Coronavirus of Fear

Why are we afraid?  Christian perspective.

By applying the problem of coronavirus – in the aspect of a pandemic of fear – to the foundations of Christianity, we get … a sermon on the Mount of Jesus and its characteristic mechanism. Jesus challenges people so that each of them finally admits that they cannot do it themselves and need a Savior. Such commands as “love the enemy”, “do not look at a woman with lust” and finally “do not worry” … The range of challenges is wide enough for self-confident people, one by one, to see that they alone cannot cope and need Savior who will change their hearts. And if someone seemed to meet the requirements, there is a final knockout: “Be therefore perfect, how perfect your heavenly Father is” (Matthew 5). Here the biggest pride will give up, unless he goes down.

Jesus’ command “do not be afraid” falls into this category. Fear is a symptom, litmus test of our relationship with God. His goal is to lead us to authentic reconciliation with God and full trust, which also results in salvation. Fear is like a toothache that is supposed to lead us to the dentist. You can take painkillers, but … trying to relieve fear in a way other than solving the problem of relationship with God is how to put a shaking hand of a Parkinson’s patient in a cast. We can immediately see that you need to deal with the source.

Imagine a man who considers himself a Christian who is in a good relationship with God because he fulfills all requirements, but every day, when traveling by bus to work, when he crosses a railroad crossing, he is overwhelmed with panic fear, what will happen if the lineman does not close the barrier (authentic history). The fear test showed serious deficiencies.

Coronovirus – lifeboat

It is not enough to say “don’t be afraid.” You have to cure the source. Jesus said: “Here I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3). What does the door mean? Door to heart. What should I do? Open the door, invite Christ and recognize Him as the most important Person for me, just as I am the most important for Him. What will Christ do? He promised he would come in. Could he fail?

After Jesus rose from the dead, He said, “I am with you all days until the end of the world” (Matthew 28). His readiness is on his part. But from ours we need to open the door genuinely, to transfer all trust from ourselves, on the Person of Christ. If it is authentic, peace will be found in the hearts like an ocean without wrinkles. Get in the boat!

What about the man at the railroad crossing? One day, he verified his assertions that everything was all right between him and God. He returned to the basics. He made a groundbreaking decision that he transferred trust from himself, from his Christian achievements, to the Person of Christ. He did it authentically, because the fear of the railway crossing never returned. Ocean without wrinkles.

Faith. God’s inviolable work in us!

Grzegorz Bednarczyk