Vaccinations

Last month, the Lord graciously turned the hearts of Senators in the New Jersey legislature, and they did not pass a bill which would have removed religious exemption for vaccinations and mandate compulsory immunizations for all school-age children. May we humbly acknowledge the Lord for His divine favor in this matter. The following article appeared in De Saambinder of June 15, 1978, and it is republished to perhaps provide some guidance for parents and school personnel who are increasingly faced with difficult choices and who also have their conscientious objections trampled upon. (The Editors)

There are some subjects regarding which the people of God have different opinions. This was the case in the church at Rome, as can be seen in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, from which the above text has been taken. There were differences of opinion with regard to the eating of certain foods which were forbidden by the Jewish ceremonial law and also with regard to the observance of particular feast days.

The apostle had to deal with these subjects, but he gives no opinion. Rather, he leaves this subject to the individual’s conscience. In these things, we must not judge, let alone condemn, one another.

Let us read this portion of Scripture: “For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.” And verse 5: “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”

This portion of Scripture is also very instructive with respect to the subject of vaccinations. This subject continually demands our attention, and it draws special attention when cases of polio arise here and there. An enormous campaign is then mounted to persuade those who have not had their children vaccinated to do so. This is often coupled with a smear campaign mounted by the press and the other communications’ media. The crudeness with which people dare to treat those who have scruples about inoculations is often unimaginable. One “manufacturer” of wheelchairs came to a school principal in an affected area and told him that he wished to do “business” with him. Such macabre jokes are illustrative of the atmosphere in which our people must live.

Those who have never had objections to abortion (an evil which has become an assembly line process) now appear to be the strongest defenders of threatened lives. It is very difficult to come to a reasonable conclusion about the attitude one must adopt with regard to vaccination in such an atmosphere of hatred.

As a result of the upbringing we receive in our circles, there is often strong opposition to vaccination, and rightly so, in my opinion. We often speak or write as if we could take our lives into our own hands, but God’s people have always resisted an outlook in which there is no room for God and his dealings. There is also evidence that the smallpox vaccinations (as well as the swine flu vaccinations in the U.S.) can have undesirable side effects.

Whether or not to be vaccinated is a matter for personal decision, but this decision is not always easy. We must not forget this. Many do not understand what is involved in vaccinations. In some cases, serum is injected which gives resistance or immunity to some disease. This serum is usually obtained from animal sources. In other cases, weakened or killed viruses are injected into a healthy person with the purpose of allowing the body to develop its own resistance to these viruses. There are, therefore, variation in types of vaccinations, and this makes a difference.

We cannot deny that some sicknesses, which have been scourges on the human race, no longer appear in epidemic proportions. These are indisputable facts.

However, many people still have no freedom to be vaccinated. On the other hand, there are those who have had their initial reservations removed. Is this not a matter regarding which every man must “be fully persuaded in his own mind?” I think so. My perspective on this very painful matter arises from my personal experience. We know from experience what it is to have polio in one’s family, and what cares and troubles can fill the heart when one thinks on one’s children. We may not be careless, but neither may we forget the Lord.

We know that the Lord can give rest and submission in the knowledge that our lives are in His hands. It is better to fall into His hands than into the hands of men. This can be a refuge in times of great need, for the Lord has protected us. Certainly, these are not the worst times, but this does not mean that more strife will not follow.

Some years ago, a serious case of polio arose in one of our churches in Rotterdam, producing tremendous worry and anxiety in that congregation. It broke our hearts to think of the afflicted girl, who rapidly changed from a healthy child to a helpless one. We could understand the heartrending doubt of her parents very well. Have we done the right thing? Have we withheld the necessary means from our child? Should we not think about our children, who we love so dearly, who we wish to protect from such troubles?

In our Scripture reading we came to Ezra 8. The beginning of the chapter is mostly names, but then we came to verses 21-23. “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.” The Lord instructed us with this passage. In the past we too had spoken of the hand of our God, which is upon us for good, and now we were ashamed to request a band of soldiers and horsemen, namely vaccination. The following Sunday I preached about this text, and the congregation was instructed by it. Our way was then clear.

Yet, we read with interest that Nehemiah requested horsemen from the king for his journey. Read Nehemiah 2:7: “Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;” and verse 9b, “Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.”

Would Nehemiah be able to accuse Ezra of carelessness? And would Ezra be able to accuse Nehemiah of not seeking God’s help? I do not think so. What Nehemiah could do, Ezra could not; Ezra’s exercise of faith was not Nehemiah’s portion. This is also what Paul writes in Romans 14. Thus, there will be those who, with Ezra, have spoken about God’s goodness, and who, therefore, cannot and dare not be vaccinated, even in times of need. Yet, there will also be those who, with Nehemiah, request “captains of the army and horsemen” from the king. We should leave this for each other’s conscience and not judge or condemn one another in this matter. I read in a church paper, “We leave this to the people. We do not censure in these matters.” This means that we can never bind your conscience with “thus saith the Lord.” We do not say this with regard to stealing, murder, or adultery, because God’s demands are clearly recorded in His Word on these matters, but vaccination is like eating certain foods or observing feast days, regarding which Paul wrote to the Romans. This is what we call a derived principle.

We must never forget what the Lord says through his servant Paul: “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and He that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks” (Romans 14:6).

It is of foremost importance that we do not just do things. This applies both to being vaccinated and to not being vaccinated. We should seek the Lord’s guidance in making our personal decision.

In this personal matter, no one may appeal to or depend upon another. We must remember, “He who does it, does it before the Lord, and he who does it not, does it not before the Lord.” We must make our decisions before the face of the Lord. These decisions may be tested, but the Lord has said, “They shall not be ashamed that wait for me.”

I will never say, “You must not do that” or “You must do this.” I would rather direct you to God’s Word and to prayer, to the inner chamber, where we can bring our needs before God on our knees.

Ezra and Nehemiah—what the one could do, the other could not. What the one did, the other dared not, but we believe that Ezra and Nehemiah made their decisions before the Lord. This is what our decision with regard to vaccination comes down to: “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”

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