Vaccine Mandates and the Christian Response
Let’s face it: most Christians in America don’t know the Bible, they don’t know doctrine, and they most certainly are unfamiliar with the confessions. This is a big problem. It leads to confusion; and if there is any one prevailing characteristic that I would ascribe to the typical Christian today it would be just that–confusion. It takes a strong, biblical-based church to strengthen and grow their congregation (see Equipping the Saints). It also takes personal dedication, much reading, studying, and praying on an individualistic basis. Both of these conditions are extremely rare, and finding a situation in which both meet is almost non-existent.
As a result, when faced with a decision not explicitly defined in the Bible most do not know where to turn, or how to even begin pursuing an answer. In turn this inevitably leads to conflicting guidance. For every Christian scholar who answers one way you can find another scholar suggesting the opposite. But what say you? What do you find in the Bible? What is your understanding of a particular doctrine based on your reading and studying and comparison with other scriptures and the perspective historically held by Christian theologians?
We live in a day when we have to walk with the Lord daily, indeed hourly. Churches are confused. Pastors are confused. We can no longer rely on others to do the work for us. True Christianity is not a passive religion, rather we are commanded to strive (Luke 13:24), to enter in at the strait gate (Matt. 7:13), and to take the kingdom of heaven by violence! (Matt. 11:12). But the sun is setting on this day in which we live so we must work while it is day: “the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).
So…you want the answer as to whether or not to take the vaccine? The answer is: what say you?
Let me explain.
I am not going to take a position here and tell anyone what or what not to do when it comes to vaccines. Frankly, its wrong for any Christian leader to tell anyone one way or the other what to do in this situation. Not only is it wrong theologically, it’s also infuriating to read articles from Christians condemning the unvaccinated and demanding the vaccine as some sort of Christian duty–which cannot be endorsed without a political slant. Not to mention the embarrassingly weak arguments they present which consist of nothing more than trite expressions of “love thy neighbor.”
If you decide to take the vaccine, I support you. If you decide not to take it I support that too. Why? This is where knowledge of doctrine comes in handy. Because of the doctrine “Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience” found in both the Westminster Confession of Faith and The London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. I will paste the full chapter from the London Baptist as a reference below.
We don’t have to pull out a concordance and search for the word “vaccine” in order to derive a biblical principal. Let’s look at three examples to see if we can gain a principal to apply to vaccines: smoking, eating, and drinking. Some Christians smoke without any concern of violating their faith, others would say it’s sinful. Who’s right? They both are. Some Christians abstain from certain foods, while others can eat anything that is set before them (Romans 14). Some think alcohol consumption is sinful, others point to Jesus turning water into wine. How can both perspectives be correct? Because none of the above examples are strictly forbidden nor commanded. As a result, a singular Christian may partake of an action that another may deem sinful.
To resolve this seeming conflict the doctrine of Christian liberty is applied. In the same way, vaccines are neither commanded nor prohibited and therefore, “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). James points out the same principal, that a violation of conscience is equivalent to sin: “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” [italics mine] (James 4:17). Therefore, sin has both an objective and subjective nature; objective when violating explicitly stated laws and commandments or in the discharge of strictly defined prohibitions (i.e., the Law), and subjectively when the individual conscience has been violated.
And this is the crux of the argument. It’s not about Republican or Democrat, Red or Blue, Conservative or Liberal. In fact it’s not a political issue at all. For the Christian the question is, can you take this without violating your conscience and thus sinning? If you feel that God is leading you to take the vaccine then by all means go ahead. If however, you deem it to be sinful, then it is sinful and must be avoided at all costs.
Furthermore, it doesn’t matter if every single Christian in the entire world takes the vaccine; that in no way discredits an individual Christian from refusing to take it. There are many who argue that Christianity as a whole is not against the vaccine, or that the only exception would be the Christian Science Church, as is proposed in this absurd article by Christianity.com; which, by the way, is not in any way representative of the Christian faith (at least not true Christianity). It’s also interesting to note that a “Christian” perspective on vaccines was offered without making a single biblical reference aside from a misinterpreted and random quote about “mocking God.” But they probably assume that this is the type of teaching most Christians are accustomed to–preaching without a biblical foundation. They would do more service to God by not taking upon themselves the name of “Christian” at all, and thus not mock God. To quote the verse in it’s entirety it reads “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Amen.
To speak of Christians as being either for or against the vaccine is itself absurd, as if all Christians hide under the cloak of denominationalism and follow whatever their church dictates, (no wonder why a hundred years ago A.W. Pink so often spoke of the evils of sectarianism; we are now seeing the fruits of that tree). It seems the worldly tendency to put people into either one of two boxes has crept into the religious realm. Everything now is a dichotomy. It’s frustrating when this happens with secular things, its dangerous when it enters the sacred realm. There is no concept of the individual nowadays, everyone is in a box that has already been spoken for.
We ultimately must learn that the road to life is narrow, and in these last days we are learning just how narrow that road is–indeed, exceedingly narrow (Matt. 7:14). We have to learn to stand with few, maybe even alone, and not capitulate to the pressures and dictates of “a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). Let the cowardly Christians do what they will. Let the pastors and leaders fall into the same ditch that they lead others into (Matt. 15:14). I don’t care if I’m the only Christian in the world who refuses the vaccine based on faith, it matters not a bit. This has always been the struggle for the genuine Christian: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Lastly, the Christian doesn’t make decisions based on fear (or coercion), rather they should be based on faith, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans. 14:23). So if you are taking the vaccine for any reason other than to prevent against sickness (i.e., in order to travel, or to keep your job, or because you want to go along with the world), I would suggest reevaluating your decision. Again, whatever you choose it must be, above all, based on faith, “for the just shall live by faith” (Gal. 3:11).
“Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience” from The London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, chapter 21:
1 The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the rigor and [1]curse of the law, and in their being delivered from this present evil [2]world, bondage to [3]Satan, and dominion [4]of sin, from the [5]evil of afflictions, the fear and sting [6]of death, the victory of the grave, and [7]everlasting damnation: as also in their [8]free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear, [9]but a child-like love and willing mind. All which were common also to believers under the law [10]for the substance of them; but under the New Testament the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of a ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected, and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the [11]free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.
2 God alone is [12]Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men [13]which are in any thing contrary to his Word, or not contained in it. So that to believe such doctrines, or obey such commands out of conscience, [14]is to betray true liberty of conscience; and the requiring of an [15]implicit faith, an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also.
3 They who upon pretence [sic] of Christian liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any sinful lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel [16]to their own destruction, so they wholly destroy [17]the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our lives.
Reference: https://chapellibrary.org:8443/pdf/books/lbcw.pdf
[1] Gal 3:13
[2] Gal 1:4
[3] Act 26:18
[4] Rom 8:3
[5] Rom 8:28
[6] 1 Co 15:54-57
[7] 2 Th 1:10
[8] Rom 8:15
[9] Luk 1:73-75; 1 Jo 4:18
[10] Gal 3:9,14
[11] Joh 7:38-39; Heb 10:19-21
[12] Jam 4:12; Rom 14:4
[13] Act 4:19; 5:29; 1Co 7:23; Mat 15:9
[14] Col 2:20,22-23
[15] 1 Co 3:5; 2 Co 1:24
[16] Rom 6:1-2
[17] Gal 5:13; 2 Pe 2:18,21
