Christian New Testament (1) Passages cited to support immunization S-7 . F He was rebellious at times. One interpretation of this verse could be that vaccinations serve the common good. During the 1,500-year period that the Bible was written, it did not mention anything about vaccinations because synthetic medicine has not yet been discovered yet. . Vaccination, nothing magical, must be supported by other intelligent choices in life such as prayerful, devotional living, a healthy lifestyle, spiritual witnessing, and trust in God. In all these instances, the God of miracles chose to give lessons of collaborating closely between Himself and humans by using available remedies. No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.. The New York Times. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 103:3; Luke 4:40; 6:18; 7:21). By the time Protestants started forming settlements in North America, there were distinctly Anglican, Presbyterian, Anabaptist, Lutheran and Quaker reading of the Bible. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. The book of Revelation 18:23 says "The light of a lamp shall. Love does no harm to a neighbor. She then quotes 2 Corinthians 7 out of context and assumes a vaccine will "contaminate" her. His Holy Spirit resides in us as redeemed Christians. heal the sick . And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. These two principles are plainly in harmony with the first two commandments God gave to Adam in the Garden of Eden: The LORD God commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die" (Gen. 2:16, NIV). Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person.. This highly contagious, steadily mutating virus is a pandemica threat to world health. Small differences over how to interpret the Bible often resulted in the creation of new sects such as the Latter Day Saints, the Restorationists (Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ), Adventists and various evangelical offshoots of more longstanding denominations such as Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists and Quakers. 5. And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. Do you not know that your bodies are temples. Prior to this, most men and women in Europe were exposed to the Bible through the Vulgate, a Latin version of the Old and New Testaments that only educated men mostly Catholic priests could read. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. I still repeat this verse from time to time. Some have children with Such living integrates and restores our physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social life by Gods grace, through His Word, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. When they explain their religious objections to health officials, employers and school administrations, evangelicals select verses, usually out of context, and reference them on exemptions forms. The result may serve missiological objectives: If they [unbelievers] see that we are intelligent with regard to health, they will be more ready to believe that we are sound in Bible doctrines. On the other hand, she clearly warns: But when men advocate reform, and carry the matter to extremes, and are inconsistent in their course of action, people are not to blame if they do become disgusted with the health reform. These men are doing a work which Satan loves to see go on., Covid fatigue can be overcome with God. We deeply appreciate each day God gives us after a severe illness. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. If there was ever a great opportunity for cherry-pickingusing Gods Word in a way that supports your ideas or lifethis is it. So that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. I prayed this verse daily, driving to work, sitting on my couch. John Fea does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. 5:10). When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. If you need both wisdom and calm about your next steps concerning the vaccine, here are four prayers to usher you into God's presence where you can experience His perfect peace. So if you get sick, it's because you don't have faith in God and that you're not living a holy life, so God isn't able to protect you." In addition to spreading anti-vaccine ideology in America, this belief in the supreme authority of God has also affected vaccine efforts abroad. He is a better man after his trial of earthly suffering. Man the ramparts; watch the road; dress for battle; collect all your strength. But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short! And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. Job could not understand why a good person like him was punished with so much misfortune. They are complementary. Your input is important for us to improve it. Why Did Pharaoh Tell Joseph to Enjoy the 'Fat of the Land'? Nothing outside a man can make him "unclean" by going into him. So glorify God in your body. This story does not mean it is the medicine alone that is important. White encouraged others to take a smallpox vaccination, and took it herself, according to eyewitness D. E. Robinson, one of her secretaries: Ellen White was vaccinated and urged her helpers, those connected with her, to be vaccinated. She was aware that it would protect her as well as others: She also recognized the danger of their exposing others if they failed to take this precaution. She wisely advised, Those who seek healing by prayer should not neglect to make use of the remedial agencies within their reach. Vaccines prevent complications of health deterioration. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. The house that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. However, the Scriptures teaches that there are natural remedies to various illnesses. . 3 It is interesting to note that this was true of Ephesus (just like the letter to the Ephesians). Some others they cite include Salem Radio host and author Eric Metaxas, the Liberty Counsel and Tennessee megachurch leader Greg Locke, to name a few. And, his angels shall protect you. The COVID-19 vaccine has been scientifically proved to save lives, but for a select group of people in the religious realm, a more important matter is at stake - eternal salvation.. As the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads, many Americans resist COVID-19 vaccines, some citing the uncertainty of long-term side effects, others lacking trust in the medical field. Perhaps you keep up with news about the COVID pandemic, shifting daily. Ellen G. White affirms such an approach. The mark of the beast is about the distortion of Gods character of love by accepting the non-biblical teachings of Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the soul, including eternal torture in hell. