The herbs and even the medicines we take are all instruments from God to make us feel better. We need to work diligently under Gods guidance and blessing: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 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. " Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6 Where Does the Bible Talk About Our Bodies? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. G These activities point to vaccination when there is a need for it and it is available. The spread of COVID-19 and the mass rollout of . They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. In 1 Corinthians 10:22-27,Paul writes, Everything is lawful, but not everything is beneficial. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Johnson &. And the tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. While this fear of Catholics was mostly rhetorical in nature, there were a few moments of violence. The ability to work for a living and play for recreation is diminished. 3 It is interesting to note that this was true of Ephesus (just like the letter to the Ephesians). Prayerfully consider the following principles: 1. He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Prayers for knowledge are not enough to bring success. Some people argue getting injected with a foreign substance such as a vaccine would defile their bodies, which they say is sinful. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Ps. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. In Exodus 15:26 God promised that no disease (or plague) He sent upon Egypt would fall on the Israelites if they followed His commands. Having done all that we possibly can, we are to keep asking in faith for health and strength. God gives us no encouragement that He will do for us what we can do for ourselves.. The apocalyptic biblical term comes from Revelation 13: 16-18. 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. If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. Hindu Texts S-2 Table 1B. However, it is not easy to understand Gods Word. 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. Various conspiracy theories terribly misapply biblical texts to create fear and dependency on false teachers. Biblical prophets do not speak against vaccinations. 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. 2. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. His Holy Spirit resides in us as redeemed Christians. Christians and the general public are divided on the need for vaccines to prevent illness, particularly regarding the vaccine for COVID-19. 30 Verses to Reflect on in the Book of Hebrews. These preachers built followers around innovative readings of the Scriptures. 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. Here are 10 Bible Verses about Fear and Anxiety to help combat feelings of helplessness and worry amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 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. And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.. Christian New Testament (1) Passages cited to support immunization S-7 . 5. Reading and praying on the verses below may expand your understanding of God's intentions regarding our bodily health and the role of vaccines. She then quotes 2 Corinthians 7 out of context and assumes a vaccine will "contaminate" her. Jesus went around healing lepers and touched them without fear of getting leprosy, he said. Of David. Theoriginal versionof this commentary was posted by theHealth Ministries Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Sayings of the Buddha S-4 Table 1C. . Topics and verses are auto-generated from user searches. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 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. 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. Please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk. And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. Various religious doctrines direct people to take care of their bodies. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. Back to the Third Commandment. How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? and it offers biblical supporting evidence against vaccinations. Their experience of continuous restoration to Gods image is seen in their character and lifestyle. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 103:3; Luke 4:40; 6:18; 7:21). We have found nothing biblical that would stop people from being vaccinated. Whatever the purported. The word vaccination does not occur in the Bible, as is the case with many other important health terms like vitamins, transfusion, high blood pressure, kidney transplant, injection, pills, and so on. Diligent study is also necessary. The house that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. God, then sent prophet Isaiah to give the king the medicine. When a trumpet is blown, hear! Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. L We should employ every facility for the restoration of health, taking every advantage possible, working in harmony with natural laws. . 7:15; 28:60; Ps. ", (Excerpted from "Should Christians Get Vaccinated?" Several examples come to mind from the biblical material. I honor my body in these ways. Religious freedom is a core value in the United States. All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. 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. C Their evil . When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. Applying this thinking to vaccination, we can see that this product, a result of capacities God has given to humans to think and be creative, is a life-saving product. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. One can argue that it may be recommended or even required when health or life is to be preserved. 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. 3. 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. The Prophet wrote about our human temple of God with the words of Psalm 139:14: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 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. Isaiah 54:17 says no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper. Repent, sinner! And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. When large numbers of Irish and German immigrants arrived on American shores in the middle decades of the 19th century, evangelicals drew on longstanding anti-Catholic prejudices. 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. But our citizenship is in heaven. Vaccine-induced immunity is acquired through the introduction of a killed or weakened form of the disease organism through vaccination. Romans 10:13 - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. 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. Job has a whole new perspective on misfortune in his life. Lets take for example the sickness of King Hezekiah. Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?". The book of Revelation 18:23 says "The light of a lamp shall. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 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. "Forty-five states. People with . Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? There is no good medical reason to vaccinate children against COVID. The Bible also has something to say about a government mandating vaccines for everyone. [Over 110,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Prayers and support pour out as search and rescue operations are underway. That list would include the command, Be vaccinated or Dont be vaccinated, so we need godly thinking to guide us as to whether to be vaccinated or not. "This goes against our religious belief and religious teaching," the letter states without elaborating. The Holy Scriptures present important health principles that are to be (a) the bases of such reflections, (b) beneficial components, and (c) elements we can implement in everyday routines of life. They blame the misinterpretations of this Bible passage on social media and people . Paul emphatically states that whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor. All of these verses have been lifted out of context and repurposed to buttress the anti-vaccine movement. The Bible celebrates the role of government exercising care for society. Catholics may morally use vaccines, but they are also free to refuse them for reasons of conscience or prudence. 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. A blessed, Christ-like life now and joy in a future world describes the kingdom of God. The Israelites left Egypt accompanied by a tabernacle, which served as Gods temple in the Promised Land, as did the Ark of the Covenant when the Israelites marched into battle with neighboring tribes. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. Reading and praying on the verses below may expand your understanding of Gods intentions regarding our bodily health and the role of vaccines. Protestant denominations formed around such interpretations. . The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. This knowledge has been placed within our reach for use. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. 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. 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, The shield of his mighty men is red; his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. 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,. Moses grew and was educated as a noble among Egyptians (1022). Multiple studies throughout the world have shown the vaccine greatly reduces the likelihood of contracting COVID as well as the risks of hospitalization from serious ailments and death.. One evangelical Christian staffer's religious exemption request cites the use of aborted fetal . Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Everything is lawful, but not everything builds others up. A devout evangelical Christian friend of mine recently texted to explain why he was not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Z. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! T 5 . They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Romans 14:23 New International Reader's Version (1998) (NIrV) Q But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 8. Being vaccinated will give glory to God by helping us and others to have a safer life. Considering that Ellen White chose to be vaccinated both for herself and for the benefit of the community, it seems we have been given a good course to follow ourselves. Assn., 1871), 2:377. We find purpose in activities that benefit others. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. 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. 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. Beyond individual health, staying safe and keeping family and community safe are sound Christian motivations. While the Bible may not use the word "vaccine," it gives clear principles about medicine and handling disputes with other Christians. To avoid being sick is a biblical mandate (John 10:10; 1 Cor 6:20; 3 John 2). The Bible foretells that the advent of the reign of the devil will be marked by humans being given numbers without. 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. Two Catholic organizations issued statements in July urging against imposing a coronavirus vaccine mandate without conscience, religious or medical exemptions. 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. 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 . Chaos is part of creation, but God didnt bring chaos. . Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. I stay close to God through prayer and reflection. And he was preaching the word to them. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.