Masks on every face, afraid to go outside, afraid to speak the truth. In America this is no way to live. It's definitely no way for Christians to live. So what will you do, will you let the left silence you? Will you let them keep you at home and cover your face, or will you go out and spread the gospel no matter what they say?
2 Timothy 1:7(KJV) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
We are not giving the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, of sound mind. If we think through the thought here what do we see? Let's start with sound mind, how does fear affect your mind? You can be maddened by fear. It can drive you crazy make you paralyzed by fear. Inaction is often as dangerous as action. To stand by and say nothing while evil proceeds is dangerous. To be cowed into saying things you do not believe is to be maddened, driven crazy by fear.
There are those who live in our society who compel speech. There are people who would have you agree to ideas you do not believe. Such as transgenderism or that the last election was completely honest. I personally have been told that in my not saying something I was harming someone who believe themselves to be a boy though they were born a girl. This is not a question of being quiet or kind but of being compelled to use words to convey a thought I disagree with. It would be as though I told you, you must affirm that God exist or you are erasing me as a Christian. So we understand that fear will take a sound mind away.
We will continue in this order love. Do we love out of fear? I would hope you don't, I don't. I don't love my wife out of fear. I am not afraid of my wife that would not be a good marriage. Well if I love my neighbor as my self I can't let fear dictate my interactions with him. The right way to live is to do and say what's right. The truth is right it's good to tell the truth. If we live our lives in fear we can not really love because we will be in fear.
The Bible says "but of power..." What does this mean? What power? Why power? Well if we have trusted Jesus we have received from God. It is the power of God that propelles His people forward. Look at this. Proverbs 28:1 (KJV) The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. See the wicked flee at nothing but the righteous are bold like lions. Why lions? Because they are the king of beasts, they are a regal animal.
We must stand courageously against the sin of the world. We have to proclaim the truth and keep from lying. Bringing us to these masks and lockdowns. I don't believe the lockdowns help they definitely do more harm then good. The masks are a little more ambiguous but I don't believe they are worth while. Wearing them gives me the feeling of cowardness and dishonesty. If you run a company you need to avoid being a petty tyrant. Don't force your staff to wear a mask. Don't force your customers to wear a mask. Let people be free to live there lives as they see fit.
From now on we must go forward not in the spirit of fear but of God. Doing His will, living an honest life serving God.
Written by: Jeremy Wright, Associate Pastor Westside Missionary Baptist Church
1/28/2021
