On his radio program, Dr. Albert Mohler talked about how Christians should respond to the potential ‘Swine’ flu pandemic. You can download the audio here or listen to it below. In the discussion Dr. Mohler compares the current Swine Flu situation with how Christians in previous eras dealt with plagues.
Dr. Mohler has a commentary on the same topic at his website. He writes:
‘[Martin] Luther ministered in a time of plague and epidemic. He provided a model of the pastor who never leaves his people. He also urged his people never to leave the sick. In 1527 the Bubonic Plague came to Wittenberg. Luther sent his students home, but he stayed to minister to his congregation and the city. He called for others with responsibility, especially pastors, to do the same. Cowardice in ministry is a denial of Christ, Luther warned, for “whoever wants to serve Christ in person would surely serve his neighbor as well.”
‘In Geneva, John Calvin taught his pastors to visit the sick as a primary duty of “a true and faithful minister.” As Calvin explained, “the greatest need which a man ever has of the spiritual doctrine of our Lord is when His hand visits him with afflictions, whether of disease or other evils, and specially at the hour of death.”
‘Calvin taught the faithful minister to offer suffering Christians the consolation of Christ, lest they be overwhelmed by the fear of death and judgment. On the other hand, if the sick person is not “sufficiently oppressed and agonized by a conviction of their sins,” the pastor should speak to them of the justice of God, “before which they cannot stand, save through the mercy embracing Jesus Christ for their salvation.”‘
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