Next week we will have our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service and I hope that you are planning on attending. We will take every precaution to keep you safe including pre-packaged communion bread and juice along with social distancing. Masks will be encouraged and our deacons will guide the seating as they have been doing on Sundays. This has always been a beautiful and meaningful service and we are determined not to let the virus rob us of this opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
Speaking of the virus, I want to address the vaccines…or rather the acceptance of the vaccines. The vaccine has been described as everything from a Communist plot to implement socialism to the “mark of the beast”. Can a Christian take the vaccine? Should a Christian take it? The first thing I would say is don’t panic. A knee-jerk reaction can, and will, keep us from being truly informed. Remain calm and do some serious study about the pros and cons; think clearly.
Will these vaccines be the fulfillment of the prophecy of the mark of the beast? Well, of course that is possible. But remember that this is not the first time the populous of our nation has been encouraged, even ordered, to take a vaccine. I can well remember lining up at school to receive my polio vaccine and I still have the circular scar of my smallpox vaccination. Our children have a record of necessary “shots” they must have before beginning school. What makes us more skeptical about this vaccine is the fact that we are skeptical about the virus, itself. Many feel it has been over-hyped and possibly used in order to force us to be vaccinated, therefore we are suspicious about motives. I suppose that is human nature.
Honestly, I am more concerned with two things. First, I have read that there is the possibility that fetal tissue from abortions were used in one or more of the vaccines. For me, that’s a big ol’ no. There has to be options for Christians who choose to be vaccinated. Next, of course, is the absence of long term studies. Doctors say it is safe but let’s face it…no one knows the long term effects.
So, you may ask, what are you going to do Bro. Tony? I’m going to practice caution and patience. I’ll wait to pass judgement on the mark of the beast until I see how the failure to take the vaccine will impact my ability to “buy and sell” as described in Revelation. I’ll check into the fetal tissue situation, and I will not jump to the front of the line for the vaccine until I have some semblance of assurance that it won’t affect my health in some other way.