COVID-19 theology causing social distancing is not a new phenomenon

In the gospel, the ‘good news’ of forgiveness for sin is offered as a completely free gift to be received by faith alone. Believers have all their sins forgiven … past, present and future. The payment for this was made by Jesus who underwent a most horrific death on the cross, as a substitute, even though He was completely innocent.

These passages relate to a very serious problem which the apostle Paul addressed in his letter to the Galatian churches.  It was a great danger for the believers from a Gentile (non-Jewish) background. This ‘different gospel’ showed up in the matter of circumcision and Jewish law. Jewish believers were trying to force the law and, in particular, circumcision, on Gentile converts.  This is known today as legalism … an addition to the gospel which also nullifies it.

An incident which occurred at Antioch, where the apostle Peter (Cephas) sided with the believers from a Jewish background, drew a very strong rebuke from Paul. He quite correctly saw that Peter’s behaviour would create serious division in the church and was not in line with the truth of the gospel. The gospel is the same for both Jew and non-Jew … every nation, tribe and tongue.