The Biblical Response to Mandates

By Jim Garton

When Christians are faced with government, corporate, or organizational mandates, they need to turn to the Bible for guidance and for the appropriate response. This book brings biblical clarity to the current issues facing the church concerning lockdowns, mask mandates, closing churches, debt, business, vaccines, Romans 13, love for neighbor, standing up for your rights, and protesting oppressive government actions.

Don't try to figure all this out for yourself based on popular public opinion or commentary from the media. Let this book help you search the scriptures so that you know the wisdom and will of God for yourself, your family, church, community, the nation, and even the globe. The move back to normal begins with you, but the first step begins by knowing God's perspective on current issues we are all facing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jim Garton
• Release date: Oct 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201157029

Book preview

Preface

The purpose of this book is not to deal with the legal or constitutional issues of religious freedom but to prove that every believer around the globe has a biblical justification to refuse mask mandates, lock-downs, mandatory vaccines, and medical passports.

Some may have experienced a troubled-conscience when faced with mandates, knowing mandates are wrong, but at the same time feeling frustrated because of their inability to identify scriptural sources validating the voice of their conscience. Having scriptural support for making a legal or political stand is crucial  because If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31. Every believer wants to make sure they are on the right side of an issue, seeing it from God’s perspective. Therefore, this book was developed to show what the Bible teaches about the modern issue of mandates.

Every human has been given certain rights by God and are justified in defending and preserving those rights. Other humans do not have the biblical authority to take away or diminish what God has given.

Believers have an obligation to stand against injustice and be the moral voice that keeps government in check. We cannot fail at this function because lives are at risk.

Mask Mandates

Mankind is Created in the Image of God

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Making mask wearing a requirement that people must comply with to participate in society is not only unreasonable but also sinful. Wearing a mask should not be a prerequisite to attend school, shop for groceries, make a living, participate in the political process or to attend church.

When Adam and Eve sinned and recognized their nakedness (Genesis 3:7) God provided them both with a tunic of animal skins to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:21) and a mask for their faces was not part of that attire which God created for Adam and Eve.

God did not cover the faces of Adam and Eve because their faces were created to reflect the image of God (Latin: Imago Dei):

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:26-27

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. Genesis 5:1-2

Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Genesis 9:6

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. James 3:9

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. 1 Corinthians 11:7

The Bible is clear that God is masculine but all of humanity, both male and female, were created to represent the image of God, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them (Genesis 1:27). Adam is not just the name of the first man, but Adam is also the word or label representing all of mankind (male and female).

Understanding that humanity is made in the image of God is fundamental to understanding the concept the apostle Paul taught in the New Testament about believers being not only the  reflection of God’s image but also his glory in the world.

The Face of the Believer is the Reflection of God’s Glory

In 2 Corinthians 3:18, the apostle Paul taught that believers must not mask their faces because their faces reflect the glory and image of God.

As all of us reflect the Lord's glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 GW

This means that we must not have a mask covering our faces. We cannot cover the image and glory of God in us because our faces must be clearly seen by the world. We as believers are constantly being changed more and more into the image of God, from glory to glory on the inside, an image and glory that needs to be seen on the outside (in our faces).

God created us to be the Imago Dei (the Image of God) on the earth. We are a living testimony that God is