In just under a year, from 2019, thousands of lives have been lost through disobedience. The loss of lives continues today because of this ugly human trait—disobedience. This has been and still is responsible for the rapid spread of the coronavirus—now a pandemic. This spirit of disobedience is like a gene code in all human beings. It is in the human DNA or RNA that is located usually on a chromosome, which is the functional unit of our inheritance. The Bible says, “through one man [Adam] sin entered the world,” (Romans 5:12). This was the sin of disobedience.
Daily on the news, we notice how the Governments of many countries have been pleading with the citizens in their provinces, states, cities, and communities to practice social distancing. As the novel coronavirus continues spreading rapidly, people everywhere are not listening to their medical authorities, political leaders, nor authorities in general. Many are taking with a grain of salt the news about the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are gathering on the beaches, seaside, in some churches, recreation parks and elsewhere in direct violation of the rule of keeping 6 feet or 2 meters apart.
The Bible says disobedience is sin. The Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition defines sin “as an offense against religious [divine] or moral law.” The apostle John says, “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness,” (1 John 3:4). The governments of countries make the laws and publicly spell out the ways in which citizens should behave for the well-being of all. The heads of all the countries are advising, instructing and some made it law—ultimately enforced by the local police services and armies--that people must practice social distancing to save lives of their fellow citizens. Yet many people are openly disobeying.
People still are disregarding and disobeying the warnings, in the face of the thousands of lives taken by COVID-19. These people are not moved by the tears and displayed pain of others about the loss of lives of their families to the pandemic. The world news media are constantly showing the ugly statistics of the number of people of all ages contracting the virus daily: how many were tested, hospitalized, died, and how many recovered. We also see and hear heartbreaking and horrible stories of people’s death on the frontlines in hospital ICU and emergency wards. We hear how hospitals are filled to capacity; and that beds, medicines, ventilators and other equipment are greatly needed as they are in short supply. Death has come to all such as nurses, doctors, professionals, young and old persons--even a few heads of states contracted this virus. Yet persistent disobedience thrives in the hearts and actions of many.