He lived among the tombs. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. If anyone destroys Gods temple, God will destroy that person; for Gods temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. 6:19, 20, NIV; cf. Ellen White wrote nothing about vaccination, but her life and practice provide good support for and confirmation of this articles reflections. Whether you agree with their decision or not God will accept them regardless of how they choose. Ellen White wisely advises: God's miracles do not always bear the outward semblance of miracles. And the king said to her, What is it, Queen Esther? However, the Scriptures teaches that there are natural remedies to various illnesses. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God. In the Bible there are no Mothers Against Drunk Driving groups, anti-smoking campaigns, instructions on gym classes or breathing fresh air, drinking 68 glasses of water every day, washing your hands before each meal, brushing your teeth, and so on. Does the Bible Mention What to Give Up for Lent? Neither God nor we always need a thus says the Lord to know what to do or not to do, because He can show, and we can see, the benefits or disadvantages of many of our decisions and actions. 5:10). heal the sick . 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. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. Why a 19th-century Russian anarchist is relevant to the mask and vaccinedebate. 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. Activities like conducting Sabbath School or participating in potlucks on Sabbath; celebrating the Lords Supper every quarter; building schools and hospitals, organizing the church structure with conferences, unions, and so on. D They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. Evidence-based science is beneficial in this decision process, allowing us to choose the best available options in given life situations. Reading and praying on the verses below may expand your understanding of God's intentions regarding our bodily health and the role of vaccines. 2.Firstto use mRNA vaccine technology against an infectious agent. . Scientific modeling projections say we may contain the spread of COVID more effectively if everyone is vaccinated. 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. 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). Ellen G. White, Selected Messages (Washington, D.C.: Review & Herald, 1958), 2:346. And, his angels shall protect you. But if you need some extra convincing, check out these incredibly powerful . W When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 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. 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. Together they lead us to God by teaching us something of the wise and beneficent laws through which He works.. Social media allows these evangelical conspiracy theorists to become influential through their anti-vaccine rants. But Peter and the apostles answered, We must obey God rather than men. And he was preaching the word to them. Johnson &. E Vaccines are 100%, completely against our religion. Government and medical entities recommend vaccinations to slow its course. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.. There is some portion of the population who will not receive the vaccine for religious reasons. Often they are brought about in a way which looks like the natural course of events. We ask to be kept from the pestilence that walketh in darkness, that is stalking with such power through the world; we are then to cooperate with God, observing the laws of health and life. R This verse has been a mantra for me since I was diagnosed with a severe health problem in middle age, pre-COVID. If the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a body that has been contaminated by chemicals or debilitated by injury (let alone in a body injected with a safe and effective vaccine), then countless people who have fallen victim to natural or manmade disasters would be bereft of the presence of God. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. How do we deal with the dilemma of choosing how to use medical intervention to care for our bodies? A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. The work of Gods brains aptly describes modern medicine. Scientists are hard at work on developing an effective vaccine against the virus. I care for the work of Gods hands(Isaiah 64:8) as a steward to my small part of creation. Like they did in the 19th century, evangelicals who refuse to get vaccinated today tend to follow the spiritual leaders who have built followings by baptizing political or cultural propaganda in a sea of Bible verses. So while the pope has explicitly called on the faithful to be vaccinated as an "act of love," and while the Archdioceses of New York, Honolulu, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles and the. Creativity and ingenuity are Gods gifts. Everything is lawful, but not everything builds others up. 6. TopicalBible Passages from the Bible including Exodus 21:22-25; Psalm 51:5-6, 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:4-5; and Luke 1:39-45 affirm the personhood of the unborn. Our inflexible stands and outrage over whether to vaccinate or not break hearts, and pits people against each other and government health agencies. Prayers and support pour out as search and rescue operations are underway. In a Kaiser Family Foundation poll published last month, 28% of White adults who identify as Evangelical Christians said they definitely will not get a vaccine, 6% said they will only get. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. There are still unknowns in the long-term research on vaccinations effects, but the benefits far surpass its known and potential problems. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? Being healthy is not primarily about vaccination, but about establishing and developing a balanced lifestyle, resulting in being in good mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual condition to serve God and others in need in the most efficient way for as long as possible. Sayings of the Buddha S-4 Table 1C. