A conspiracy theory is a belief system that asserts that world events are being controlled by a powerful group who operate behind the scenes. Conspiracy theories have been with us for ages and can be compelling and fascinating. Hitler was a master at weaving conspiracy tales.

Nero concocted one to shift the blame to Christians for the burning of Rome. Those who rejected the resurrection of the Messiah came up with a conspiracy theory to explain the empty tomb and His many appearances. And we could go on and on.

These theories create fear in people and even paranoia, that lingers on and helps fuel other conspiracy theories that may emerge. Conspiracy theories become more complicated when such concepts and assumptions are mixed with our faith and religious belief systems.

Sadly, for many Christians, upholding the biblical text in 1 Thess, 5:21, which says, ‘Test all things; hold fast what is good’ (NKJV) by doing a thorough investigation of these ideas is ignored. We would be saved from a lot of anxiety and panic if we would truly test all things.

We find ourselves in a quagmire of sorts, as we have taken on the posture of religion that causes us to not question things. Once a religious leader of faith or someone we revere makes a proclamation, the question for many is no longer whether or not it lines up with scripture.

Our response is, ‘since our father said it, it must be true’. It is worsened when the person speaks ‘Christianese’ – the persuasive and familiar vocabulary of our faith. The recent conspiracy theories relating to COVID-19 are, however, not restricted to faith and religion, as it

has created all kinds of flavours and tastes;appealing to all people, irrespective of colour or creed. As it relates to the Christian faith, we have recently been swamped by numerous voices portending the rise of the anti-Christ and the system of the beast, spinning such

conspiracies around 5G technology and the emergence of the Coronavirus, adding a mix of ID tagging and vaccines, making them effective agents for the release of the spirit of fear and panicConspiracies themselves are not new to biblical text, as we see from the scriptures below:

2 Samuel 15:12 (NIV): ‘...And so, the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom's following kept on increasing.’ •Acts 23:12 (NIV): ‘The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.’ Isaiah 8:12-13

‘Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.’

However, Proverbs 14:15 (NIV) says, ‘A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.’ There were pervasive rumours running rampant before World War 2, concerning the Jews. One of note was that Jews were purportedly using Gentile blood in the making

of the Passover Matzos. As ridiculous as the theories were, because they were left unchecked in Germany, they created the climate that allowed and even justified the Holocaust Sadly, it appears that “the only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing

from history” (Georg Wilhelm Hegel). As the Coronavirus spreads globally, the conspiracies surrounding it are as dangerous as the virus itself. One conspiracy theory postulates that the Coronavirus is actually a bio-weapon engineered by the CIA as a way to wage war on China.

Others are convinced that the UK and US governments introduced the Coronavirus as a way to make money from the subsequent manufacture of a ‘discovered’ vaccine. Research shows that conspiracy theories have a tendency to arise in relation to moments of crisis in society –

like terrorist attacks, rapid political changes or economic crises. Conspiracy theories bloom in periods of uncertainty and threat, when we seek to make sense of a chaotic world. The reality that faces us as leaders of faith is that we will not always have immediate answers to

every crisis in society and as long as we do not position ourselves as all-knowing (omniscient), we will avoid becoming propagators of these theories. Let us not forget that the 2015-16 outbreak of the Zika virus also birthed a Zika conspiracy theory, which proposed that the

virus was a biological weapon rather than a natural occurrence. The Bible is clear about the signs of the end of the age, as can be seen in Matthew 24:4-8 (MSG): ‘Jesus said, “Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming,

‘I am Christ, the Messiah.’ They will deceive a lot of people. When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Famines and earthquak

es will occur in various places. This is nothing compared to what is coming.’ It is also clear about the events that will lead to the unveiling of the anti-Christ and the beast’s system (666), as we find in the book of Revelation. Chapters 1–3 of the book of Revelation address

the assessment of the Church on earth and the adjustments she needs to make, in order to stand before her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. From chapter 4, there is a total absence of the Church on earth until Revelation 22:16.

This is the portion of the book of Revelation that focuses on the emergence of the anti-Christ’s system. There is no reference to the Church from chapter 4 to chapter 22, because the Church would have been taken away (raptured) at this time.

Will there be a system that will be established by the anti-Christ? YES. Is it important to study world events and try to understand them? YES …but not to the extent of breeding an atmosphere of fear and paranoia and panic. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power

and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Finally, the book of Revelation, which many people claim to understand yet often misinterpret, is not the revelation of the anti-Christ, but the revelation of Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:1: ‘The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God

gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.’ This is the time to fix our gaze upon Jesus Christ and to prepare the Church and the earth for His return. When the systems of the beast eventually emerge, with tagging and RFID systems, or whatever we may

call it, we would have already been caught away (raptured) to Heaven. So why focus on events that will fully manifest when we are out of here? (PS: I am a pre-Tribulation Rapture Saint).