Having spent many posts on what God is saying through this to the Christian, and now one post on what God is saying through this to the non-Christian, I know that in many minds the question will arise from the latter “but is that fair?” And I want over the next couple of posts to explore that question.
We established a couple of weeks ago that the source cause of this virus was Adam’s sin. If, as we said, Adam had not sinned then this virus would not, indeed could not, exist. We then established that nevertheless God is sovereign in all things, so the fact that it has happened testifies to God having purposes that He intends to work out through it, and what we’ve been looking at as we’ve asked the question “so what is God saying?” are some of those purposes – both towards the believer and towards the non-believer.
Now, no-one would have an issue with the “fairness” of God in this if it were only people who were obviously evil who were contracting this virus and dying. It is the fact that it is affecting people (both Christian and non-Christian) without distinction as to their faith, their degree of goodness or badness, that raises the question. And that is the very question that Jesus picked up on in the opening verses of Luke 13
Luk 13:1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Luk 13:2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?
Luk 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luk 13:4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?
Luk 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
In both cases, Jesus (by implication) rejects the idea of it being a personal punishment against personal sin but shows them that it is to be seen rather as a warning to everyone else to repent their sin or suffer as much (or worse).
Friend, tomorrow D.V. we will start to answer the question as to whether or not God is being “fair” (whatever we mean by that), but first let us take heed of Jesus’ warning. However good or bad each individual is who has contracted this virus, however good or bad each individual is who has already died from this virus; the warning in it is clear, unless a person repents their own sin (however good or bad a life they may consider themselves to have lived) and puts their trust in the person of Jesus Christ and His completed work then there is a punishment (hell) awaiting and that will be infinitely worse than anything that this virus can bring.
Against all the horrific pain and suffering this virus is causing, praise God that through it in His mercy, He provides such a powerful warning in our day!