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Here are several reasons why: The seal of God, on the other hand, is heavens confirmation of the believers experience of true rest in Jesus Christ; such rest, in its fulness, involves living and keeping the biblical Sabbath as a sign of God as our Creator and Redeemer, expressing faithfulness to the comprehensive range of biblical doctrines centered in the Triune God. "This mark of the beast is not a mark, a literal mark that we take in a gradual unfolding of God's plan until the end of the earth. The chariots race madly through the streets; they rush to and fro through the squares; they gleam like torches; they dart like lightning. . So glorify God in your body. ", (Excerpted from "Should Christians Get Vaccinated?" By: JiMoskala, for General Conference Health Ministries Department. And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. . The English Calvinists who settled the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay built entire colonies around their reading of the Bible, making New England one of the most literate societies in the world. Vaccines violate our ability to follow the teachings of the Bible. In the incredible wonder, beauty, and complexity of creation, there is chaos. Protestant denominations formed around such interpretations. Many pro-life Catholics face a dilemma of conscience over the use of vaccines whose viral agents are grown on a culture of fetal cells derived from abortions. If our bodies are not our own, and we are accountable to God for how we care for them, and if God will require an account of our love toward our neighbor,then caring for our own health as well as for that of our neighbor is a must. 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. (Could this be a metaphor for doctor-prescribed drugs today?). The ability to work for a living and play for recreation is diminished. Catholics, for the most part, have shown their commitment to life on this issue. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. 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. Note: Always check the context of a verse; Click the "Read Full Chapter" button next to each verse to read more. and it offers biblical supporting evidence against vaccinations. Betty Dunn hopes her articles help you hold hands with God, a theme in her self-published memoirMedusa. The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. However, whatever we do should spring from biblical principles. I pray more regularly and study more scripture after my health scare. If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. In a nationwide Associated Press survey, 40% of white born-again or evangelical Christians said they weren't likely to get vaccinated, compared with the 25% of all Americans. Indeed, the importance of vaccinations from the biblical-theological perspective can be demonstrated from multiple angles. Information on statistics, affected populations, government interventions, health system exhaustion, and concerned citizen protests have become part of our media landscape and conversations for the past two years. Romans 14:23 The Lexham English Bible (LEB) 23 But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin. Hindu Texts S-2 Table 1B. These activities point to vaccination when there is a need for it and it is available. Yet there are many people claiming religious exceptions to COVID-19 vaccination mandates: Two weeks after Biden announced an employer vaccine mandate, The New York Times reported that the. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Romans 10:13 - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And he said, Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. It can be verbal. I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. Rightly understood, science and the written word agree, and each sheds light on the other. Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. BIBLE prophecy speaks of a time before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ when people will be branded with the ominous 'Mark of the Beast'. This story that St. Luke tells in his gospel (17:11-19) is not the only Bible verse I have seen and heard evangelical Christians use to justify anti-vaccine convictions. We have more compassion and willingness to listen to other sick people. 4.First to have public health officials telling those receiving the vaccination to expect an adverse reaction. 1. And he answered them, Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? I have the right to do anythingbut I will not be mastered by anything. Prayer makes the distinction between right and wrong for you and your health situation much clearer. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Romans 14:23 New International Reader's Version (1998) (NIrV) Ellen G. White affirms such an approach. Into your hand they are delivered. (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.) In a case that could have implications for the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, an employee has filed a complaint against the UVA Health System for refusing to exempt him from getting a flu shot . 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. Discovering that ordinary is the best we can be. We need divine wisdom to know how to be best informed and make mature decisions. You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Perhaps you keep up with news about the COVID pandemic, shifting daily. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? Use the up or down arrow next to each verses to vote for this topic. In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the Lord. In some instances, plaintiffs have cited specific Bible verses to support their opposition to the vaccine, such as I Corinthians 6:19, Psalm 139:13 and Isaiah 49:1. Such misinformation is connected to confusion about the mRNA basis of vaccinations against the coronavirus and SARS. While this fear of Catholics was mostly rhetorical in nature, there were a few moments of violence. Various religious doctrines direct people to take care of their bodies. Here are 10 Bible Verses about Fear and Anxiety to help combat feelings of helplessness and worry amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. He was already near to his death, when he asked the Lord to remember his obedience and prolong his life. Isaiah 53:4 and Matthew 8:17 say Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle and had anointed and consecrated it with all its furnishings and had anointed and consecrated the altar with all its utensils, the chiefs of Israel, heads of their fathers' houses, who were the chiefs of the tribes, who were over those who were listed, approached and brought their offerings before the Lord, six wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the chiefs, and for each one an ox. In the trenches of the COVID pandemic today, fear of contracting COVID has placed many people in an isolated, depressed state. However, as I like to say, it is now April 2021, not April 2020, and we have lots of data, both from the phase 3 clinical trials of the currently authorized vaccines and from 190 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in the US alone that demonstrate this does not happen at a rate detectable by the same vaccine safety monitoring system . The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. It was written by: John Fea, Messiah College. