Have you noticed how much media and community noise there has been about the flouting of COVID-19 restriction laws?
A section of Australian society seems to have taken it upon themselves to act as though the advice and regulations respective state and national chief medical officers have put in place do not apply to them.
These people think that they are above the law, that the law is all part of some massive conspiracy theory, and so they break the law.
But it goes far deeper than that, in breaking the law of the land, they are also breaking the Law of God.
Believers in the One true God, that is, people of the three monotheistic faiths - Christianity, Judaism and Islam - were given by God through Moses, the Ten Commandments as their moral compass for life.
These commandments are known as the, capital 'L' Law.
Here's the thing: every one of the Ten Commandments form the backbone of our country's legal system. In a not-so-coincidental move, God selected just one of the commandments to add an incentive to - the Fourth commandment.
"Honour your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."
Just as a quick reminder, the Ten Commandments are first recorded in Exodus chapter 20. The fourth commandment is around verse 20, depending on what translation you read.
Sixteenth Century theologian, Martin Luther, states in his explanation of the fourth commandment that our elected parliaments, police, defence forces, and by extension, all emergency services are also to be considered as our 'fathers and mothers'.
The bottom line is this: God our creator commands us to respect, honour and obey the directives (laws) set by these parent-substitutes, 'so that your days may be long in the land that your God is giving you'.
The growing toll the coronavirus epidemic is having in Victoria, and in fact, across the world should serve as a stark reminder for all people, whatever state or country they live in, that this virus is not some contrived political agenda or power-play, it is real, and it is deadly.
The overriding message that this epidemic should be teaching all of us is the same message that pastors, priests and Old and New Testament prophets have been trying to teach forever - honour and respect God's Law and the laws of the land.
The stark reality is this; God's Law, and by extension, the laws of the land, are for our good and for the promotion of a peaceful society, which is what we all want and need.
God bless you all and keep you safe and well, now, and forever.
Pr Geoff Schefe, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. On behalf of the Horsham Christian Ministers Association
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