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. God could have miraculously and instantaneously healed the dying King Hezekiah by His power, but instead He chose to heal him through the remedy of a fig poultice (2 Kings 20:5-7; Isa. We are not to expect that God will work for us when we overlook basic principles of life and are negligent, biased, or lazy about implementing them. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead. BabylonBee.com. Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide. Theoriginal versionof this commentary was posted by theHealth Ministries Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Debates about mask mandates and required vaccinations are much in the news in light of Governor Pritzker's Executive Order seeking to slow the spread of COVID. Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness. But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it? And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. Does the Bible Mention What to Give Up for Lent? They grew anxious that these Catholic newcomers were a threat to their Protestant nation and often based these fears on perceptions of how Catholic bishops and priests kept the Bible from their parishioners. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. This knowledge has been placed within our reach for use. 16). If anyone destroys Gods temple, God will destroy that person; for Gods temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. However, it is not easy to understand Gods Word. You are not your own. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. Then they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us. And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.. Fair enough. People with . These so-called Bible riots revealed the deep tensions between the individualistic and common-sensical approach to biblical interpretation common among Protestants and a Catholic view of reading the Bible that was always filtered through the historic teachings of the Church and its theologians. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. As a historian of the Bible in American life, I can attest that such shallow reading in service of political and cultural agendas has long been a fixture of evangelical Christianity. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. This verse told, more than 3,000 years ago, to stay away from vaccine practices. And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. Bishop Paprocki also notes that Catholics in other states still need to check on their specific rules for vaccine exemptions. Back to the Third Commandment. I care for the work of Gods hands(Isaiah 64:8) as a steward to my small part of creation. 7. H Life is Gods precious gift to us, not to be squandered. The views of the Bible proclaimed from the pulpits of formally educated clergy in established denominations gave way to a more free-wheeling and populist understanding of the scriptures that was often dissociated from such authoritative communities. Social media allows these evangelical conspiracy theorists to become influential through their anti-vaccine rants. Protestants believed that the former approach was more compatible with the spirit of American liberty. Vaccines save lives by stopping the spread of disease, but waiting too long has often made it too late. Prayers for knowledge are not enough to bring success. Christians and the general public are divided on the need for vaccines to prevent illness, particularly regarding the vaccine for COVID-19. It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom. And Esther said, If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king. Then the king said, Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked. So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. In addition to spreading anti-vaccine ideology in America, this belief in the supreme authority of God has also affected vaccine efforts abroad. Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations. And the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. Jeremiah was lamenting the behavior of Israelites captive in Babylon, who succumbed to worshipping false gods. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Ps. Some are stories, some are songs to bring you joy and hope, some are parables meant to convey his religious message, and some are instructions for our lives to be led with moral character. Catholics, for the most part, have shown their commitment to life on this issue. God created humans in His image (Gen. 1:27) as intelligent beings, to use their minds to reason and acquire knowledge and discern what is right, good, and profitable. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) Jesus also preached on a broader view of a Kosher dietrelated to our current dilemma over prescription and non-prescription use of drugsas stated in the passages from Marks gospel and I Corinthians. Ellen White admonishes, Train the people to correct habits and healthful practices, remembering that an ounce of preventive is more value than a pound of cure. A Reflection for the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Times. But our citizenship is in heaven. 2013;31 . He is the Source and Giver of life for His children; He gives abundant life (John 11:25; 14:6). Z. We should employ every facility for the restoration of health, taking every advantage possible, working in harmony with natural laws. The Bible calls the human body "a temple of the Holy Spirit." The New Testament makes multiple references likening the human body to a temple. The Bible teaches us that the body is created in the image of God 1 4 , the temple of the Holy Spirit 1 5 , a living sacrifice to the Lord. by Clarence Haynes Jr.). Edward Meeks, pastor at Christ the King Catholic Church in Towson, gave an almost 20-minute homily Nov. 21 in which he interpreted several Bible verses from 1 Corinthians as indicating . Perhaps you have a more sophisticated form of this objection. Evidence-based science is beneficial in this decision process, allowing us to choose the best available options in given life situations. Megachurch pastors, televangelists, conservative media commentators and social media influencers have far more power over ordinary evangelical Christians than those local pastors who encourage their congregations to consider that God works through science. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. The problem is that the same people who eagerly promote anti-vaccine misinformation are just as eager to misuse religion to avoid . Two groups that have been particularly hesitant about getting vaccinated are. