Those staffers whose names were redacted are also covered by the vaccine mandate. Controversy continued in New England, and also back in London. Hast thou not givn thy word, During this time of global pandemic with COVID-19, this Psalm speaks of God's presence, power, and protection against fear. We can easily select and interpret Bible verses that agree with our individual mindsets regarding vaccines. But not with just a verse or two from the psalms, or even just one psalmbut with psalms. Besides, at the best, inoculation would only secure me from one of the innumerable natural evils the flesh is heir to; I should still be as liable as I am at present to a putrid fever, a bilious colic, an inflammation in the bowels, or in the brain, and a thousand formidable diseases which are hovering round me, and only wait his permission to cut me off in a few days or hours: and therefore I am determined, by his grace, to resign myself to his disposal. "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5 We hope these verses encourage you and provide comfort, regardless of where you're at today. The Prophet wrote about our human temple of God with the words of Psalm 139:14: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." One particular moment that is worth noting during a subsequent smallpox outbreak is the death of Jonathan Edwards. Our royal home lies in this future world. This verse has been a mantra for me since I was diagnosed with a severe health problem in middle age, pre-COVID. But our citizenship is in heaven. Getting the vaccine is something to pray about, to discern Gods will for your life and our collective life on this planet. However, getting through the initial grief and changes in my life and moving on to a place of greater faith and understanding was not an easy journey. Accessed August 1, 2021. "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7 Therefore, Jesus said in Mark 16:18 that we believers would lay hands on the sick and they would recover. That law mandates employers give their employees reasonable accommodation for their faiths. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no man shall be compelled to frequent orsupport any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced,restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer onaccount of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and byargument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in nowise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. California, which abolished nonmedical exemptions for childhood vaccination in 2015, has led the way on covid vaccine mandates. People have to prove that the mandate somehow targets their religion in order to be exempt from the requirement. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ben Purves is a pastor at Occoquan Bible Church in Woodbridge, VA. Ben joined OBCs staff in 2008. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. Think about Gods sacrifice, giving His only Son so that those who put their faith in Him would not spend an eternity separated from God. Matthew 18:1-4, and Matthew 19:13-15 are just a few verses that illustrate the aforementioned children as blessings from God that are valued and loved by him, You can join the F.A.M. It's the claim that "only 6%" of death certificates show COVID-19 as the sole cause of death because "only 6%" don't also list comorbidities too, such as . It does not address them as those came out late 2020 and really started being pushed in 2021. The same year that Cotton Mather began inoculations in Boston, his father Increase Mather published a pamphlet entitledSeveral Reasons Proving that Inoculating or Transplanting the Small Pox is a Lawful Practice, and that it has been Blessed by GOD for the Saving of Many a Life.2In this work the elder Mather sought to discredit the death of an inoculation patient, and argued that inoculation was a way of keeping the sixth commandment. Does it Matter That I Didn't Keep My Goals for Lent? "If he or she thus comes to the sure conviction in conscience that they should not receive it, we believe this is a sincere religious belief, as they are bound before God to follow their. Compiled by The BibleStudyTools Staff Pandemic-related scripture about God removing sickness received 90 times more queries than average when the lockdowns started. Fear became the top search in the first few months of the pandemic, justice was popular in the spring and healing continued to trend throughout the year. This goes against our religious belief and religious teaching, the letter states without elaborating. Everything is lawful, but not everything builds others up. He added that the city has not broken down the data between religious and medical requests. . the kingdom of God has come near to you(Luke 10:9). In an article published last week on theLAB, COVID-19 and The Mark of the Beast, I claimed that the mark of the beast (666) is most likely not a physical or visible mark (Rev. This book hit the press (copyright 2020) too early to address COVID vaccines; so if you are wondering whether or not this includes anything related to COVID, COVID-19, Coronavirus vaccines Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson the answer is no. Reprints. Religious exemptions are carved out under the federal Civil Rights Act signed into law in 1964. Job has a whole new perspective on misfortune in his life. Immediately after