Should Christians Be Opposed To Vaccinations?

Many believers have taken the position that they will not get the COVID-19 vaccine because they believe God will deliver them from this pandemic. I deeply admire that kind of faith. Jeremiah perhaps said it best in Jeremiah 17:7: Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. God wants our faith and trust to be in Him no doubt. With that recognition, please allow me to share my thoughts and faith on this topic.

God Almighty has always used men and women, regardless of their imperfection to accomplish His will. Remember the story of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishaal and Azariah in the book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar called these men Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. While there are good faith lessons from the lives of these men, notice that God blessed these individuals with knowledge, wisdom and understanding as we see in Daniel 1:17: As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Ultimately, this led to King Nebuchadnezzar glorifying God in Daniel 4:37: Now Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

 

Similarly, in Exodus 35:30-35 we see that God filled workers with skill, intelligence, knowledge and craftsmanship to accomplish his will in building His tabernacle. Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft and he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple, and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver, by any sort of workman or skilled designer.

We know that God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure in 1 Kings 4:29-34: “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. We could see many more examples in the Bible. God uses people to accomplish His will and sometimes He gives them the knowledge, wisdom and skill they need.

Additionally, let us recognise that one of the most remarkable systems in the human body is our immune system, placed there by God himself to help defend us from disease. While mankind has tried for thousands of years to understand how to fight disease, those insights seem to come a little at a time and with each new understanding, we gain a deeper appreciation and awe of the incredible complexity and sophistication of our immune system. Only our God could design us in such a marvellous way! David expressed it well in Psalm 139:14: I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

In March 2020, researchers were telling us that a vaccine was probably three years away. Yet the COVID-19 vaccine was developed in months, based on research that had been going on for years. The developers of the vaccines had hoped for effectiveness in the range of 70 percent, yet the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were both well over 90 percent effective. Given that, is it so difficult to believe that God has provided insight to researchers to give them understanding and wisdom regarding our immune system, so that they could develop a means to end this pandemic? Should we not be filled with praise that his method of bringing the pandemic to an end brings glory to Him for the wonder of the immune system he created in us? Think about Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria. His story is told in 2 Kings 5:1-14. He had leprosy and he went to Elisha for healing. Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman to tell him to dip seven times in the Jordan River to be healed. Naaman was angry that Elisha sent only a messenger. He was angry that he was told to dip in the Jordan River when there were much nicer rivers back in Syria. Why should he submit to dipping in that filthy river and pollute himself?

Perhaps you do not like the people or the organisations that are asking you to get the vaccine. You may be waiting for something special, as did Naaman. Or maybe you don’t like the vaccine, because, like Naaman, you find the solution objectionable. Healing was waiting for Naaman, but he had to do something to receive the healing. The Bible is filled with examples of people of faith being required to do something. Hebrews 11, that well-known chapter on faith, chronicles those who acted. Abel offered, Enoch pleased God, Noah constructed, Abraham went, and on and on.

So here is my perspective: My faith tells me that God has heard our prayers. My faith tells me that God has shared insights with men and women who have created a solution for the pandemic. It was developed in record time and is far more effective than expected. I see God’s hand in all of this. I cannot pray to God, “Please end this pandemic,” and then limit how he should answer that prayer. I cannot ask God for his intervention and then say, “Just so long as I don’t have to get a vaccine.” There is a part for me to complete. My faith leads me to action. My faith in God leads me to get the vaccine. “Our faith and obedience to Jesus in discipleship involves dying to ourselves and taking up the cross to follow him. We are Commanded to love God and love our neighbours as ourselves. 

Loving other people can involve many things, but at minimum it involves seeking their good. The general principle of the common good comes down to benevolence, love, care for others and laying down personal priorities for the service of others. Christians thinking about vaccinations must weigh this key biblical principle in their decision-making process. My hope and prayer are that God watches over you and that your faith moves you to action. As Paul told our fellow Christians in Philippians 2:3-4, that you “in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. “Through faith in God, and in love and humility toward those around us, let’s work together to end this pandemic 

The question is why is vaccination Important? SARS-CoV-2 is spread from person to person primarily by respiratory droplets exhaled by an infected person. These droplets vary in size from large droplets that fall out of the air within six feet of the infected person to aerosols that can remain in the air over time and greater distances. These aerosols are associated with singing, shouting, and breathing heavily during exercise and can increase viral transmission in poorly ventilated, enclosed spaces. A vaccine reduces the likelihood of a person getting a disease. For example, if a vaccine has 95% efficacy results, then people who are vaccinated are 20 times less likely to get COVID-19 compared to people who are not vaccinated.

Furthermore, healthy people who are vaccinated reduce the likelihood of people unable to be vaccinated, getting COVID-19 through herd immunity, or community immunity. Herd immunity occurs when enough people are immune to a disease through vaccination that the disease does not spread effectively in the population. Researchers estimate that herd immunity to COVID-19 will require 75–80% of the population to be vaccinated. Thus, people who choose to take the COVID-19 vaccine not only protect themselves, but they also help the community stay healthy. Such a choice is a practical way to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Misinformation and conspiracy theories fill social media, making people cautious. Yet all vaccines in the world are required to go through a rigorous process of testing and approval. 

Consider some recent statistics from the UK. In a study tracking more than 200,000 people, nearly every single participant had developed antibodies against the virus within two weeks of their second dose and despite initial worries that the current vaccines may be less effective against the Delta variant, analysis suggest that both the AstraZeneca and the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs reduce hospitalisation rates by 92-96%. As many health practitioners have repeated, the risks of severe side effects from a vaccine are tiny in comparison to the risk of the disease itself. Yet, a sizeable number of people are still reluctant to get the shots. According to a recent report by the International Monetary Fund, that ranges from around 10-20% of people in the UK to around 50% in Japan and 60% in France. As of August, only 1,416,623 Nigerians among 200 million, representing 0.9 per cent of the country’s population, have been fully vaccinated against the deadly virus. Experts and WHO says a nation must vaccinate 70 per cent of its population to achieve herd immunity.

It is a fact that some people will not be able to take the vaccine at all due to other serious health conditions. When you get the vaccine, you help build up the “community immunity” that protects others. If large numbers of people are vaccinated, COVID won’t be able to spread to the most vulnerable among us. Many Christians are concerned about the possible use of fetal cells in vaccines. The good news is that no vaccines contain human cells! Moreover, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not use human cells, even in the production process. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine does use a human cell line in production; this is an immortal cell line that came from a foetus aborted in 1985 (the abortion was not performed for this purpose). Yet, the cells used today are descended many generations from the original foetus and were never part of an actual human body. While the association with abortion gives many Christians pause, there is substantial agreement among Christian theologians and liberalists that the connection to foetal cell lines should not make these vaccines off-limits for Christians.

The disease is riskier than the vaccine

No vaccine is 100% risk-free, just as no medical procedure is risk free. Christians need to weigh the risks on both sides. COVID-19 is a serious disease, much worse than the flu. By now, many of us know or have heard of people who have had it. Some people have mild cases, but others have serious symptoms, hospitalisation, and long-term complications. The risks of the vaccine are less than the risks of the disease. Let’s keep praying for those who have been hit hardest by the pandemic. Let’s keep caring for our neighbours through this crisis.

Many Christians are known as most wise in discerning science, most courageous in fighting for justice, and most compassionate in caring for the sick. We should be the ones most willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others, following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Vaccination is a concrete way you can care for your family, your church, and your community.

Olufemi Aduwo