Pandemic pandemonium! How should Christians respond to pandemic diseases?


So far, all I have experienced with the coronavirus are some inconveniences and annoyances. My heart truly goes out to anyone who contracts the disease and/or loses a loved one.

The phrase I am using, “pandemic pandemonium,” is dual purpose. There is a lot of pandemonium (chaos) about the pandemic (disease). But, the pandemonium (chaos) is also pandemic (prevalent). The two words are accurately describing each other.

The news media and social media is not being particularly helpful either. For some, it is the end of the world (or at least a great time to raise prices on toilet paper and hand sanitizer). For others, it is fake news, with COVID-19 being little more than a bad cold. The truth is likely, as usual, somewhere in between.

On GotQuestions.org, the questions we are receiving about the coronavirus pandemic can be divided into three categories:

(1) Is the coronavirus pandemic a sign of the end times?

The Bible does say that disease and pestilence will occur in the end times (Luke 21:11; Revelation 6:8). But, there is no way to know if the coronavirus is an actual sign of the end times, or just a precursor to what will occur in the end times. My gut feeling is that it is just a precursor. What Revelation 6:8 describes is exponentially worse than what we are currently experiencing.

(2) Should Christians stockpile food, medicine, and cleaning supplies?

The one time the Bible mentions stockpiling, it does not speak of it favorably (Luke 12:16-21). There is nothing wrong with having a little extra of the essentials lying around. There is something wrong with hoarding supplies to the point that you are preventing people who actually need them from being able to get them.

(3) How should Christians respond to pandemic diseases?

One of the fruits of the Spirit is peace (Galatians 5:22-23). “Do not fear” occurs over 300 times in the Bible. As followers of Christ, we should be ambassadors of peace. Our trust in God should be even more evident when everyone else is freaking out.

We should have no part in the pandemic pandemonium. Yes, we should be wise, discerning, and reasonably prepared. Yes, we should take sensible steps to avoid contracting and/or spreading the disease. No, irrational fear and panic-based decisions should have no part of our lives.

May I never have to buy toilet paper online again!

S. Michael Houdmann

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Pandemic pandemonium! How should Christians respond to pandemic diseases?