Proverbs 30:6 says "Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar."
The mainstream media has been recently exposing some religious people- effectively showing them to be liars, in line with that verse above. The most shocking example that I've seen is the woman in her car leaving church in Ohio. The CNN journalist speaks to her through the car window, questioning the wisdom of going to church during this pandemic... and she insists that 'I'm covered in Jesus' blood'.
Another lady interviewed actually marshals Psalm 91 in her defence.
But, very briefly, I want to note down why people like her are misusing Scripture to think they can act dangerously and then claim they're safe in God's shadow, or 'covered by the blood of Jesus'.
Yes, I believe true believers are 'safe'. But to add to what God means by safety to include walking into danger, is to add to God's word and end up being proved a liar. This is a terrible witness to the watching world.
1. Paul showed us how we should claim the promises of Psalm 91. He had confidence that God would rescue him, and bring him safely to...where? His heavenly kingdom. So, we actually don't know if we will be rescued from the sword or plague, but what we can count on is that God will bring us safely to our true resting-place. More than that, Romans 8 trains us to view even the extreme hardships that God allows us to face as agents God uses for good in our lives.
2. Satan used Psalm 91 and tried to give Jesus a false assurance. He said Jesus could jump off the temple and the angels would guide him safely to earth, quoting Psalm 91:12.
So, even today, Satan may actually use Scripture to tempt believers to think 'I can mingle with all these people, against governmental decrees, and I'll be kept safe from Corona'.
(Interestingly, this is not using the NT to abrogate the OT. Even within Psalm 91, there is almost an elephant in the room. God promises long life at the end...but not eternal life. So, death still looms (see Psalm 90 just before it). So the Psalm itself is calling out for a deeper fulfilment, one that conquers not just sickness and warfare but death itself. Christ provides that fulfilment: he carried our sicknesses and even the arrow that flies by day- think of the nails in his hands and feet and the spear in his side. He is our true refuge)
The mainstream media has been recently exposing some religious people- effectively showing them to be liars, in line with that verse above. The most shocking example that I've seen is the woman in her car leaving church in Ohio. The CNN journalist speaks to her through the car window, questioning the wisdom of going to church during this pandemic... and she insists that 'I'm covered in Jesus' blood'.
Another lady interviewed actually marshals Psalm 91 in her defence.
But, very briefly, I want to note down why people like her are misusing Scripture to think they can act dangerously and then claim they're safe in God's shadow, or 'covered by the blood of Jesus'.
Yes, I believe true believers are 'safe'. But to add to what God means by safety to include walking into danger, is to add to God's word and end up being proved a liar. This is a terrible witness to the watching world.
1. Paul showed us how we should claim the promises of Psalm 91. He had confidence that God would rescue him, and bring him safely to...where? His heavenly kingdom. So, we actually don't know if we will be rescued from the sword or plague, but what we can count on is that God will bring us safely to our true resting-place. More than that, Romans 8 trains us to view even the extreme hardships that God allows us to face as agents God uses for good in our lives.
2. Satan used Psalm 91 and tried to give Jesus a false assurance. He said Jesus could jump off the temple and the angels would guide him safely to earth, quoting Psalm 91:12.
So, even today, Satan may actually use Scripture to tempt believers to think 'I can mingle with all these people, against governmental decrees, and I'll be kept safe from Corona'.
(Interestingly, this is not using the NT to abrogate the OT. Even within Psalm 91, there is almost an elephant in the room. God promises long life at the end...but not eternal life. So, death still looms (see Psalm 90 just before it). So the Psalm itself is calling out for a deeper fulfilment, one that conquers not just sickness and warfare but death itself. Christ provides that fulfilment: he carried our sicknesses and even the arrow that flies by day- think of the nails in his hands and feet and the spear in his side. He is our true refuge)
No comments:
Post a Comment