Scientists, medical doctors, and governments around the world agreed that the vaccine against Covid-19 will help end the pandemic. But does getting the Covid vaccine mean that we do not believe in God? Will we be subjected to eternal damnation because we got protected against the pandemic? Or is getting the Covid vaccine an act of faith? Read more.

• Related: Stages of Dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic

Believing in God

First of all, I just want to announce here that my husband and I grew up in Christian homes. We believe in the Bible and in salvation through Jesus Christ.

However, I acknowledge that I am a sinful person and I know that I am nothing without the righteousness of Christ. I am not a pastor’s wife, a church leader, nor a member of any small group. But I read my bible and pray.

One Sunday in September, as I was pondering about the devastating effects of the pandemic and the vaccine, I came across these thoughts.

Believing that the Covid Vaccine Can Help Us

The Covid vaccine is not the first vaccine that we have. Many have already been developed throughout the decades to combat infections like measles, polio, hepatitis, among others.

Meanwhile, the Covid vaccine became available after only about a year because the situation became a worldwide pandemic. Different countries have been working tirelessly in order to put an end to the deaths and normalize Covid. Moreover, the technology for the vaccine isn’t new. It’s already there so the process became a shortcut.

As Christians, we believe in the power of God and in prayer as our way of communicating to the Almighty. Our entire family had been pleading every night for an end to this pandemic. Aside from the worrisome health situation, our mental health is also affected because of uncertainties and loss of financial freedom and personal liberties.

• Related: Radical Adaptability: The Mindset We Should Cultivate in Life

Below are the reasons why I think we need to believe that vaccines are good for us and can help us in the fight against Covid-19. If you are a bible scholar, I will not argue with you. These thoughts came to me during my quiet time.

1. Ask and it shall be given to you.

I think that we are not the only ones praying for an end to this pandemic. We could be from different churches and denominations, but I believe that when it comes to the pandemic, we want it to end. Soon.

With that, we fervently prayed for a solution and the vaccines came before the cure. For me, it is God’s answer to save us from the misery that the virus brings–whether sickness, hospitalization, or death.

• Read: Covid-19 Vaccine Aftercare: Get an Astra Zeneca Shot in the Philippines

When people are in lack, our natural response is to pray for provision. If God uses a person to give us something to eat, do we turn it down because we expect something else?

2. Where our innate defense systems stop and supplements are needed.

God has blessed us with a natural defense system called our immune system. I totally agree with that. And whatever we lack in our diet, we take food supplements in order to be in tiptop shape. When we get cold, we wear warm clothes and when it rains, we duck under a roof or take out our umbrellas. The military or the police wear bullet-proof vests when there’s a raid or encounter to avoid getting killed by a bullet. They might get hit but not die because the vest protects their vital organs. Meanwhile, we also take medicines when we feel sick.

What am I saying here? Vaccines have been developed because modern medicine has proven that we have a higher survival rate with preventive measures when a plague or pandemic happens.

3. Believing in the Covid vaccine does not mean losing faith in God.

Much like money, a Covid vaccine is just a tool to prevent infection and to normalize living with the virus. In itself, it is not evil. We do not worship the vaccine nor the developers or the government that paid for them.

4. The Covid vaccine does not serve us alone.

The difference with taking medication is that it only serves or benefits the patient. On the other hand, the vaccine serves humanity. If most of the adult world is vaccinated, the SARS-CoV will be like another common cold virus. This is called herd immunity.  

Getting the Covid vaccine is like a little sacrifice that we personally make for the greater good.

The Great Loss of Leaders in Churches

So many good Christians who are members of local churches have already died ever since the pandemic started. I was really saddened to learn that they were not vaccinated.

The stories and tributes given to them were so heart-rending, knowing the different works they did in the name of the Lord. They have lived their lives well for the glory of God that it is such a loss to lose previously strong people to the complications of the virus.

Okay, the families or even their pastors may argue that their deaths fall under God’s will and that they are already in heaven. Praise the Lord for their citizenship in heaven!

But is it really God’s will that they die at this time because of the complications brought by Covid despite the availability of vaccines? What if they were vaccinated against Covid-19? Would they have a fighting chance?

The numbers speak for themselves. Monitoring the active Covid cases since September, most of the Covid deaths in Bacolod hospitals are from the unvaccinated set. I am not sure what proof people need that vaccines actually work in protecting us.

If pastors and church leaders continue to encourage their brethren not to get inoculated and they died, aren’t they massively reducing the number of believers and church leaders? What will happen to the work of the Lord then?

Again, there’s the issue that God will raise up replacements. But is it really God’s will that they all die at the same period? Is it also God’s will that they should refuse sound science and instead believe in conspiracy theories? And is it against God’s will to save humanity through the vaccine?

The Mark of the Beast

In the forum organized by the Greenhills Christian Fellowship, four Christian doctors came together in order to discuss the common questions regarding faith and vaccines. One of the speakears was Pastor Larry Pabiona, who is a medical doctor (neurosurgery) by profession before he became a pastor.

He discussed how the Covid is not the Mark of the Beast, as many Christian think, because of the following*:

1. It will be initiated at the reight of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:1-8)
2. Anyone who refuses to take the mark will be executed (Revelation 13:15)
3. It will be required for anyone to buy or sell (Revelation 13:17)
4. Conscious worship of the Antichrist is required to receive it (Revelation 14:9, 15:2, 19:20, 20:4)
5. Those who take it face the wrath of God. (Revelation 14:9-10)

*Copied from Ptr. Larry’s presentation.

Conclusion

There is no contradiction in our faith in God and in getting the Covid vaccine. In fact, I believe it is accepting the grace and favor of God in this difficult time.

If you still question that, I look towards the direction of Israel–the highly favored and chosen people of God. Most of them are vaccinated and are well on their way in inoculating their teenage population. Cases are very low and if ever they

Safety Protocols

Even with the Covid vaccine available, we still need to protect ourselves because the Philippines hasn’t achieved herd immunity yet. Bacolod City alone has only inoculated half of its target population as of this writing. So please still wear your face masks properly when going out and talking to other people. Avoid super-spreader events like parties and choose to stay at home over unecessary outings.

Stay safe, everyone!