The Spanish flu, Covid-19 and how the Church should respond

The Spanish flu of 1918 is said to have been deadlier than Covid-19. Lasted from January 1918 to December 1920.

500 million people around the world contracted the disease, and 50 million died from it. This perhaps was due to lack of technology at the time the Spanish flu broke out.

During this period, city and state governing officials requested that churches not meet so as to keep the virus from spreading. This is exactly the same thing that's happening now.

Countless churches are shutting their doors and only offering their services via livestream.

 Yet some churches have refused to close despite government stay-at-home orders. Some see it as a deliberate attempt by the government to hinder the gospel. They think it's a conspiracy. Some are of the opinion that the Church is believing more in science than they are in God.

So what is the right thing to do here?

A Bible historian stated that same tension existed during the Spanish flu. He says some churches recorded that the government shutting them was a tactic of the enemy to come against their ministry. And yet other churches' accounts say they happily complied with the government's orders to close down during the pandemic.

In this current situation, people are trying to wrestle with that—is it OK to have my church open, because people need ministering to, they need healing, they need hope in this time?"

For me, concerning obeying the government the Scripture is clear. See this:

Rom 13:1-3, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 

For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended."

This Bible quotes seals it for me. God desires we obey our authorities, and disobeying them is disobeying God. Truth is - it doesn't speak well of us as God's children when we disobey authority.

Nobody said we should not share Jesus. The government ain't restricting the gospel. Their intention is curbing the pandemic and we need to comply with them to make this happen.

This is walking in love towards others. Thank God the world has gone digital. More than ever through our social media platforms, let us share Christ and His truth. The gospel cannot be put in chains (2 Tim 2:9).

Share Jesus.