Our first and foremost concern ought to be teaching the Good News. Things like:
John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Isaiah 58:8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Our safety, our hope, our future is in God through Christ’s blood. Colossians 1.
Our days and our lives are designed and numbered according to God’s will. 2 Samuel 3:25, Isaiah 37:28, 2 Kings 19:27, Matthew 10:30, Luke 12:7, Psalms 139:13-18
Matthew 8:26-27 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
In general, I believe that the church should not chime in on the mask/no mask debate because we do not want to become “only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” 1 Corinthians 13:1 nor like Mark 7:7, “their teachings are merely human rules.” As long as masking or not masking does not interfere with God’s calling for fellowship, worship, biblical learning, evangelism and discipleship there is no point in getting involved unless our focus is on the world rather than on God. In addition, 1 Corinthians 11:16 states that no church make rules on head coverings. To utilize God’s word to further a political or cultural ideology often requires that we put a spin on it. Then there is the danger of “Having the appearance of godliness, but denying it’s power” 2 Timothy 3:5 However, since it has become a topic for discussion, then let’s look at what the bible actually says, look at the scientific evidence regarding masks, use logic and compassion to understand our choices, pray for wisdom, and consult God as the ultimate authority when making a decision. When considering a biblical response to culture, it is very important for Christians to understand not only the truth of God’s word but also truths found in the world, that are indeed God’s gifts to us. Language is just one example for God’s gifts of truth that people need in the world. Translating the bible into all of the languages of the Earth requires that the true meaning of words be thoroughly understood in each language.
The bible cautions us to “not be conformed to this world” Romans 12:12. Matthew 15:6 outlines the consequences of conforming to the world and it’s important that we understand it’s meaning. It says, “So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.” The Greek translation is “You deflate the directive of God through the tradition.” The Merriam-Webster definition of tradition is “an inherited or established or customary pattern of thought, action or behavior such as a religious practice or social custom, [or a] cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions”. The original Greek word for tradition is paradosi, from didomi meaning ‘to give’. Paradosi literally means to give over’. When used in this context it means to give up something so that the culture is followed. A related Greek word, paradidomi, means to give away or hand over BUT it is often used to mean giving over to authorities. I find this interesting because paradosi/paradidomi are related in the same way masking for society and masking for government are related. However, that is somewhat beside the point as the discussion is focused on the church and culture (at least at this point in time). Is mask wearing a tradition? Perhaps not yet, however it is certainly quickly becoming an established or customary pattern of thought, action and behavior. We are daily bombarded with the phrase “new normal”. YouTube is rife with videos of masked Christians (as evidenced by their speaking of God or their bible verse decorated clothing) and non-Christians verbally and physically attacking people without masks. I don’t think that we can believe anything other than that mask wearing is becoming a tradition if it is not one already. 100% compliance is not required to establish a tradition. Celebration of Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice is common enough that it is considered tradition for a large portion humanity. How does Matthew 15:6 help us with making a decision about masking or not masking? It informs us that the focus of following culture diminishes the power of God’s work through the church or rather, that God is not to be used in that way.
Cultural cues are also taken from the government. While Romans 13 touches heavily on obeying the government put in place and trusting that said government is in power at the will of God, it also admonishes us to not blindly follow. Romans 13:3-5 “Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid”. We know through Matthew 24 that the governing body and people in general will increase in evil, and that the followers of Christ are not to follow the evil authorities. Daniel 3’s account of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego provide us with a clear example of not following the governing body. Abortion is a current example. It is legal, but it is still infanticide, murder. Acts 7:9, Exodus 20:13, Leviticus 18:21, Exodus 34:19, Deuteronomy 18:10 and many other bible passages attest to this. (Note: Many of these passages use the phrase “pass through the fire” This refers to the child sacrifice practice for those following the demon Moloch. Relevant to abortions because a saline solution abortion is one of the most common abortions as it leaves much of the internal organs of the infant intact (for harvesting/sale/research) while burning the child alive with the use of the caustic salt solution.) Obviously, a mask is not evil in the way that an abortion is evil. A saline solution is also, not evil. The manner in which either is used however, can be.