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Perhaps the journey through bad health is a gift for all of us. During this period, the United States also grew more democratic. Prayerfully consider the following principles: 1. Ah, land of whirring wings that is beyond the rivers of Cush, which sends ambassadors by the sea, in vessels of papyrus on the waters! And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. Some have children with In a poll of its members, the . We have found nothing biblical that would stop people from being vaccinated. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 1. 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. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. There is still much to creation we cant control in the present time. "Taking the vaccine involves registering oneself and being given a number. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 Mark 7:1-8, 1415, 21-23 One day, walking home from university along Eighth . It is before his own master that he stands or falls. 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. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Ps. Therefore honor God with your bodies (1 Cor. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? Jesus, in this statement, taught his followers that a pure heart does not condemn other peoples choices about whatever is ingested (including medicine) into their bodies. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. Some vaccines are made using cell lines from animals and fetal tissue. You are not your own. Publisher: OpenBible.info. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. Man the ramparts; watch the road; dress for battle; collect all your strength. He was rebellious at times. For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. A devout evangelical Christian friend of mine recently texted to explain why he was not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. All rights reserved. 5. For example, in 1844, nativist Protestants, responding to rumors that Catholics were trying to remove the Bible from Philadelphia public schools, destroyed two of the citys Catholic churches before the Pennsylvania militia stopped the violence. (Mark 7:14-15). And who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 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.. 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. Vaccines preserve health and stop the spread of disease, and It is no denial of faith to use rational remedies judiciously.. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing. What the world's religions teach, applied to vaccines and immune globulins. The evidence of science is transparently clear: vaccines save lives. On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Biblical teaching can help to counter mis- and dis-information on health issues, even though it is not a medical textbook on health. December 20, 2020. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. So, health advice for the common good should hardly be construed as antagonistic to God. It comforts me in my journey with an incurable illness. To avoid being sick is a biblical mandate (John 10:10; 1 Cor 6:20; 3 John 2). While declaring the splendors of creation, God asked rhetorically, Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?(Job 38:4). The angry conflict between people over vaccinations is most likely more disheartening to God than concerns over the vaccines themselves. For the life of a creature is in the blood, Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine, If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself,. Lets take for example the sickness of King Hezekiah. The general rule is plain: what is in harmony with biblical health principles and does not contradict them is permissible. These preachers built followers around innovative readings of the Scriptures. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. "There is no basis for a priest to issue a religious exemption to the vaccine . Most vaccines are developed by actually giving a protein or giving a small, tiny component of the germ that we're trying to vaccinate against. The Catholic Church concluded, in a 2005 statement, that those who. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. On the other hand, Jesus did not always follow his cultures Jewish law. Vaccination should then be applied according to our best knowledge and health conditions. Some Christians believe if they get the vaccine, they will be marked for hell, but some pastors are trying to stop those rumors. Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die. So Elijah went. They often followed the interpretations of charismatic leaders such as Joseph Smith (Latter Day Saints), Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell (Restorationist), William Miller (Adventists) and Lorenzo Dow (Methodists). For he is God's servant for your good. 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. And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant. 1. Prevention is always more important than actual healing. OpenBible.info K by Clarence Haynes Jr.). Humans also need to apply common sense to lifes problems. There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. For example, some Christian Scientists may decline to receive the vaccine. . Chaos is part of creation, but God didnt bring chaos. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. 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. He is the Source and Giver of life for His children; He gives abundant life (John 11:25; 14:6). Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.