Since the coronavirus has been afflicting many people, what is the intelligized Christian response? 

First, did you know that the Biblical law contained rules for responding to disease? The law required the sick to isolate, cover their mouths, and wash themselves and those they touched with running water (read Lev. 13:45-46; Lev. 15:10-13). Those laws helped the nation that followed them. Modern suggestions have not changed much from what God said.

In the past, when outbreaks of plague and disease occurred, Christianity expanded its number. This was because Christians are taught to care for the sick knowing that Christ gave His life for all of us. The first civilian medical hospitals were created by Christians as charities and Christian ministries, including most all the Ivy League universities such as Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, etc. with their medical schools.

Christianity does teach us to meet the physical needs of the sick and hurting… but what’s more is that it is more important to provide spiritual support and encouragement to comfort the soul of the feeble and get rid of their ‘fear of death.’

During the Bubonic plague in Europe a third of the population died. Martin Luther, who lived during that plague said this: “When people are dying, they most need spiritual ministry which strengthens and comforts.”

While most people will not die of the coronavirus, most are infected by the ‘fear of death,’ debilitatingly. Far less than 0.1 percent of the population has died from COVID-19, but the truth is that everyone will eventually die of something. The long-term death rate remains stable – one per birth.  Actually, the fear of death is much more contagious than COVID 19..

But, to those that trust Christ as their personal savior, the Bible says this:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim 1:7)

The greatest response Christianity can provide to those in fear, despair, and death is the essential message of the hope, eternal life, and peace in Jesus Christ.

The reason we humans must face death at all is due to the consequences of sin which breaks the natural order of life. Paul explains the scourge of Sin in these verses.

“Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that [for this cause] all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12 (KJV)

“The sting of death is Sin…” (1 Corinthians 15:56 (KJV)

“… sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:15 (KJV)

Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins, defeating eternal death by His resurrection, and returning to offer us all the grace of His eternal life, the hope of glory, and peace, for our souls.

We all must face death, but without Christ it is just a hopeless end.

Trusting in what Jesus Christ did for us at the cross, dying and shedding His royal blood on our behalf, then depositing His resurrection life Into Us, thus gives us “the peace of God.”

“And the peace of [from] God, which passeth all understanding, [it] shall keep your hearts and minds through [via] Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 (KJV)

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery [the now revealed secret] among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Colossians 1:27 (KJV)

Paul wrote of “… Christ who is our life” (Colossians 3:4)

By His power of resurrection, we can have His life, which is the eternal life freely offered to those who believe. So, while we as believers face death, we have “the hope of glory” to be eternally enjoyed after physical death.

Paul wrote of what will occur for Christians at the end of this age of grace.

“Behold, I shew you a mystery [Gk. musterion, secret plan of God; We shall not all sleep [in death], but we shall all be changed, ⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [those alive at the time of the Rapture] shall be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 (KJV)

Knowing and believing this truth gives the Christian courage, strength in the face of fear, to respond to the coronavirus with power, love, and a sound mind rather than the irrationality of fear and despair.

For the Christian “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

Since the coronavirus has been afflicting many people, what is the intelligized Christian response? 

First, did you know that the Biblical law contained rules for responding to disease? The law required the sick to isolate, cover their mouths, and wash themselves and those they touched with running water (read Lev. 13:45-46; Lev. 15:10-13). Those laws helped the nation that followed them. Modern suggestions have not changed much from what God said.

In the past, when outbreaks of plague and disease occurred, Christianity expanded its number. This was because Christians taught to care for the sick knowing that Christ gave His life for the weak. The first civilian medical hospitals were created by Christians as charities and Christian ministries, including most all the Ivy league universities; Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, etc. with their medical schools

Christianity does teach us to meet the physical needs of the sick and hurting… but that it is more important to provide spiritual ministry to comfort the feeble and remove the fear of death.

During the Bubonic plague in Europe a third of the population died. Martin Luther, who lived during that plague said this: “When people are dying, they most need spiritual ministry which strengthens and comforts.”

While most people will not die of the coronavirus, most are infected by the fear of death, debilitatingly. Far less than 0.1 percent of the population has died from COVID-19, but everyone will eventually die of something. Actually, the fear of death is much more contagious.

But, to those that trust Christ as their personal savior, the Bible says this:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim 1:7)

The greatest response Christianity provides to the coronavirus fear, despair, and death is the essential message of the hope, life, and peace in Jesus Christ.

The reason we humans must face death at all is due to the consequences of sin which breaks the natural order of life.

“Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that [for this cause] all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12 (KJV)
“The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” (1 Corinthians 15:56 (KJV)

“… sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:15 (KJV)

Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins, defeating eternal death by His resurrection, and returned to offer us all the grace of eternal life, hope, and peace.

We all must face death, but without Christ it is just a hopeless end.

Trusting in what Jesus Christ did for us at the cross, dying and shedding His royal blood on our behalf, then giving us His resurrection life gives us “the peace of God.”

“And the peace of [from]God, which passeth all understanding, [it] shall keep your hearts and minds through [via] Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 (KJV)

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery [the now revealed secret] among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Colossians 1:27 (KJV)

“… Christ who is our life” (Colossians 3:4)

By His power in resurrection, we can have His life which is the eternal life freely offered to those who believe. So, while we face death, we have “the hope of glory,” to be eternally enjoyed after physical death.

Paul wrote of what will occur for Christians at the end of this age of grace.

“Behold, I shew you a mystery [Gk. musterion, secret plan of God; We shall not all sleep [in death], but we shall all be changed, ⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [those alive at the time of the Rapture] shall be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 (KJV)

Knowing and believing this truth gives the Christian courage (strength in the face of fear) to respond to the coronavirus with power, love, and a sound mind rather than the irrationality of fear and despair.

For the Christian “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)