There Will Be Death

As the death toll mounts, I've been messaged via Facebook messenger, WeChat and Zoom. The question is phrased differently but the intent of the questions are the same. Why God...if God is a loving God.... is allowing this pandemic to happen? Why is he allowing the loss. The death. Why isn't he protecting us helping us find a cure.

I answer here now as succinctly as possible without digressions.

This statement assumes people are 'good' by their inherent nature. They are not. The Bible tells us that all are sinners and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10-18). God is holy (Isaiah 6:3), and is perfect and wants us perfect too (Matthew 5:48). If He cannot look upon evil/sin without judging it (Habakkuk 1:23) then...this is a form of judgment upon all men. Until this point, he has stayed his hand. (2 Samuel 24:16, Daniel 4:35) in patience so that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9). When it says God stays his hand in the Bible it means he withholds judgment to those that actually deserve it. Which, being sinners, we all do. God holds his judgment/punishment/wrath until the exact right time (Romans 1:18). A time when the most amount of people will profit from His judgment and learn that turning to Him is the answer (Ezekiel 20:21-22). It seems like most people forget that mankind is imperfect, and justice must be accomplished perfectly. Justice is an inherent quality of God. It is one of His attributes.

Isaiah 28:17 ~ “And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.”

Many will not turn to Him though (Romans 2:5) no matter how many times they are clobbered over the head with death and curses prescribed for the disobedient (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). How do we turn to Him? We accept Christ and what He did on the Cross (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, John 3:16). If we believe this, we are saved and heaven (or new Earth) is ours as He promised us (Isaiah 65:17 & 66:22, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1). Just believe in faith. There is no need of a 'sinners prayer' (although prayer is awesome, 1 Thessalonians 5:17). There is no need of works (Ephesians 2:8). Although doing unto others as you'd have done to you (Matthew 7:12) is awesome ...its not necessary regardless of what the Church told you.

It's all that simple. Really. Just believe. Hold on to His promises. They are the only thing that lasts through the loss, the pain, the death. It is appointed to a man to die once and then face judgement (Hebrews 9:27). Yes, there will be death. But death has no power over the Christian.

1 Corinthians 15:55 ~ O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?