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LETTER: Langley resident looks to Bible for instruction on how to act during pandemic

Those disobeying public health orders and attending church in person are not “living honourably’
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Dear Editor,

As a conservative church attending Christian, I am very disappointed with those churches and individuals who are flaunting the health orders issued by Dr. Henry. Not only are they setting a very bad example, but they are blatantly disobeying the Bible instruction to the New Testament Christians. In Romans 13 the apostle Paul writes:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

• READ MORE: Langley church defies provincial ban on in-person services for a second time

This is not the only biblical instruction to obey the governing authorities, but it is one of the clearest. Some of those disobeying the present rules think the Bible excuses them from obeying “bad” rules. They have no scriptural basis for that idea. The New Testament Christians were living under Roman rule which was much more anti-Christian than our present government and yet they were instructed to obey.

Others quote Hebrews 10: 24 -25 as a command to meet together which they must obey:

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Clearly they are taking this instruction to meet together out of context. This is an instruction to those who of their own accord are not meeting together. It has absolutely nothing to say about not meeting in person for a short period of time to help stop the spread of a virus.

The Bible instructs us to “live honourably among unbelievers.” Those disobeying the health orders are not living honourably.

David Nielsen, Walnut Grove

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