Dr. Mike Jones

The sovereignty of god and covid-19’s impact on the true church!

Q: [Dr. Mike] Christian leaders are evaluating the impact that COVID-19 has had on the Church, as they enter what many see as a ‘new’ phase of church ministry. Will You give us an ‘overview’ of your assessment of what we should take away from the pandemic; and if God is Sovereign (and we believe that He is), why do YOU subscribe to ‘partial free-will’ and NOT ‘total free-will’ for a Believer?

A: Good question: However, I see COVID-19 as being much more plausible as a manifestation of God’s curse on the entire world, from Genesis 1, as a result of sin. You and I both know that diseases, famine, and death is a fact/way of life in this fallen world, that’s decaying every day, and even earth itself, awaits redemption, as expressed in Romans 8:22-24, “For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it.)”

Every affliction that comes upon the earth, ranging from COVID-19, to tropical cyclones, to hurricanes, to wildfires, etc., is only a warning of the final eschatological judgement that’s soon to come: Therefore, we shouldn’t acknowledge that the Coronavirus [itself], is a specific judgement for a specific sin.

Hebrews 12, is an excellent resource that explains to a child of God, that the hardships we experience are part of God’s plan to train (discipline) us. His discipline works for God’s good concerning us; thus, it enables us to grow in His [true] holiness. Let’s admit it, at first, it’s painful, and an unwelcome friend to our flesh: but in the long run, it produces God’s righteousness and His peace for everyday living, as expressed in Hebrew 12:10-11, “For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

And as I’ve stated in similar questions about whether or not a Christian can be cursed, by someone, the Bible tells us in Proverbs 26:2, “That like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest” This means, that foolish curses have no effect. God does not allow His children to be cursed. God is sovereign. No one has the power to curse one whom God has decided to bless. God is the only One able to pronounce judgment, like we see so often in the Old Testament.

“Curses” in the Bible are always described negatively. Deuteronomy 18:10-11, numbers those who cast spells with those who commit other acts that are “an abomination to the LORD,” such as, witchcraft, divination, or necromancy (consulting with the dead). Micah 5:12 says that God will destroy witchcraft and those who cast spells. Revelation 18 describes divination as part of the deception that will be used by the antichrist and his“great political city of Babylon” (v. 21-24). The Bible says that in the end-times, deception will be so great that even the elect would be deceived, if God did not protect us (Matthew 24:24), God will utterly destroy Satan,the antichrist, and all who follow them (Revelation chapters 19-20).

Remember: A Christian has been ‘born again’ as a new person in Jesus Christ according to (2 Corinthians 5:17), and scripture lets us know that the Holy Spirit is a very present help in times of trouble and we are in His constant presence, because He resides within us (Romans 8:11). We do not need to be concerned or worry about anyone casting any sort of curse(s) on us. Voodoo, witchcraft, and curses have no power over us because they come from Satan, and we know that, “the one who is in you [Christ] is greater than the one [Satan] who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). God has overcome him, and we have been given the freedom to worship God without fear (John 8:36 & 2 Timothy 1:7). “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? ” (Psalm 27:1).

Now to address the question about God’s sovereignty and our ‘free-will’. we have to determine, what is meant by the statement, “God is sovereign.” For me, no one answers that question better than the 19^th century Bible scholar, A. W. Pink, by his statement, “We mean the supremacy of God, the kingship of God, the god-hood of God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that God is God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Most High, doing according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, so that none can stay His hand or say unto Him what doest Thou? (Dan. 4:35). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Almighty, the Possessor of all power in Heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will (Psa. 115:3). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is “The Governor among the nations” (Psalm 22:28), setting up kingdoms, overthrowing empires, and determining the course of dynasties as pleaseth Him best. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the “Only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15). Such is the God of the Bible.”

We know that human beings are given the ability to make free choices, but according to scripture, it is a limited freedom of choice, because, we live in a fallen state, and when needed to make a choice, mankind will not always make the right choice; he will make the choice of what his mind is inclined to choose – what is desirable. Two excellent resources on the subject of Free Will, were written by Jonathan Edwards (deemed America’s greatest scholar by Encyclopedia Britannica), entitled, The Freedom of the Will, and the German Theologian, Martin Luther, entitled, Bondage of the Will. In his book, Edwards wrote, “Free moral agents always act according to the strongest inclination they have at the moment of choice.”

Conclusion: we have the ability to make free choices and so does God, and that’s where our differences STOP! We are not sovereign but He is! In Genesis 2, God said to Adam and Eve, “You may eat of all of the trees in the Garden.” But, of this tree you may not eat. If you do, you will surely die.” They both were given free will, even though it was limited, because God’s will was/is greater.

What we all [do] subscribe to is total ‘free-choice’. For example, if a criminal walk up to us on payday, and say, “Your money or your life!” He’s given us options – we have a choice!