Jesus sacrifice on the cross, the curtain in Solomons temple in Jerusalem tore in two, signifying that we were no longer separated from Gods holiness by our sins. The Number of Rent-Stabilized Apartments Registered in Ridgewood Plummeted. Is it a matter of preference or a matter of conscience? My prescription is to read Dr. Watts, Psa. My faith became stronger due to praying and searching for an answer to this popular question. Their Meaning and Significance During Apocalypse. The City of Chicago, for example, requires this affirmation in the form it uses to request a religious exemption from a COVID-19 vaccination for employment with the city: "I have met with and provided religious or spiritual counsel to the . Fair enough. The final passage worth noting as a top search is Romans 8:28, which says, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. God assures us that He is working for good in our lives. In all its splendor, Solomons temple in Jerusalem housed the Spirit of God. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. However, it is not easy to understand Gods Word. . He will carry it out and complete it. With that in mind, let us look three centuries backward to review how the church responded to the smallpox inoculation controversy of 1721. Im very troubled by religious exemptions, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis. [3] Elizabeth A. Fenn. The idea of a religious exemption as a concept has a long and complicated history in the U.S., but it has rarely, and possibly never, come up against something as massive and urgent as the. And if you will mind your praying and preaching, and believe that the Lord can take care of her without any of your contrivances, I shall not blame you. According to The New York Times, millions of white evangelical adults in the United States don't intend to be vaccinated against COVID-19.This poses many challenges to battling the virus, including the prevention of herd immunity. The Protestant Reformation put the Bible in the hands of ordinary people. If I am to have the small-pox, I believe he is the best judge of the season and manner in which I shall be visited, so as may be most for his glory and my own good; and therefore I choose to wait his appointment, and not to rush upon even the possibility of danger without a call. Staffers do not need to belong to a specific religious group but must prove they have sincerely held religious beliefs that go against the vaccine mandate. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, If you have elderly friends or familyDo not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. 1 Timothy 5:1, If youre heartsick over racial injusticeWhoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. It is Christlike to stick to your own prayer-guided convictions. When the epidemic began, the population of Boston was about 11,000, and many fled with their families to escape the disease. As a smallpox epidemic arrived in Boston in the 1720s, whether or not to receive inoculation became the controversy of the hour. Coopers letter makes the case for allowing inoculation as a legitimate means to avoid suffering and preserve life. For some, this will mean choosing to getting vaccinated, and for others, it will mean declining the vaccine altogether. After receiving a frightening medical diagnosis several years ago, I searched my soul and the Bible to find an answer to my overriding question: Why did this happen to me? In fact, the purpose of the Tribulation itself is to bring pressure for men to surrender to Jesus and find salvation." As these questions come to the forefront, it is important that we consider how the church has applied Scripture to navigate similar issues in the past. John Price / Unsplash. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Edwards daughter Esther, who was also inoculated, died shortly after her father. How strange is it, that when we think we can do thegreater, we should be so awkward and unskillful when we aim at theless! 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. Those who mandate vaccines give little room for liberty of conscience. 359 N. 4th Street, San Jose, California 95112 | 1-800-SAL-ARMY | Privacy Policy | The Salvation Army Western Territory. I am not seeking to support or oppose the COVID vaccine. Religious exemptions are not obligated. student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY) where he is working on a research thesis examining the Protestant plague ethic from the 1500-1700s. If the very hairs of my head are numbered, I have no reason to fear that, supposing I receive the smallpox in a natural way, I shall have a single pimple more than he sees expedient; and why should I wish to have one less? When it comes to the church, instead of the legalism of binding others consciences beyond the teachings of Scripture, we would do well to consider the wisdom of Newtons letter. Multiple pastors preached against it, such as William Douglass who condemned those who received inoculation as being guilty of a sinful distrust of God, though he would change his mind in later years. Bible verses about the "mark of the beast," which Maldonado pointed to in his Sunday sermon, warn Christians about a future where the Antichrist takes over the world economy and prevents people who don't have that mark from buying or selling food. "My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Indeed, I had