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Faith

Can COVID-19 Stop Us?

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by: Jordan M. Tew, Assist. to the Director of Baptist Publishing House

Dear friends, I am concerned about the current state of our churches. Consider what has become “normal” for us: we are barely meeting for weekly worship, some congregations have eliminated singing praises to our Lord, most churches are not actively going out into their communities to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, and Sunday School classes are off the table in a growing number of churches. What in the world is going on?

Now before anyone takes offense at these words, let me assure you I understand there are churches and individuals who have decided to cancel various meetings and have made changes to better protect their health and safety. I applaud that and understand those decisions are difficult to make. There is a need to abide by the law of the land, if possible and if it does not go against the commands of the Bible.

However, an ongoing lack of corporate worship, evangelism, and Bible teaching can never become “the new normal.” God’s Word and His mandate to His churches have not changed. Are we being faithful during these days? Are we preaching the Gospel as we ought? Are we worshipping as the Bible instructs us? Are we baptizing and taking the Lord’s Supper? Are we neglecting anything God has commanded us?

I wonder if covid-19 is the biggest obstacle we will face in our lifetime? I would assume it is not. If this virus proves to be an ongoing setback for our churches, then how will we respond to the other trials Christ has promised we will face? How will we handle famine, nakedness, and sword or persecution, hatred, and false prophets (Romans 8, Matthew 24)? Will we stand on the promise that Hell itself will not prevail against us or will we merely limp along until Jesus returns?

The truth is, God’s people have always assembled and ministered despite trials. In the roughly 2,000 year span since Jesus walked on this earth, His churches have faced persecution, plague, war, starvation, terrorism, economic instability, and governmental opposition. How we handle our current situation will impact our children and our grandchildren directly.

God’s people are well-acquainted with suffering and difficult times. In fact, we have often thrived under harsh conditions and God has used times like our own to usher in great outpourings of salvation and revival. We have not been called to comfort or safety. We have been called to faithfulness. Will covid-19 stop us? Perhaps a better question is “Can covid-19 stop us?

Consider the words of our Savior and the Cornerstone of your church: “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Justification By Faith Illustrated

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Romans 4:1-25

by Dennis Baker

Justification in both the Old and New Testaments has always been by faith and grace. No one has ever been justified by works or keeping the law. The text provides three principles illustrating the spiritual experience of believers today is similar to that of Old Testament believers Abraham and David.

Principle One, justification is by faith and not works, Vs. 1-8. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness”, V. 3. At the age of seventy-five God promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation, Genesis 12:2-3. Later in life, Abraham raised a question to God concerning his promise, “what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless,” Genesis 15:2. God confirmed His promise by assuring Abraham that his seed would be like the stars. Abraham simply took God’s Word at face value and believed God. Abraham believed in his heart that God had told him the truth. Abraham’s faith was never something that he could boast about or for which he could receive praise, he simply believed God would accomplish what He had promised.

Quoting from Psalm 32:1-2 in verse 8, David’s song of confession of sin, Paul illustrates that God forgives sin and imputes righteousness without works. Today, believers can be assured that once they are justified by faith, our record contains Christ’s perfect righteous and our record can never again contain our sins. Christians do sin, and these sins need to be forgiven if we are to have fellowship with God, but these sins are not held against us. God does keep a record of our works, so that He might reward us when Jesus comes, but he is not keeping a record of our sins.

Principle Two, justification is by grace and not the law, Vs. 9-17. Abraham was declared righteous fourteen years before he was circumcised. Circumcision had nothing to do with God declaring Abraham justified. Circumcision, as a sign, was evidence that Abraham belonged to God because he believed God’s promises. Circumcision, as a seal was a reminder to Abraham that God had given the promise and that God would keep His promise. Today the believer experiences a spiritual circumcision of the heart and is sealed by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13. Circumcision did not add to Abraham’s faith, it merely provided evidences of Abraham’s faith. The fact that Abraham was justified by grace and not the law proves that salvation is available to all. God’s promise is by faith, so that it might be guaranteed to all people who believe. If we could be saved by keeping the law, and not grace, there would be no guarantee that salvation would be available to all who believe.

Principle Three, justification is by resurrection power and not human effort, Vs. 18-25. God’s delay in sending Abraham and Sarah a son was to permit their natural strength to decline. It would seem impossible for a ninety-nine-year-old man and an eighty-nine-year-old woman to have a child. From the reproductive point of view, both of them were dead. Abraham did not walk by sight but by faith. Abraham believed God’s promises. Application, God waits until the sinner is “dead” or not strong enough to do anything to please God for salvation. When Abraham admitted that he was “dead” God’s power went to work on the body. It is when the lost sinner confesses that he is spiritually dead and unable to help himself that God can save him. The Gospel “is the power of God unto salvation” because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The resurrection of Christ is proof that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and we can be justified without God violating His own law or contradicting His own nature. The Key to salvation is “if we believe,” v. 24.


Dr. Harry Ironside, who for 18 years was pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago, was on vacation visiting a Sunday school class. The teacher asked, “How were people saved in the Old Testament times?” One man replied, “By keeping the law.” That’s right,” said the teacher. But Dr. Ironside interrupted: “My Bible says that by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.” The teacher was

a bit embarrassed, so he said, “Well, does somebody else have an idea?” Another student replied, “They were saved by bringing sacrifices to God.” “Yes, that’s right!” The teacher said and tried to go on with the lesson. But Dr. Ironside interrupted, “My Bible says that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin.” The unprepared teacher was sure the visitor knew more about the Bible than he did, so he said, “Well you tell us how people were saved in the Old Testament!” And Dr. Ironside explained that they were saved by faith-the same way people are saved today!”

The good news for the people of the world, all of whom are guilty before God because of their sin, is that God in His grace offered His Son as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of sin. Those who place their faith in Jesus Christ are counted as righteous and receive the gift of eternal life.

Bibliography: Wiersbe, Warren W., Be Right NT Commentary Romans. Colorado Springs, Co: David C. Cook, 1977.