The Right Fight

 

“People are more concerned about the first death than they are the second death.” Pastor/Author Ron Kronz.

Pastor Kronz is a man who has faced some harrowing experiences in his life. Some of these, by his own admission in his book, “Fighting to Win and other things I didn’t learn in Sunday School,” were his own foolishness before the Lord saved him. But many of them have been in his work for the Lord as a missionary in South Africa and on the streets of Washington, D.C. preaching at his church and intervening on behalf of the unborn at an abortion mill. I won’t give you the details because his book is worth the read.

When he made this statement as he spoke to our church a few weeks ago, I immediately heard the truth of it. In our times, as we fear COVID 19, we are more concerned for our health than we are for all those who are just as scared of it but clueless that they will one day, when they die of whatever kills them, face the 2^nd death before the Lord (Revelation 2:11, 20:6, 20:14).

God assures us that He will separate the wheat and the chaff and those who do not know Him will spend their eternity in dark, hot Hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12, 13:42).

Right now we have many people out of work. More are struggling to pay their rent and buy food for their families. Mental health issues, abuse, and drug overdoses are all increasing. Many Christians are staying engaged with each other on social media, some encouraging and some fighting over face masks.

Are we, though, engaging with those who need help? I am not right now but I think I should be looking for ways to get out there –  with a mask if that’s what I have to do to reach the person struggling with this fear of death or financial disaster.

All my life I have heard people say there are two things in life that are certain – death and taxes. Now, all of a sudden it seems that we are obsessed with the thought that no one should die of this year’s flu. It is a nasty one that does kill people but safety cannot be our highest priority.

Our fear seems to have us stalled at the first death – that one we know is going to happen to everyone at some point in time. What about the second death? Do we talk to people about that one? Are we willing to take a COVID conversation and turn it into an eternity conversation?

Our physical safety and health, as Christians, needs to be a matter of faith. We will not live one day longer (or shorter) than the Lord has already determined for us (Exodus 23:26; Job 14:5). How we use those days is very important. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that he has prepared works for us to do.

I am all for praying for the Lord to protect us from evil, even illness if that keeps us working for His Kingdom. But, to pray for “safety” as we sit at home and refuse to come face to face with those who need help or even our brothers and sisters in the Lord, seems like a futile prayer.

Increasingly in our nation we are seeing the hatred of our God because people don’t know Him or anything about Him. How will they know if no one is “out there” to tell them (Romans 10;14-15)?

We cannot fight to win if we choose to stay home and avoid the war – and we are in a war for the glory of our great God!

Get and read Ron Kronz’s book. He will remind you of the importance of the work the Lord has for you.