Dear First Baptist Members and Friends,
There is a war being waged, and I am not just talking about the war against the existing pandemic Covid Virus. Nor I am just talking about the racial war in the USA. I am talking about the spiritual war between good and evil, between God and Satan.
As with any war, we have seen many casualties. Thousands will be killed, even good people, even faithful Christians. It doesn’t seem fair. It’s not right.
The Apostle John knew this. In an attempt to help us understand,, in John 10:10 he says, “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Viruses are not from God. Diseases that shorten our lives are not from God. Violent riots, looting, and killing people are not of God. Rather, they are tools of Satan and he is having a field day!
In the first chapter of Job Satan challenges God that he could get Job to reject God. God accepts the challenge, with the one exception that Satan cannot kill Job. First of all, this shows that Satan does have the power to kill, though he could not use it against Job personally. We also know that, as part of the test, Satan killed Job’s children and all his livestock.
When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Paradise, Eden, all was perfect. There was no disease, no violence, no death. Our bodies were without disease and meant to last an eternity. After Adam and Eve sinned, they were expelled from Eden. If you look at the incredible ages of our Old Testament ancestors, at first they lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. As time goes on in the Old Testament, we see the lifespan of humans getting shorter and shorter. Why? Because diseases gradually appeared; genetic mutations started popping up and being passed down through the generations. If they had not sinned, we would still be in Paradise, without disease. Satan, the seducer of Eve, caused a biological and spiritual devolution of human beings. And we are still feeling the effects today!
If you have lost a loved one through diseases, violence, oppression, or flashpoints of anger; remember that these are all attempts by Satan to have us waiver in our faith and reject God. Jesus, God, on the other hand, came that we “may have life, and have it in full!” Good health, peace and calm, and conversations that lead to understanding, mutual respect, and unity are tools of God!
When things do not make sense and the whole world seems to be upside down, remember: we are in the midst of an invisible war all the time. Satan is real and at work. But the Good News is, “so is God”! And we know God ultimately wins. For now, don’t blame God for not caring or not being present. God is present without a doubt. And He needs you to be willing to fight spiritually for what is right, just, and fair.
Pastor Bruce
We hope to see you at worship each Sunday at 10am. We still practice social distancing. If you miss a Sunday, you can watch an abridged video of our services at our website: fbcwillimantic.org.