Blog, A For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have plundered them and ruined their branches. Prevention is always more important than actual healing. Paul emphatically states that whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor. There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. During Jesus ministry on earth, someone in the crowd asked him for advice on eating meat offered to pagan idols. 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. In other words, he distanced himself from that kind of ethical stance. White was herself vaccinated, and encouraged others to do so for at least two reasons: (1) personal health benefits enable us to efficiently serve others; and (2) vaccination prevents transmission of disease and contamination to others. Q 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? God answered Job with a lengthy speech on His creation. The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all. Our view and understanding of people going through a similar situation are forever changed. So, I kept cross-country skiing, kayaking, and hiking with difficulty. Use the up or down arrow next to each verses to vote for this topic. The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. Scientists are hard at work on developing an effective vaccine against the virus. Meanwhile, we all await the ultimate kingdom of God, where there is no sickness or dyingand we all get along. What Is the Significance of Not the Letter but of the Spirit? Indeed, the importance of vaccinations from the biblical-theological perspective can be demonstrated from multiple angles. As years passed, I honored my body by slowing down my activities and retiring early from work. 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. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 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. Continuing our service to God: Receiving safe and effective vaccination allows us to honor God by keeping our earthly temple (our body) as healthy as possible, and our financial situation as . In matters that are unspecified by God's Word, the Christian is to consider the teachings of Scripture, and remember that all things must proceed from faith and be done for the glory of God. 1 6 Some of us have children who have suffered vaccine reactions. 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. Getting the vaccine is something to pray about, to discern Gods will for your life and our collective life on this planet. 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. B You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. the kingdom of God has come near to you(Luke 10:9). The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 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. Into your hand they are delivered. I consider all of my doctors advice and watch the occasional podcast on health. 7. 10:31 NIV). It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. W Jeremiah was lamenting the behavior of Israelites captive in Babylon, who succumbed to worshipping false gods. Grabenstein JD. Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Government and medical entities recommend vaccinations to slow its course. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 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. 34:4, 16). For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? It's a symbolic way of John saying are you a believer or not?" And I think we should too. What have I been able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger against him subsided when he said this. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Some protesters reacted with violence in Michigan and Washington, D.C. A clean spirit encourages and supports other people with love. Some people argue getting injected with a foreign substance such as a vaccine would defile their bodies, which they say is sinful. The New York Times. All such were included in the general statement of freedom to eat from any tree in the garden. However, the specific prohibition had to be stated explicitly. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. I have worked on my health with the great help of a medical community. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. Ellen G. White affirms such an approach. And we can thank Him and His human agents for the good they do in preserving and restoring life (Dan. However, the Scriptures teaches that there are natural remedies to various illnesses. Your moral beliefs probably predict yourstance. If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Y Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? Other popular passages include Psalm 30:2: "Lord, I called to you for help, and you healed me."; 1 Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?"; and. The Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission compares such use to using organs from a person who was. December 02, 2021 9:34 AM Vaccine Debates Are Responsible for 2021's Fastest-Growing Bible Search Term: Sorcery December 03, 2020 6:00 AM 2020's Most-Read Bible Verse: 'Do Not Fear' For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. 12:4). If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does this have to do with me? Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. . We can thank God for the wisdom He gives for research and invention. Mindful of the Church's moral teaching, he encourages Catholics to receive a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine for the sake of oneself, our loved ones, and the common good. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. God corralled the chaos into creation. God is the only Healer, the true Physician, who can heal all our diseases (Deut. By the time Protestants started forming settlements in North America, there were distinctly Anglican, Presbyterian, Anabaptist, Lutheran and Quaker reading of the Bible. 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. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. According to the Apostle John in the New International Version Bible, a pair of beasts will rule the Earth with cruelty. 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. But he answered them, You see all these, do you not? 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. Medical science and faith work closely together and must be applied hand in hand. Amid this flux of ideas, what hasnt changed is the Bibles advice regarding the care of our bodies. Ellen G. White, Counsels on Health (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1923), 142. Today this American approach to reading and the interpreting the Bible is front and center in the arguments made by evangelical Christians seeking religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccination mandates. While declaring the splendors of creation, God asked rhetorically, Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?(Job 38:4). When a trumpet is blown, hear! This verse has been a mantra for me since I was diagnosed with a severe health problem in middle age, pre-COVID. Fair enough. "There is no basis for a priest to issue a religious exemption to the vaccine . Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? 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? He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. Perhaps you keep up with news about the COVID pandemic, shifting daily. He was rebellious at times. We deeply appreciate each day God gives us after a severe illness. Vaccines save lives by stopping the spread of disease, but waiting too long has often made it too late. 38:21). 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). Vaccines are 100%, completely against our religion. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. Also he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. 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, 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. Their evil . Z. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. God is the only Healer, the true Physician, who can heal all our diseases (Deut. 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. A former high school English teacher and editor, she works on writing projects from her home in West Michigan, where she enjoys woods, water, pets, and family. Various conspiracy theories terribly misapply biblical texts to create fear and dependency on false teachers. Biblical prophets do not speak against vaccinations. Paul preached to the rowdy citizens of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 6:12, I have the right to do anything, you saybut not everything is beneficial. Isaiah 53:4 and Matthew 8:17 say Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. Whether you agree with their decision or not God will accept them regardless of how they choose. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. And the king said to her, What is it, Queen Esther? 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 . The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. When I studied the beautifully written book of Job, I heard Gods answer to Jobs misery over losses in health, property, and family. Perhaps the journey through bad health is a gift for all of us. For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. A Reflection for the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Times. The Bible does not instruct us as to whether or not one should receive a vaccine, but it is clear when it comes to the doctrine of the liberty of conscience. 1.First to use PEG (polyethylene glycol) in an injection. The shield of his mighty men is red; his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 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. So Jesus is our coronavirus vaccine and mask . The evidence of science is transparently clear: vaccines save lives. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for 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. 16). This story does not mean it is the medicine alone that is important. When I ask those evangelicals who oppose vaccines how they come to their conclusions, they all seem to cite the same sources: Fox News, or a host of fringe media personalities whom they watch on cable television or Facebook. The apocalyptic biblical term comes from Revelation 13: 16-18. 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. 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. Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. Ellen White wisely advises: God's miracles do not always bear the outward semblance of miracles. And he was preaching the word to them. 6. But Peter and the apostles answered, We must obey God rather than men. Our royal home lies in this future world. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. Life is Gods precious gift to us, not to be squandered. Sign up today.]. 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. 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. Chapter XV - Happiness, verse 204. Vaccination has nothing to do with the mark of the beast or with false Babylonian teaching. If there was ever a great opportunity for cherry-pickingusing Gods Word in a way that supports your ideas or lifethis is it. Vaccines prevent complications of health deterioration. 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. 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. Ellen White wrote nothing about vaccination, but her life and practice provide good support for and confirmation of this articles reflections. 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. (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.). Nothing new to your ears, right? Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1905), 231, 232. This makes policing religious exemptions to vaccination hard - and rightly so. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Equipped with any or all of these arguments, Catholics can rest assured that they are making the strongest case possible for a religious exemption from a vaccine mandate. 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. Therefore honor God with your bodies.1 Corinthians 6:19-20, It is an honor to have a body that is the temple of the Holy Spirit.