Masks alienate us from one another, which is directly in opposition to biblical teaching on the importance of fellowship (Psalm 50:5, Hebrews 10:25, Acts 2:42-47, 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:11). The cultural call to wear a mask when singing greatly diminishes the Christian’s ability to worship. Singing reduces respiration rate from an average of 15 breathes per minute to only 6 bpm (study below #1). This change makes the ability to breathe well highly important. Masking causes the ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide to change (study below #2 and link). If we are unable to breathe well, we are unable to sing well. Yes, there are other forms of worship, however, the bible provides a clear directive to worship though song. There are 150 Psalms, or psalmoi in Greek, which means ‘instrumental music’ and is often translated as ‘words that accompany music’. The ability to communicate is decreased especially for those hard of hearing or deaf. (link to dispatch.com below) They also eliminate a method of non-verbal communication for everyone. “[People’s] mouths will often give away their state of mind,” Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a professor emerita of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst wrote in Psychology Today. (link to Psychology Today below) A study in 2020 showed that 18% of adults were unable to determine if a child was happy, sad or angry 100% of the time, when unable to see the mouth. (study below #3) They cause depression and anxiety (link to Webmd below). Though really, this is very observable in our communities as so many are struggling with masking at work. Masks increase cancer growth (studies below #4). Masks increase bacterial infections and viral infections (studies below #5-7). Biological warfare, is creating something to make people sick, is commonly regarded as evil, yet masking does not receive the same cultural condemnation. Cultural usage of masks allows human trafficking to exist in plain sight as both the victims and the criminals are increasingly difficult to identify (link to Forbes below). It prevents even one’s own neighbors from recognizing an abducted child as was demonstrated in the Elizabeth Smart case in 2003. While the word “mask” is rarely used in the bible we do find a similar word “veil” in one significant example. It is specifically connected to sexual sin in Job 24:15. “The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, “No eye will see me”, and he veils his face.” Today, we wear our veils in the daytime, and call adultery, simply sex, and a myriad of other things including “pansexuality” and “self-love”. 1 Corinthians 10:23 clearly summarizes what our approach to following governing bodies ought to be, ““All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.”
1 Corinthians 13:25-33 has been used an example that supposedly demonstrates that it is biblical to wear a mask. However, I quite thoroughly disagree. When presented with the option to eat the idol meat or not eat the idol meat Paul specifically states “For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” While it is not be righteous to take this passage out of context and change the words to “fit” one interpretation, it has been done by others in their attempt to convince me that I ought to wear a mask as they do. Thus, I will do what they have done and rewrite Paul’s words in terms of masking. ‘If you chose to wear a mask, wear a mask and do it for the glory or God. If you do not choose to wear a mask, do that also for the glory of God. Do not force your ideals upon someone else. Further do not even be offended that they have not chosen the same as you.’ Let me reiterate, “no prophecy of scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation” 2 Peter 1:20. As Christians we ought to be very careful in our use of the bible. According to 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”. When we twist scripture to fit a cultural behavior or to make ourselves appear as a shining example, we are not using scripture in righteousness.
What do we do when we encounter someone who makes the opposite choice? First, we pray for them. Second, we recognize that American society today is very much like Mark 6:34 “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd”. We can see this in vast numbers of churches that chose fear of a virus over trust in the Lord, your healer (Exodus 15:26) who heals all diseases (Psalm 103:3). Just as Christ had compassion, so must we. What does that mean? Romans 14:21 says “It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.” Alcoholism is a common example. We ought not get drunk or likely even drink alcohol in the presence of an alcoholic. Should we wear a mask with a mask wearer? In general, I would say no, but that also depends upon their reason for wearing a mask. If a person is wearing mask because they are in a surgical suite where supplemental oxygen is forced into the room to account for the lack of oxygen and the excess carbon dioxide experienced by mask wearers, and the purpose of wearing a mask is to protect the medical professional from the accidental splash of the patient’s bodily fluids then the answer is obviously, yes. If a person is wearing a mask because they are required by their job to do so, it might be helpful to mention that NIOSHA requires a fit-test before employees can be forced to wear a mask. Or perhaps it would be beneficial to mention that HIPPA rules state that an employer is not legally able to fire them for their inability to wear a mask. Nor is the employer able to demand that you provide medical proof of your inability to wear a mask. Wearing a mask in “solidarity” with them however, is not helpful, because it signals to the business that mask wearing is beneficial and commonly accepted. However, these examples have VERY little to do with church business. An issue of church business is however, if a mask is worn out of fear or to make someone “feel” better. To do so risks making the mask into an idol. Feelings ought not be the driving factor in decision making, but rather truth. I do not mean scientific truth, but biblical truth such as 2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:10 , Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 56:3, Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalms 34:4, Matthew 6:25-34, 1 Peter 5:6, John 16:33, or Matthew 14:27. If we wear a mask alongside a fear-based mask wearer it provides visual agreement with their fear. It is a form of peer pressure and wearing a mask indicates that you agree with them. Valley Christian Counseling Center treats a large number of anxiety patients. The treatment for anxiety is not to wallow in fear alongside someone in your own fear of offending, bothering, or challenging them. The treatment for anxiety is to empower a person, through belief in Christ, to face and overcome their fears. Paul and Silas present an example of how to behave alongside others (especially unbelievers) in a fearful situation in Acts 16. Having been placed in prison and their feet placed in stocks, Paul and Silas rejoiced. They sang hymns, the spoke of Christ, His death upon the cross and the forgiveness of sins. The jailer, his household and all of the prisoners were saved. Paul and Silas then loudly proclaimed against the injustice that had been done. Like in Acts 14:3, “they spoke boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace.” If we want to know exactly how Jesus handled viruses (did he practice social distancing or wear a mask, did he request that the apostles do either of these…), we need look no further than the New Testament; Matthew 4:24, 8:14, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 14:2, Luke 16:20, and Acts 28:8 are just some examples. If we want to know how to respond to a person with diminished immune capacity, we should first ask them what they would like and what we can do to help rather than assuming that they want everyone to wear masks. If they do want everyone to wear masks then we should inform them that we can pass along their request but that we will not force others to wear masks, because “Love… does not insist on its own way;” 1 Corinthians 13:4.
