Is COVID-19 God’s Judgment on Us?

By Rev. Freddy Fritz

From the May 2020 Trumpet

We are in the grip of a worldwide pandemic known as COVID-19. People all over the world are living under various levels of “Stay at Home” orders.
I have been asked, “Is COVID-19 God’s Judgment on us?” Perhaps you have seen, as I have, commercials on TV or television evangelists confidently asserting that COVID-19 is God’s judgment on America. One can then buy a book or send in money to learn more about what God is doing through COVID-19. Let me share with you my thought about COVID-19.
Jesus was told about some Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. We don’t know why Pilate killed these Galileans. The people who told Jesus about this were very upset about it. Jesus answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?” (Luke 13:2). Jesus’ question exposed a common view in his day. John MacArthur summarized the view as follows, “To the Jewish people of Jesus’ day, the explanation of why bad things happened to people was singular and simple: calamities were always God’s judgment on sin.”1 This view was found throughout Biblical history. Indeed, it is what people think even today. The point, however, is that human suffering is not necessarily the direct result of a person’s sin. Jesus went on to say, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).

Last updated Tuesday, May 12, 2020

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