Reflection on the COVID19 Pandemic situation

When prompted to answer Tante Lyna, here's the sum of my response:

This is a new topic for me so I don't have much to say for now, I can lay down some basic foundations/questions that need addressing. I believe this pandemic situation with churches could be God answering my prayer when I often wonder and ask God the meaning of today's church services, fellowship, etc. Not that God answers only me by affecting the entire planet as if I'm that special but because God's act is just that great instead.

I assume you're referring to MacArthur's youtube sermon the first time they reopened after the lockdown and standing firm that in-church service is more important than THIS pandemic situation regardless of what the gov. says.I think we can break down into the political argument and the religious argument of this.

From political perspective, I'd just briefly say that in U.S., it appears to be a fight between the "American" freedom vs. Social responsibility. And this type of struggle does overlap with religious folks as well (i.e. This is the free right given by God of America to not wear mask). I think God is using this to wake us in U.S. on many issues: Immigration (would these "American" freedom fighters start changing their phrase against the immigrants "They took our JOBS" to "They took our Jobs & HOSPITAL BEDS" (I think the outcome of such would be more violent between both sides,)? Education (i.e. is homeschool, online college better, I do feel that a lot of professors these are just copying textbooks on the board anyway, did you know international students almost got deported for attending online classes during this pandemic?) Economics (i.e. businesses began relying on Zoom online, places like Gyms struggling, etc.), and many more.

From religious perspective, I notice that those that tend to stress on Worship services in American Churches and that online services are not considered worship, are the fundamentalists. A term that some of them in the American reformed circle somehow proudly call themselves, unfortunately. BB Warfield tried to distance himself from this category. These folks consider Sunday as the sabbath that no one should work (other than 'essential' workers - perhaps since the lesson from God in the Pearl Harbor attack). They don't consider a church with a woman pastor a church at all, I believe their fundamental view on scripture trapped themselves into legalism, ignoring the deeper meaning of God's words (i.e. they forget, that the Sabbath is made for men, not men for the Sabbath, etc.) The only good part about this, is that these folks are more evangelical than the reformed ones (not the reformed turned liberal ones like PCUSA or Princeton) in U.S. Praise God. These folks don't have a good seminary themselves, so the closest would be reformed ones like Westminster (WTS). So far I haven't found a serious American reformed churches that aren't headed/populated by these folks (perhaps with the exception of Tim Keller).

So using Hebrews 10:25, they believe/manipulated the word "assembly" to mean - NOT Online. Thus, they fall into this legalism. They forgot to praise and thank God for everything, viz. the internet. Or maybe they think doing this would make the internet an idol automatically, like some Charismatics going crazy when they see the symbol of dragon.

In terms of worship, we can generally break it into 2: public/corporate worship and private worship (Noah's, Joseph's, Daniel's, Jesus', etc.).The issue here concerns the public worship, not the private ones, I'm sure nobody would care if you do private worship using online/streaming tools.

In public worship, there's the call to worship, benediction, and the fellowship of the saints.

As for fellowships, I think many churches (apparently the fundamentalist churches in America) turn it into a social gathering. A time for small talks. Which I am not only not interested in a fellowship (I could do that in a bar) but despise. Everyone knows meeting face to face with people we love is always preferred to meeting virtually online, no debate there. But there should be a zeal to talk about the things of God in fellowship. If I fellowship, it must be for this reason ALONE. I think this pandemic is God's wake up call on this. The view on evangelism/revival was also corrupted due to this. Some virtually done fellowship is far better than many in church fellowships, spiritually and socially speaking, unfortunately. May God have mercy, so that we may take this more seriously in labor and time for this.

As for Call to worship and benediction, this is harder to do online or virtual streaming, perhaps until when 5G technology is popular, I don't know. The streaming limitation doesn't allow singing together, everyone's timing will be out of sync. I think God is rebuking us for not singing at least to the quality of many professional Messiah's performances. What is the meaning of the House of God, an ordained minister, liturgy, the sacrament (i.e. Holy Communion, baptism, etc.), and the benediction. There is a point where worshiping together physically is preferred and better desired. These are all revisions we need to look into, according to God's standard.

I have been attending Stephen Tong's services every week online. It was great! Love it, I think it's so much better than so many other physical churches today, including MacArthur's one. The liturgy, hymns and especially the sermons, all superior! I would focus on my faithfulness to God rather than just commitment or worst, loyalty. I know one day GRII will stop streaming, it's fine, I grab whatever blessings I can, even if it's good food fallen off from the table.

So conclusion: You want to have physical service without a mask, fine, but don't blame anyone else if you or others get Covid19 because of you, don't blame the "illegal" immigrants or the criminals for taking up your hospital beds. If you act irresponsibly against people around you, it's already a bad testimony. I don't need to struggle to prove this point. Perhaps I can also conclude: A fundamentalist Christian/Preacher whom I suspect never really engages much personally with DIVERSITY of individuals and doesn't get COVID, perhaps he doesn't really have that kind of love the Bible (or he) is talking about. No big deal, I can pray for them and pray that I can be a better example, while doing my best to take hygiene seriously before others.

If one doesn't want follow these fundamentalists, then perhaps it's time to consider reflecting on how one views a church service and fellowship. Time to take it more seriously, make the clear distinction between what's praising God and praising self. Don't get the two mixed up. You don't go to a fellowship or a church service to make yourself feel better, but to seek first the Kingdom, the glory and blessing of God.