a name for it: the 6% gambit. First, quick development of the COVID-19 vaccine does not mean it is unsafe. In reading multiple sermons and letters from this period, opposing sides of the inoculation debate would manipulate Scripture to advocate for their position, sometimes with both sides using the sixth commandment to argue their case. I have worked on my health with the great help of a medical community. Luke 21:11 - And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. As you make the decision to receive or decline medical treatment, it is responsible for one to review whatever medical information is available, and to make an informed decision. Two major problems with granting religious exemptions to vaccine mandates are that they are very hard to police, and that they are routinely gamed. (1 Peter 5:7) 7. YouVersion, responsible for one of the most popular Bible Apps, reported an 80 percent increase in search during the pandemic, totaling 600 million worldwide. Other federal defense agencies have rarely granted religious exemptions for other vaccines. Regardless of these differences, decisions should be grounded in faith, and with trust in the Lord for whatever the outcome may be. We should continue "speaking to one another with psalms" (Ephesians 5:19). Does the Pandemic Still Affect Church Attendance? Battery Energy Storage Systems Will Make the City Greener and Theyre a Lot Safer Than E-Bike Batteries, Motorists Say E-ZPass Routinely Racks Up Unfair Fees for Unpaid Tolls. We might have lopped the illness off at its knees if every part of society locked down for two weeks at the beginning of 2020. There is still much to creation we cant control in the present time. "Religious exemptions provide an all-too-easy way for people who don't want to get vaccinated for some reason or other to wiggle out of a vaccine mandate and do so on the basis of what they claim to be a deeply held religious belief, which is largely unpoliced," Feldman told Insider. In the latest U.S. Supreme Court action on the matter, Justice Stephen Breyer rejected a filing by eight hospital staffers in Massachusetts seeking to block a vaccine mandate. These preachers built followers around innovative readings of the Scriptures. Meanwhile, a Nov. 28 ruling by a federal appellate court will allow 15 Department of Education employees whose religious exemption requests were denied to reapply. 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. Ill inoculate you with this; and a pox to you.3 Pope Francis, the Holy See and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops say all the COVID-19 vaccines are morally acceptable. The work of Gods brains aptly describes modern medicine. A letter from a priest, written on behalf of a worker seeking an exemption from the vaccine mandate. (Mark 7:14-15). Protestant denominations formed around such interpretations. 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. The church has determined 'Covid' to be a fake plague no more dangerous than the flu and that the measures being used for the first time in history to 'combat it' are Satanically-inspired and contravene New Testament scripture - by design. The Counter Decree: Esthers Connection to the Gospel Series. Substantial Rehabilitations Could Help Explain Why. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. Life is Gods precious gift to us, not to be squandered. As years passed, I honored my body by slowing down my activities and retiring early from work. As Michael Bird would say, "sweet mother of Melchisedec!" But, this woman isn't you. Religious authority must never be ceded to the state or to employers to determine whether or not ones convictions are legitimate. If that is not an option, seek counsel with your church as you weigh the decision of receiving the vaccine versus remaining at your place of employment. As Jesus said in Luke 12:31, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you. I wish we had all more faith to trust him with our bodies, our health, our provision, and our temporal comforts likewise. But the president's mandate goes even further. 31 Bible Verses and Scriptures for Hope during COVID-19. The Apologetic Value of the Christian Story, will refuse AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, while choosing Pfizer or Moderna, or rejecting them altogether. 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. In 2021, the multiplication of COVID vaccine mandates makes it clear that liberty of conscience is quickly fading from public consciousness. No major religion has come out in opposition to the COVID-19 vaccines. In our COVID-19 debates, we can get so wrapped up in opinions that we forget to ask, "what does the Bible say about vaccines?" Here are the top six searched Bible verses during the COVID-19 pandemic. We welcome you to join us in our work to equip and encourage local churches. We must keep in mind that God is making a covenant with a particular nation in the Old Testament. There are blessings in isolation and in spending more time with immediate family. ", (Excerpted from "Should Christians Get Vaccinated?" So Jesus is our coronavirus vaccine and mask. No matter where you find yourself today, we hope one of these verses reaches you in your exact situation and season. While this fear of Catholics was mostly rhetorical in nature, there were a few moments of violence. 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