Matthew 4:5-7 CEV Next, the devil took Jesus into the holy city to the highest part of the temple. The devil said, “If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say: ‘God will give his angels orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones.’ ” Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Don't try to test the Lord your God!’ ” (emphasis mine)
Despite the President's reluctant admission that wearing a mask or face covering is effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and enabling the nation to return to some semblance of normal, there is still the debate around wearing or not wearing a face mask. Since the beginning of the pandemic in the United States there have been those in the church that have argued that abiding by stay at home orders, or not having-person church services inside somehow reflects a lack of faith in God. I have always disagreed with way of thinking and have tried to reflect that in the posts in the Coronavirus category of my blog.
I ran across a post today written by James Emery White the senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the ranked adjunct professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. I am including excerpts from his post in this one. In James' post, "Does Wearing A Face Mask Displace In God?", he argues that using the phrase "faith over fear" to justify not wearing a mask, or not social distancing, or not gathering large crowds, is misplaced at the very least, and is in reality doing something that scriptures prohibits in that we are often presuming on God's protection independent of His promises and may, in many cases be a flagrant disregard of the reason and rationality for the promise
The following are excerpts from, "Does Wearing A Face Mask Displace In God?". Bold emphasis is mine.
They were apparently among those who feel that wearing a mask displaces trust in God. They may have even carried sentiments of “freedom over control,” “facts over hype” or even “right over left.” You’ll understand if I don’t touch those other sentiments with a 10-foot pole—I just won’t take the bait—but I will not walk away from “faith over fear.”
Not as a theologian, much less as a pastor.
You will not find a single case in the biblical record of God wanting people to throw responsibility and common sense to the wind in order to demonstrate faith in Him before a watching world. Yes, you find God calling people to do things that make no sense before a watching world as an act of faith—from making a boat on dry land in preparation for a flood, to walking around a city for seven days blowing horns.
Yet you won’t find a case where someone presumes upon God’s protection independent of God’s promise of protection in a flagrant disregard of the reason and rationality He’s employed them to use.
Despite the President's reluctant admission that wearing a mask or face covering is effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and enabling the nation to return to some semblance of normal, there is still the debate around wearing or not wearing a face mask. Since the beginning of the pandemic in the United States there have been those in the church that have argued that abiding by stay at home orders, or not having-person church services inside somehow reflects a lack of faith in God. I have always disagreed with way of thinking and have tried to reflect that in the posts in the Coronavirus category of my blog.
I ran across a post today written by James Emery White the senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the ranked adjunct professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. I am including excerpts from his post in this one. In James' post, "Does Wearing A Face Mask Displace In God?", he argues that using the phrase "faith over fear" to justify not wearing a mask, or not social distancing, or not gathering large crowds, is misplaced at the very least, and is in reality doing something that scriptures prohibits in that we are often presuming on God's protection independent of His promises and may, in many cases be a flagrant disregard of the reason and rationality for the promise
The following are excerpts from, "Does Wearing A Face Mask Displace In God?". Bold emphasis is mine.
They were apparently among those who feel that wearing a mask displaces trust in God. They may have even carried sentiments of “freedom over control,” “facts over hype” or even “right over left.” You’ll understand if I don’t touch those other sentiments with a 10-foot pole—I just won’t take the bait—but I will not walk away from “faith over fear.”
Not as a theologian, much less as a pastor.
You will not find a single case in the biblical record of God wanting people to throw responsibility and common sense to the wind in order to demonstrate faith in Him before a watching world. Yes, you find God calling people to do things that make no sense before a watching world as an act of faith—from making a boat on dry land in preparation for a flood, to walking around a city for seven days blowing horns.
Yet you won’t find a case where someone presumes upon God’s protection independent of God’s promise of protection in a flagrant disregard of the reason and rationality He’s employed them to use.
Do Not Test the Lord
Going further, what you will find are clear admonitions that we are not to take it upon ourselves to test God in ways He has not directly advised. In fact, the phrase “Do not test the Lord” is a common refrain. In the great critique of the sins of Israel in Psalm 78 the phrase “they put God to the test” is mentioned not once, not twice, but three times.
In the Old Testament book of Numbers there is a telling story of the men of Israel wanting to confront the Amalekites and Canaanites in the name of the Lord. Moses warned them against it; the advantage would be their enemy’s, and the Lord had not said He would be with them in their actions. The scriptural description is revealing: “… in their presumption they went up toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp”
Numbers 14:39-43 CEV The people of Israel were very sad after Moses gave them the Lord 's message. So they got up early the next morning and got ready to head toward the hill country of Canaan. They said, “We were wrong to complain about the Lord . Let's go into the land that he promised us.” But Moses replied, “You're disobeying the Lord ! Your plan won't work, so don't even try it. The Lord refuses to help you, because you turned your backs on him. The Amalekites and the Canaanites are your enemies, and they will attack and defeat you.” (emphasis mine)
Result?
Numbers 14:44-45 CEV But the Israelites ignored Moses and marched toward the hill country, even though the sacred chest and Moses did not go with them. The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down from the hill country, defeated the Israelites, and chased them as far as the town of Hormah. (emphasis mine)
They presumed God would be with them. God wasn’t. He never said He would be.
And lest we forget when the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple saying:
“If you are the Son of God… throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’” (Matthew 4:6, NIV).
If that is not a “faith over fear” moment, I don’t know what is.
Jesus’ reply?
“It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matthew 4:7, NIV).
Editor's Note: This quote by Jesus is from
Deuteronomy 6:14-16 CEV Don't have anything to do with gods that are worshiped by the nations around you. If you worship other gods, the Lord will be furious and wipe you off the face of the earth. The Lord your God is with you, so don't try to make him prove that he can help you, as you did at Massah.
Foolishness over Wisdom Is Not Faith over Fear
I am a person of passionate faith. I have not once “feared” COVID-19, nor stayed awake at night trembling with anxiety. But I also wear a mask, practice social-distancing, and have led the church I have been entrusted with to engage in online services for the foreseeable future.
Out of fear? No. It has been out of a deep faith that reminds me to not test God, to not presume on God, but to use my very God-given faculties and reason to honor and glorify Him and care for myself, my family and His people.
Just as it is not fear over faith when I put my grandchildren in a car seat, get an annual medical examination, lock my doors at night and turn on my alarm system, wear a seat belt or any one of a thousand other things that add safety and protection and health to my life and the lives of others.
Purposefully choosing to avoid such things—such as using a car seat for your child—is not putting faith over fear. It would be putting foolishness over wisdom. And to do any such thing in the name of God?
You are then doing the one thing He has said you must never do. Which is to test Him!
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