Compromised
As a vital prelude to the below article, the following understanding is absolutely critical. To all of those of you who either: #1) Have a compromised immune system, or some other, legitimate, health-related issue/issues which causes you to avoid travel and exposure to other places of public contact (such as work, the grocery store, and etc.); #2). Have been exposed to or in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the Coronavirus; and/or, #3). Fall into the most “high-risk” category of our society due to either age or some other contingent; then thank you for your being loving and willing enough to make whatever personal sacrifices are necessary in order for you to choose to stay home for worship instead of coming to the building and placing yourself – as well as your brethren – in far greater physical health danger. If any of the above criteria describe you, then the following article is definitely NOT, about you!!!
From what I have heard and discussed with others, there is a very real, very strong, and apparently-growing concern among many elders, preachers, and other leaders and members of the Lord’s church, concerning the actual number of fatalities both connected to, and caused by, the Coronavirus. You see, there is something even more deadly and sinister than just simply the number of physical deaths the Coronavirus has and will most likely continue to cause. And that is the potential number of spiritual deaths that it will also most likely cause (or at the very least, deeply contribute to); the actual number of eternal lives that will be lost, at least in part, due to the COVID19 outbreak.
Are you compromised?
How on earth can the Coronavirus cause, or even highly contribute to, the loss of many Christians’ eternal lives you may ask? Easy. Here’s how: Physically speaking, the virus has been proven to pose a far more serious threat to, and have a far more deadly impact on, those who already have a deeply compromised immune system or some other serious physical health issue. The exact same thing is also true when it comes to the spiritual realm.
Spiritually speaking, any Christian who might have already, in years past, allowed Satan to step in and substantially weaken their faith; who might already be suffering from their own self-inflicted series of compromised convictions, lukewarm attendance habits, or lazy, lackadaisical, “take-it-or-leave-it” type attitudes towards the Lord and His church, may very well find in the Coronavirus, the very excuse they have so long been looking for in order to now, finally and completely disconnect and distance themselves from both the work, the worship, the fellowship, and subsequently, the wonderful and eternal future destination of the Lord’s church. “After all,” some of such spiritually-weakened and ultimately vulnerable brethren may reason, “who needs to get up, get ready, and go to worship on a Sunday morning, when it is so much easier to just sit at home, stay on the couch, still in my P.J.’s – all the while being able to avoid any and all of those with whom I might disagree or maybe even in some cases don’t like all that much anyway – and just simply have services piped into my living room via Zoom, Facebook, or YouTube?” One problem, as always, is that the longer one chooses to needlessly practice any such illegitimate “spiritual-distancing,” the easier it is to not only continue to do so, but to more easily justify their absence as time goes by as well. And every step further one goes down that road, the harder it gets, and the more effort it takes, to turn around and ever return home (Heb. 6:4-6).
The time for every Christian to decide what to do will not be once this thing is finally under control. By then it will be far too late and the damage will have already been done. Let’s face it; Satan is far too smart and wants each Christian’s soul back far too much to wait until then to start tempting us to stay away and even more strongly justify our absence from the Lord, His church, and His work. Do not be deceived; he’s already hard at work, incrementally seeking to test your faith, and tempt your fate. If you wait to start fighting his hostile takeover attempt of your soul until the battle is actually already over and he’s already won, then you will have lost far more than you can ever know – until judgement day comes. The time to decide to stand strong and firm in the faith, the word, and the work and fellowship of the Lord’s church, is now, today, and each and every new day to follow (2 Cor. 6:1-2; Hebs. 3:12-4:12).
Yes, todays’ livestreamed lessons can be – and are – an absolute “life-saver” to those with legitimate health issues and concerns; to those who have been exposed to the Coronavirus and lovingly do not wish to contaminate anyone else; and to those who are in the most high-risk categories of our culture. However; to those whose spiritual health has already suffered and/or been duly compromised and decimated by years of less than complete and undying devotion and dedication to the Lord, His word, and His church, this same, electronic, livestreaming lesson blessing can easily be turned by Satan into the exact, opposite, and deadly reverse: an eternal life-decimating and devouring curse. Please, determine today, not to ever let him deceive you, and/or to allow that to become you. God bless.