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. The Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission compares such use to using organs from a person who was. In other words, forbidden is (1) whatever contradicts Gods explicit command, and/or (2) is in opposition to general principles of life expressed in Gods Word. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Betty Dunn hopes her articles help you hold hands with God, a theme in her self-published memoirMedusa. And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Opponents may challenge vaccination requirements based on claims of religious liberty or under specific laws that would allow for a religious exemption from any COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Jesus could have healed a blind man by His word, but He used mud mixed with His saliva for this purpose, and had the man also go and wash his eyes in order to receive his sight (John 9:1, 6, 7). You should do the same. Are you still hesitant to get the vaccine? As the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against COVID-19 become available, it is critically important that Catholics and others have an accurate understanding of how these . Perhaps the journey through bad health is a gift for all of us. Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. We have found nothing biblical that would stop people from being vaccinated. Then the Lord said to Moses, Accept these from them, that they may be used in the service of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service. Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. God, then sent prophet Isaiah to give the king the medicine. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 100 Bible Verses about Vaccinations 1 Corinthians 6:19-20ESV / 1,155 helpful votes HelpfulNot Helpful Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. Ellen G. White, Selected Messages (Washington, D.C.: Review & Herald, 1958), 2:346. After studying Job, I read the book of the weeping prophet Jeremiah, who stated, Heal me and I shall be healed(Jeremiah 17:4). No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? Some vaccines are made using cell lines from animals and fetal tissue. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. 6. Vaccination should then be applied according to our best knowledge and health conditions. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. What the world's religions teach, applied to vaccines and immune globulins. For thus the Lord said to me: I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks, and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away. Geocoding K Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Clarence Haynes Jr. suggests that based on Paul's advice about "disputable matters" in Romans 14:1-4, Christians should remember the following in disputes about vaccines: "The most important thing to remember is that the ones making this vaccination decision are not your servants, they are Gods. Government and medical entities recommend vaccinations to slow its course. 127:1 ESV). Ive learned to care for my body, my temple of God, by babying myself with good health habits, such as following a lifestyle full of fresh vegetables and fruit, regular sleep, and exercise. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. Our spiritual health is closely connected to our physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. So, health advice for the common good should hardly be construed as antagonistic to God. 4 The city of Pergamum, too, had long been a hotbed for imperial worship. We know this from our friends and loved ones personal experiences with modern medicine in addition to published research reports. There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. The angry conflict between people over vaccinations is most likely more disheartening to God than concerns over the vaccines themselves. Medical science and faith work closely together and must be applied hand in hand. Thus, becoming vaccinated is an act of kindness, because vaccinations are helping to protect others from serious sickness, hospitalization, and death. And the king said to her, What is it, Queen Esther? Scientists are hard at work on developing an effective vaccine against the virus. The context of a verse might put a very different slant on what the verse seems to say. Their evil . When the Bible is placed in the hands of the people, void of any kind of authoritative religious community to guide them in their proper understanding of the text, the people can make it say anything they want it to say. 4. W I Getting the vaccine is something to pray about, to discern Gods will for your life and our collective life on this planet. the kingdom of God has come near to you(Luke 10:9). While this fear of Catholics was mostly rhetorical in nature, there were a few moments of violence. Vaccine-induced immunity is acquired through the introduction of a killed or weakened form of the disease organism through vaccination. But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.. These activities point to vaccination when there is a need for it and it is available. The passage reads: "Then he said unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: Abd great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and. We could create a much longer list of such good practices not verbally addressed in the Holy Scriptures. We can thank God for the wisdom He gives for research and invention. The Bible is filled with scriptures. Some Christians have adversity to vaccines, because the original vaccines made relied on use of cells from aborted fetuses. Last updated September 1, 2021. Paul plainly states, Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? Saying, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.. Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Pub. First observation: in Romans 3:8, some of Paul's adversaries accused him of "do [ing] evil that good may come." Paul responded to this, that it was a slanderous charge. Pro-mask or anti-mask? Two Catholic organizations issued statements in July urging against imposing a coronavirus vaccine mandate without conscience, religious or medical exemptions. Moses grew and was educated as a noble among Egyptians (1022). 1. The shield of his mighty men is red; his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. JiMoskala is dean of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary and professor of Old Testament Exegesis and Theology at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?