Out of love for their neighbor, are Christians obligated to get the vaccine? The question comes on the heels of a recent men’s Bible study where we were discussing the relationship between the Church and the State. There will be more on this specific question in a moment, but first we need to dig a little deeper.
I’m assuming most of us think we know what love is since we’re acquainted with the various love clichés like “love is love” and “love is all we need,” and we’ve learned to speak all the different love “languages” (e.g., physical touch, gifts, service, words of affirmation, etc.). The challenge with this type of thinking is illustrated by the actions of Judas (yes, that Judas). Judas had agreed to lead the authorities to Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:15). He had come up with a plan to identify Jesus to the authorities, presumably so that they would be arresting the right guy. Mark says this in his gospel, “Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘the one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.’ And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ And he kissed him” (Mark 14:44-45). Respect, honor, friendship, and affection were all present in the exchange and yet, they were offered for the purpose of betrayal, a betrayal he was being paid handsomely for.
The example of Judas demonstrates what we all know to be true about love, but maybe not what we all want to acknowledge about love: motivation matters. If I bring my wife flowers home from work with the hopes that I can manipulate her into getting something I want then that is not loving. Paul acknowledges the driving source of love in this respect with these words, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Tim. 1:5). Paul is not satisfied with a shallow or surfacey love. His goal is a robust love that flows from the right motivations. What matters is not circumcision or uncircumcision, but “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6).
Returning to the question of the vaccine, we have to acknowledge our sneaky motivations and self-justifying ways. In my secular job, employees were incentivized to get the vaccine with paid-time off, up to three days per shot if they didn’t feel well afterwards. Other places of employment paid bonuses to employees to get the jab. States ran lotteries to entice people to get vaccinated and some places even offered “joints” for those who got the “jab.” I’m sure some of these people who fell prey to these tactics are the very same people who now insist that getting the vaccine is the loving thing to do. I don’t think we should cave to their hypocrisy and coercive pressure.
On the other hand, I know of a handful of individuals who got vaccinated so they could visit their vulnerable and elderly parents or so they could keep their jobs and continue to provide for their families or for their own jeopardized health condition. They made decisions we would probably make if we were in their same circumstances. But I don’t think they should insist that since they were vaccinated out of love for others then we have the responsibility to do the same.
There is an additional way to look at this situation and that is through the lens of those who see their refusal to get vaccinated as an act of love. As Americans, we are a free people, and as Christians, we are doubly free, free from bondage to sin, the devil, and death. Those who stand against political and/or medical coercion are demonstrating love toward their neighbor regardless of whether or not that is portrayed as love in the media. It is a loving thing to stand against tyranny of all sorts, perhaps the most loving thing to do of all. Without the freedom to make these decisions for ourselves, then we wouldn’t even be able to have this conversation.
More can and needs to be said about all this, but it is in freedom that we are called to serve one another through love (Gal. 5:13). Our freedom cannot be used to bind someone else to our particular interpretation of this situation. Thus, the service we offer may look different as our love stems from different motivations, even those that flow from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. (See a recent sermon on this topic in the miscellaneous tab).