“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” - Romans 14:5
Our country has major problems, not the least of which are the internal conflicts that are unraveling the thread of civility from our land. Social media is greatly responsible for this. Right now, the big issue at the center of our conflicts is our personal response to Covid-19.
The President has issued executive orders mandating the vaccination of certain groups of people. Some believe he has exceeded his power with such a wide-scale mandate. While this is an issue that is open for debate, I want us to focus on the Christian's response to Covid-19, wearing masks and being vaccinated.
As an American, I believe in personal liberty. In my personal opinion, the government should not be running our lives. Some things are simply up to the individual. While others may disagree, we do not want to have governmental interference with our personal lives. Personal liberty is an important aspect of our nation's freedom.
We cannot say that the government cannot ever tell us what to do. The government orders us to pay taxes. The Bible instructs us to pay our taxes. According to the Scriptures, we are to obey the government … yet we must practice civil disobedience if the government tries to force us to disobey God.
While I may strongly disagree with our government and its leaders at times, my faith does not give me permission to violate our laws simply because I don't like them. We are commanded to live in harmony with others … as much as possible.
So what about mask mandates? What about vaccination mandates? What is to be our response to these things?
When it comes to the laws of our land, the legality of such mandates are to be determined by the judicial branch of government. I admit that I don't always agree with the judgments rendered by our courts. Often judgments are influenced by the political preference rather than the Constitution.
What bothers me are the Christians who are hostile towards others who do not share the same view about this virus. Those who are vaccinated and wear masks seem condescending and judgmental towards those who don't. Those who object to masks and vaccination openly question the patriotism and convictions of those who've been vaccinated.
Before you condemn the unvaccinated, let me remind everyone that there are many who cannot receive the vaccine because health issues or the medication they are taking.
Personally, I have received the vaccination and here's why. While we don't know about all the long-term consequences of receiving the vaccine, we do know that it is keeping many from being infected. Plus, the small percentage of vaccinated people who still get the virus often do not suffer as badly as those who don't and the mortality rate is significantly lower.
I have an elderly mother, elderly church members and deal with the public in my work. I don't want my carelessness to be the means of infecting those I care about the most. The consequences of infection could be harsh on me and deadly on others. I don't want that on my conscience.
Nevertheless, I understand why some refuse the vaccination. I understand why some are harshly against wearing a mask. I also understand that they may be putting themselves and others at risk.
The Bible says, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” I think this should be the proper response we have concerning this matter. Don't be harsh in judging others who disagree with you. Each person must make their own decision. Of course, the decisions we make do have consequences. We should demonstrate sympathy and love towards those who are suffering, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not.
I do not agree that the vaccine is the “mark of the beast,” described in the book of Revelation. However, I can see how governmental mandates are opening the door to that wickedness. I know that this fueling some of the vaccination resistance.
While we may have strong opinions on this matter, we shouldn't allow our opinions to mold us into Pharisees. Legalism is more dangerous than this virus. Many Christians may strongly object to my thesis on this subject and that's okay. As an American, I have the freedom to express myself. As a Christian, I have the responsibility to respond to my own convictions and conscience. I suggest that we all do the same.
Personally, I can't wait until this whole pandemic is behind us.
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