Christian Liberty and Vaccinations
If you are seeking help from The Chapel regarding the issue of vaccinations, then please work through the content below. After working through the content, you will have the option to reach out to a staff member to further discuss your needs.
The issue of vaccinations is just the latest issue causing division in the local church. The content below is designed to help followers of Jesus Christ take a hard look at their beliefs, their conscience, and their attitude towards those with whom they disagree on this issue.
The stance of The Chapel is that Scripture does not explicitly speak to every issue. As a consequence, there are many important issues that require a follower of Jesus Christ to discern and apply the wisdom of God to have an informed conscience and to act in faith. A further consequence is that we should expect to find ourselves in disagreement with others, even other disciples of Jesus, on important issues. We believe that such disagreement is an opportunity for discipleship.
The hope is that the below resource will better enable you to disagree in a Christ-like way with others and to better understand your conscience as it regards vaccinations.
When working through the below content, do the following:
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Read the question directly above the video.
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Watch the video.
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Where it says ‘consider’, read and seek to understand what’s written.
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Where it says ‘ask yourself’, prayerfully and sincerely reflect on the question(s) asked.
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Only move on to the next video when you have completed the steps for the prior video.
Does The Chapel have a formal position on vaccines?
Consider: The Chapel as an organization only takes a formal stance on issues that are explicitly taught in Scripture. This approach allows the wisdom of Scripture to unite us in issues pertaining to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who died so that those who have faith in Him could have salvation and eternal life now, as citizens of God’s Kingdom. Our unity in Scripture makes a space where true and good disciples can disagree about issues — even important moral issues — not explicitly taught about in Scripture.
Take at least 10 minutes to reflect on the following question in silence.
Ask yourself: Have I settled in my heart that a person can be a true and good disciple and yet disagree with me about vaccinations?
Consider: If we disagree with others, it’s important to clearly understand why.
Take another few minutes to take some notes based on the following question.
Ask yourself: What are the moral considerations specific to my circumstances that are relevant to vaccinations, which might cause me to disagree with another follower of Christ on the issue?
What is Christian liberty?
Consider: Christian liberty allows us to disagree with one another in a way that promotes discipleship.
Ask yourself: Am I able to have conversations about vaccinations that are Biblically informed, that show Godly discernment, and that show Spirit given virtue with those whom I disagree? If not, then what is getting in the way?
Consider: Christian liberty does not relieve us of a responsibility to learn from one another.
Bring to mind someone with whom you disagree on vaccinations, then take at least a few minutes to reflect on the following question.
Ask yourself: Do I understand the best argument for that person’s position and do I understand why I disagree with that argument? (Bear in mind that a person may or may not be aware of the best argument for his or her position. Be this as it may, the best argument is still the one you should be considering.)
How does Scripture inform our decision-making?
Consider: God alone is the master of a true and good disciple.
Take a few minutes and reflect on the following three questions.
Ask yourself:
What master do I serve? How is this informing my conscience?
What master do I serve? How is this affecting my ability to preserve unity with other followers of Christ?
What master do I serve? How is this promoting fellowship and peace in the Body of Christ, especially with those whom I disagree?
Consider: Our conscience should be based in faith, and we should acknowledge that God shows his faithfulness in a variety of ways.
Take a few minutes and reflect on the following question.
Ask yourself: Is my conscience regarding vaccinations consistent with my conscience regarding other issues that are important to me?
What about Employer Mandates for vaccinations?
Take several minutes and work through the following questions.
Ask yourself:
If I am already vaccinated, how do I show love and grace to my brother or sister who is not and may feel conscience-bound to refrain from being vaccinated?
If I am not vaccinated at present, could I receive the vaccine in faith and with a conscience that does not condemn me?
If I am not vaccinated and feel conscience-bound to remain that way, will my employer grant me an exemption based on my faith conviction?
If I am not vaccinated and feel conscience-bound to remain that way, and my employer will not grant me an exemption based on my faith conviction, am I willing to find another job that doesn’t violate that conviction?
If after prayerfully and sincerely working through the above content you would like us to reach out to you, then please use the connect button below.