Romans 14 and Religious exemptions.
I was going to write a short blog post, but I thought I would do a summary thread of how Romans 14 points to a Christians ability to abstain from the Covid shot.
Christ is the Lord of your conscience so you better make sure what you call...
I was going to write a short blog post, but I thought I would do a summary thread of how Romans 14 points to a Christians ability to abstain from the Covid shot.
Christ is the Lord of your conscience so you better make sure what you call...
2/...conscience is actually the Lord causing you to abstain or partake in something and not your sinful heart directing you.
In Romans 14 you have some factions forming based on meat sacrificed to idols. Back then when animals were slaughtered and taken to market...
In Romans 14 you have some factions forming based on meat sacrificed to idols. Back then when animals were slaughtered and taken to market...
3/...they were sacrificed to pagan deities. They would then take the meat that was sacrificed and sell it in the market.
The mature believers in the church had no problem eating the meat because they knew that these pagan deities were not real. They gave thanks...
The mature believers in the church had no problem eating the meat because they knew that these pagan deities were not real. They gave thanks...
4/...to God for the meat, so it did not bother their conscience. The Lord informed their conscience that it was okay to eat.
On the other hand you had newer believers who came out of these cults that worshipped these pagan deities.
On the other hand you had newer believers who came out of these cults that worshipped these pagan deities.
5/ These newer believers cringed at the meat sacrificed to these deities because it reminded them of the past evils they committed in worship of these pagan gods. When they saw these mature believers eating this meat they became enraged.
6/ These newer believers knew these gods were not real, but they believed that by eating the meat you were worshipping these false gods. It was what they once did before they were redeemed. They instead chose to eat vegetables because that was how God informed their conscience.
7/ Was either in sin by eating meat sacrificed to idols or by abstaining and eating only vegetables?
No.
Neither was in sin. Where Scripture is silent regarding liberties or gray areas not covered by God's moral law it is our conscience that guides us.
No.
Neither was in sin. Where Scripture is silent regarding liberties or gray areas not covered by God's moral law it is our conscience that guides us.
8/ Now imagine the harsh judgment that each faction passed on the other. "I am right, you are wrong!" Each faction was binding consciences to how God informed them in this liberty/gray area. When you do that, it is sin.
God alone is the Lord over the believer's conscience.
God alone is the Lord over the believer's conscience.
9/ To disobey your conscience is sin because you are rejecting the will of God in your life.
This is why Paul tells us not to put stumbling blocks in the ways of other believers. He says to not let what is good be spoken of as evil. It would be better to abstain.
This is why Paul tells us not to put stumbling blocks in the ways of other believers. He says to not let what is good be spoken of as evil. It would be better to abstain.
10/ Think about alcohol. The stronger believer who has a glass of wine knows it is good and that drunkeness is wrong. But what happens when a newer believer who was an alcoholic or came from an alcoholic home and was abused sees you drinking it. Should you refrain?
11/ Yes, you should refrain. They are reminded of all the suffering it brought into their life and caused them, so drinking in front of a former alcoholic would tempt them into sin. If you love your brother in Christ you will not put a stumbling block before them.
12/ This is why we never flaunt our liberties.
God has informed some of you to get a shot and some of you to not get the the shot. To disobey Him is sin. He has his reasons, many of which we are unaware of, which are for our good.
God has informed some of you to get a shot and some of you to not get the the shot. To disobey Him is sin. He has his reasons, many of which we are unaware of, which are for our good.
13/ It is not a sin to get the shot, nor is it a sin to not get the shot. People on either side doing this are binding people's consciences. You are acting just like the Roman Christians before Paul's rebuke.
Let me also reiterate that getting the shot will not bring a person...
Let me also reiterate that getting the shot will not bring a person...
14/...to salvation in Christ, so let's stop talking about it like it effects our witness to unbelievers. Unbelievers like when you agree w/ them. It justifies them, so that is not a bonus, nor will it open the door to their salvation. God often opens the door through disagreement
15/ Each believer must seek out and trust how the Lord is leading their conscience is these gray areas/liberties. For them to choose the shot is not sin. For them to abstain from the shot also is not sin.
However, if you violate what God has impressed upon your conscience...
However, if you violate what God has impressed upon your conscience...
16/...then it is sin. If you are going to use Romans 14 or 1 Corinthians 8 this is the only way you can abstain because not every shot is made with aborted fetal cells.
I hope that this will give you a guide for writing an exemption if you so choose.
I hope that this will give you a guide for writing an exemption if you so choose.
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