How Should Christians Make Sense of COVID-19?
WHEATON, Ill.—In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, John Piper has written a short book, Coronavirus and Christ (Crossway, April 2020), to address the fear and uncertainty that people are experiencing. “Today as I write, there are hundreds of thousands of cases of infection worldwide, with tens of thousands of deaths. There is no known cure—yet,” Piper notes. “This is a time when the fragile form of this world is felt. The seemingly solid foundations are shaking. The question we should be asking is, Do we have a Rock under our feet? A Rock that cannot be shaken—ever?”
Piper’s main goal is to point readers to the rock that is Christ and encourage them to stand on his mighty love. The first section of Coronavirus and Christ covers essential truths and doctrines that are vital to remember, including how God’s word comforts believers in their affliction; that God is righteous, holy, and good; and that God is sovereign over all things.
In the second section, Piper proposes 6 biblical answers to what God is doing through the coronavirus, including showing the physical effects of spiritual sin; calling Christians to repent and realign their lives with the infinite worth of Christ; and serving his invincible global purpose of world evangelization.Even in the face of great suffering and loss, Piper wants to remind readers that God is in control: “The same sovereignty that could stop the coronavirus, yet doesn’t, is the very sovereignty that sustains the soul in it,” writes Piper. “And not only sustains, but sees to it that everything, bitter and sweet, works together for our good—the good of those who love God and are called in Christ (Romans 8:28–30).”
“Our prayer is that this book will provide a sure foundation to those who are suffering, confused, and burdened under the weight of this pandemic, pointing them to our present and future hope: Jesus Christ, the solid rock,” writes Scott Anderson, CEO of Desiring God. “Only in him will our souls be truly safe and satisfied—today, tomorrow, and for eternity.”
John Piper (DTheol, University of Munich) is the founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and the chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He served for thirty-three years as the senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is the author of more than fifty books, including Desiring God; Don’t Waste Your Life; This Momentary Marriage; A Peculiar Glory; and Reading the Bible Supernaturally. @JohnPiper
Founded in 1938, Crossway is a not-for-profit global Christian publishing ministry that publishes gospel-centered, Bible-based content to honor our Savior and serve his church. Crossway seeks to help people understand the all-encompassing implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s word—for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God alone. Crossway is the global publisher of the ESV® (English Standard Version®) Bible, more than 1,000 Christian books, and an extensive list of gospel literature. For additional information, visit crossway.org.
Contact: Lauren Susanto, lsusanto@crossway.org
