanger Him or His disciples. He knew God had a time for Him and He abided by God's schedule.
Joh 7:6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
Joh 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
Joh 7:8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.
There is a difference in someone telling you not to testify, not to witness, not to be a Christ follower, and the government of man telling you to exercise caution.
We are to be subject to the government that God Himself has put over us, unless that government goes against God Himself.
In the Old Testament lepers had to warn people that they were unclean with loud calls, God set that up to protect the people from illness. God ,in the Law He set forth, set several restrictions on man that man might protect themselves from disease.
This situation we are in is unique, not in that disease is new, but in that the government has instituted stern measures to ensure as few people get sick as possible.
For this reason, and this reason alone, people are urged to resist large gatherings. Not to stop the spread of the Gospel.
The President of the US called for a national day of Prayer, to pray to God that the spread of this disease be stopped. That the people be spared. How is that persecution of our faith and testimony?
please exercise caution, follow the guidelines set forth by the government until this pestilence is gone.
Witness using the tools that we have at our disposal. We have the radio, the TV, the internet, and our lifestyle example to use as effective witness to those that do not believe.
But do not bludgeon people with your words and opinions to shame them into needlessly exposing themselves to danger.
Every man must do what is right for him and his family. Every pastor must do what is right for his flock.
The Good Shepherd goes out to seek the one who is lost but does not take His flock out to the danger with Him.
He would not be The Good Shepherd if He endangered His flock at every turn.
So to shall a man do for his family or a pastor do for his people. He was given charge over them, he will answer for them. Therefore he must do what is best for his flock.
Christ kept all that He was given charge over, so to shall the man of God do.
He will give account for how he led, therefore no one can tell him how to lead. He must follow the Spirit's leading.
In this time use caution, use common sense.
Keep your testimony strong, keep your compassion alive, and stay safe.
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