Our government is telling us we can't congregate in groups of more than 10. Churches everywhere are shutting down. Why? Because they might get sick. Might. And even then, it's an upper respiratory illness, not leprosy. I believe that churches should continue gathering together for corporate worship including the teaching of Scripture, prayer, and use of spiritual gifts. We are to obey God not man. We are to trust God, not man. Nor are we to fear getting an upper respiratory ailment. When no one we know personally has gotten this illness, when you look at the numbers for perspective (US deaths is 264 and CA has 39 million people, our city has 3 reported positive tests), it's an overreach of the government. Being reasonable, we should indeed wash our hands, don't touch anyone outside family, go ahead and stand a little further apart, take vitamins and supplements, drink liquids. This should give us a better immune system (for those who don't have an ongoing disease) and allow you to meet together as the Lord commands.
Please think about this: if you can go to the grocery store, Costco or Walmart during this quarantine to get food and toiletries, you can go to church to be fed spiritually and encouraged. If your church is too large (according to the government), then attend your small groups on the Lord's Day.
Are you willing to forsake the assembling together as a church indefinitely (CA's governor's word)? Do you realize they started off saying it was for 14 days, then it was 4 weeks, now it's looking like 10 weeks (the schools are closing until May 5th)? Ten weeks with no church, no gathering for the Lord's Table and self-judging for sin before Him, no exercising of your gifts and mutual edification in the Lord's flock?
The government thinks it can determine what is essential and non-essential. It has determined corporate worship as a church is a non-essential. But God has said it is essential. We must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29)..
There's no such thing as a virtual church. None. The definition of "ecclessia" means a gathering together of persons called out from the world in a local body led by elders and deacons where the word is preached and taught, people pray, hymns sung, the Lord's Table partaken, edifying the brothers and sisters. That requires physical presence. Video and live feeds are not that and you can't participate in the Lord's Table virtually either. Nor for that matter, can you participate in church discipline.
Think of this as a trial run to test yourselves to see how much you're willing to obey God rather than man, to see how you really define a church and what is essential, and how much you really trust the Lord. Because sooner rather than later, there will be true, physical enemies that will turn us into the police, throw us in prison, or try to kill us for being Christians. If you can't pass this easier test, what makes you think you'd pass that test?
Heb 10:21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
Heb 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
Heb 10:24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
Heb 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Heb 10:26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.
Act 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Act 2:43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.
Act 2:44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;
Act 2:45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
1Pe 3:13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?
1Pe 3:14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,
1Pe 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
1Pe 3:16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
Act 5:25 But someone came and reported to them, "The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!"
Act 5:26 Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).
Act 5:27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them,
Act 5:28 saying, "We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us."
Act 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.
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