Vaccines?

Disputable Matters
As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we are called to share in a common faith and be like minded.  To this end God has revealed Himself in a firm and final standard of truth called the Bible. But even though we are to be like minded and accept the same ultimate authority there are issues on which well meaning and thoughtful Christians will disagree.  These are not issues that define the gospel or heresy.  These are called disputable matters that various Christians will view differently (Romans 14). These things should not divide us from one another, but rather, should serve to show that we genuinely love one another even when we disagree (1 Corinthians 6:12-20).  I believe that one’s view of vaccines and vaccine mandates falls into this category.  Many Christians view the vaccines and other health related restrictions over the last couple of years as demonstrations of our love for neighbor and submission to authority (Romans 13:1-7).  What follows is an example of an argument for resistance to mandates that I hope is not inconsistent with our call to obey the governing authorities.

Conscience

The Christian faith is at the most fundamental level the confession that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9)!  Since this is the case, committed Christians are first and foremost subjects of Christ’s kingdom and obliged to follow His commands.  His commands include repentance from sin, love for God and neighbor, as well as a practical pursuit of biblical faithfulness, holiness, and righteousness.  
Therefore, Christians are called and counseled by scripture to seek to obey governing authorities because they serve under the providential permission of the one true sovereign God (Romans 13:1-7).  Jesus is heralded as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).  This means that all governments, presidents, legislative bodies, and courts are under His authority.  However, when the governing authorities command Christians to do what is not allowed by the law of Christ (i.e. participate in sins like abortion or theft) or restrict Christians from doing the righteous things positively instructed by the law of Christ (i.e. not preaching the gospel or gathering as the church) then genuine believers are under obligation to obey God not any human authority (Acts 4:18-20).
Different Christians can come to varying opinions about the positive or negative nature of the vaccines.  Many Christian are concerned about the long term effects of a rapidly produced vaccine that of necessity cannot have any long term study or data.  Even more Christians are opposed to the use of a vaccine that has been developed or tested using abortion derived fetal cell lines.  An even larger segment of the Christian population may be concerned about the overreach of authority.  Within God’s good design for human flourishing, He has established realms or jurisdictions of authority.  These begin with the self, and work out through the family, church, and civil authorities.  Government mandates regarding an individual's health choices are examples of the governing authorities going outside their divinely allowed jurisdiction into the jurisdiction of the family and the individual.

Conviction

Christians are ultimately called to live before the Lord Jesus Christ in faith. This means that believers must seek to maintain a good conscience.  The Bible is clear that anything not done in faith is sin (Romans 14:23).  This means that anything that a Christian cannot do with faith and a clear conscience is sin and must be rejected regardless of imposing threats or consequences.  This should constitute a conscientious objection and therefore a religious exemption, because the faithful Christian cannot act contrary to their sincene convictions derived from the word of God.

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