11 July 2022

Aunt Sevvy: Does Romans 13:1-7 apply to Covid vaccines?

11 July 2022 |

Dear Aunt Sevvy,

The Scriptures say we are to be obedient to the laws of the land because it’s God who put them in charge (Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17). So why did some Christians object to being vaccinated, since what the government asked does not contradict our faith or belief in God?

Signed, Grateful Citizen

Dear Citizen

Clearly the apostles didn’t mean that we should bend to every law, or they themselves wouldn’t have gone to prison for preaching the gospel. But when laws keep the peace and protect the safety of the citizenry without compromising our faith, we should not only follow the laws but honor those who enforce them.

However, let’s be clear: these passages about governmental authorities don’t apply to the example you gave, because in most countries vaccines haven’t been mandated by law to the general population. Jesus gave an even more basic principle to us Christians: “I have come that they might have life.” Beyond any doubt many people lost their lives because they believed cleverly devised fables about science, disease, and religious freedom, delivered to them by Christians.

Aunty believes the government, at least here in the United States, proved more honest and helpful than the preachers. The government provided solid public health research about Covid, and free vaccinations. People who got the vaccines were more protected than those who weren’t, by every metric.

Predicted catastrophic effects from the vaccines never materialized. Yet a lot of people got attention and money by spinning preposterous theories about Covid and vaccines. One Adventist congregation in Michigan became the U.S. headquarters for nonsense science, and buried member after member after discouraging them from being vaccinated. Another well-known Adventist independent mission organization sent its president out to spread right-wing political theories about vaccines in Adventist pulpits throughout the United States.

Aunty will let God judge those who, more proud of advancing their own conspiratorial fears than wanting to save lives, left thousands dead and families grieving.

Aunt Sevvy

You can write to Aunt Sevvy at DearAuntSevvy@gmail.com. Please keep questions or comments short. What you send us at this address won’t necessarily be, but could be, published—without identification of the writer. Aunt Sevvy writes her own column, and her opinions are not necessarily those of Adventist Today’s editors.