Vaccine hesitancy, the Golden Rule, and Christ’s new command

North Idaho - red, conservative, white, Christian, and vaccine resistant.

So how does this work? Shouldn’t Christians care about how their behavior affects others – especially hospital workers, especially the old and especially the immunocompromised? Well it depends. It depends if you are a “Golden Rule” Christian or “New Command” Christian.

Vaccine resistance is totally consistent with the Golden Rule. “Love one another as you love yourself” holds self-love as the highest standard, good, bad or whatever. So if I’m not going to protect myself by getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, why would I do those things to protect my neighbor? Loving myself doesn’t involve these things so loving my neighbor wouldn’t either.

But Christ’s “New Command,” “Love one another as I have loved you,” is an entirely another story. Christ’s love, not self-love, is the standard. Would Christ get vaccinated to protect His neighbor? Would He wear a mask? He paid the temple tax so as not offend, Matthew 17:27. He washed His disciples’ feet, John 13:4-12. He took the sins of the world on his shoulders at Calvary to make a way to God, 1 John 2:1-3. He emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant, being born in the likeness of men, Philippians 2:7.

What do you think? What would Christ have done? More importantly, what should Christian morality be based upon - Golden Rule or Christ’s New Command?

The answer is Christ’s New Command.

JIM GOOD

Sagle