Regarding science: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” Colossians 2:8. It is very important for Christians to understand not only the truth of God’s word but also truths found in the world. Language is one example. As stated above, translation of the bible into all of the languages of the Earth requires that the true meaning of words be thoroughly understood in each language. Science is considered a language by many. Like Finish or Huaorani, not everyone is fluent in the language of science. Each person could though, chose to learn. There are many resources available to do this for free, at home. The lack of knowledge and absence of curiosity has created many of today’s problems in understanding infectious diseases and personal protective equipment. For example, health.com states “N95 respirator, which is a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to protect health care workers and the patients they care for” (link below) is completely incorrect. An N-95 respirator is not designed for health care workers nor patients. An N-95 respirator is “recommended for relief from dusts and certain particles encountered during sanding projects (bare wood, non-lead painted surfaces, or drywall), grinding, sawing, sweeping, installation of fiberglass insulation. Also helps filter pollen, mold spores and dust particles encountered during outdoor activities such as gardening, cutting firewood, raking, and mowing”. (link from Home Depot below) This is why we as Christians should work towards understanding science and checking facts against reputable sources like NIOSHA, NIH, or The New England Journal of Medicine. When we don’t know something, we should feel obliged to look it up, whether this means pulling out your dictionary or going to the Medical Library. We also need to recognize that all humans are sinners and imperfect. While a local doctor has a goal of helping people, they may not be aware of the latest methodology to determine pore size in cloth masks or the computer programming used by Abbot Labs (the tests used here) that determines if a rNA virus particle is present on the blood/brain barrier swab. We can take some assurance in that science is governed by the scientific theory; whose main precept is that an experiment be repeatable. In addition, there are multiple scientific governing bodies. The studies I have included are not one-offs, or ‘flash in the pan’ science. I have attempted to not include too many studies as well. Please note that if you’d like more, I can provide them. These studies below are peer-reviewed have already passed the test of being analyzed by experts in their field and are then presented for the world to analyze their truth. However, science does make mistakes (for instance Geo-Synclinal Theory) and that is why we place God as our primary source of knowledge and the ultimate authority.
Studies:
- Bernardi, N.F., Snow, S., Peretz, I. et al. Cardiorespiratory optimization during improvised singing and toning. Sci Rep 7, 8113 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-07171-2
- http://scielo.isciii.es/pdf/neuro/v19n2/3.pdf
and to add to understanding https://opentextbc.ca/vitalsign/chapter/what-are-normal-oxygen-saturation-levels/ - Roitblat, Y., Cohensedgh, S., Frig-Levinson, E., Suman, E., & Shterenshis, M. (2019). Emotional expressions with minimal facial muscle actions Report 1: Cues and targets. Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues. http: 10.1007/s12144-019-0151-5
- Jessica A. Bertout, Shetal A. Patel, and M. Celeste Simon (2008). The impact of O2 availability on human cancer, Nat Rev Cancer. 2008 Dec; 8(12): 967–975, Published online 2008 Nov 6. doi: 10.1038/nrc2540
- MacIntyre CR, Seale H, Dung TC, et al, A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers, BMJ Open 2015;5:e006577. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006577
- Chughtai, A.A., Stelzer-Braid, S., Rawlinson, W. et al. Contamination by respiratory viruses on outer surface of medical masks used by hospital healthcare workers. BMC Infect Dis 19, 491 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-019-4109-x
- MacIntyre CR, Chughtai AA, Rahman B, et al. The efficacy of medical masks and respirators against respiratory infection in healthcare workers. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2017;11(6):511-517. doi:10.1111/irv.12474
JUSTAMOM 