Monday, May 24, 2021

Living In Fear Or Faith? COVID-19 Edition

Person A wears a mask all the time, social distances, and sanitizes because they do not want to get the coronavirus. 

Person B takes Vitamin D, some herbs, essential oils, and works on building their immune system naturally because they do not want to get the coronavirus. 

 

1. A is living in fear.

2. B is living in fear.

3. A and B are both living in fear.

4. Neither A nor B are living in fear.

 

If #1 or #2, what distinguishes the two?

If #4, what word would you use to describe them: “They are living in _______”

 

* * * * *

 

Person A gets the vaccine because they do not want to get the coronavirus. They think that possible side effects from COVID-19 are worse than the vaccine, and they will take their chances.

 

Person B does not get the vaccine because they think it will make them sick or even kill them (and may not want to be around others who got the vaccine because they might “shed” it). 

 

1. A is living in fear.

2. B is living in fear.

3. A and B are both living in fear.

4. Neither A nor B are living in fear.

 

If #1 or #2, what distinguishes the two?

If #4, what word would you use to describe them: “They are living in _______”

 

 

* * * * *

 

Person A thinks the coronavirus is part of a fallen world and worries we might never get back to normal.

 

Person B thinks the coronavirus is part of a conspiracy and we might be headed toward facism (or population control).

 

1. A is living in fear.

2. B is living in fear.

3. A and B are both living in fear.

4. Neither A nor B are living in fear.

 

If #1 or #2, what distinguishes the two?

If #4, what word would you use to describe them: “They are living in _______”

 

 

* * * * *

 

Person A says, “I don’t need to take precautions knowing that if God says it’s my time to die, it will be my time to die.” 

 

Person B says, “I am taking all the precautions I can knowing that if God says it’s my time to die, it will be my time to die.”

 

1. A is living in faith.

2. B is living in faith.

3. A and B are both living in faith.

4. Neither A nor B are living in faith.

 

If #1 or #2, what distinguishes the two?

If #4, what word would you use to describe them: “They are living in _______”

 

 

* * * * *

 

Other options:

 

·      We have not sufficiently wrested with, as Christians, what is appropriate and inappropriate fear within the Christian worldview. 

 

·      We have not properly defined faith, and what it means to live in it. 

 

·      There are a lot of assumptions about people’s motivations embedded in this.

 

·      We are not taking seriously the biblical tension of God’s sovereignty and human agency

 


And if these other options resonate with you, perhaps we should be more thoughtful – and even kind (!) - when we talk about the examples posted at the beginning. 

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