As Covid continues, and with it the “battles” between wearing and not wearing a mask, it seems that society, and sadly, many churches, has become very polarized and divided. There are the “Masks don’t work” crowd. There are others who are against masks based on how they have seen masks create a barrier between people, and, in a real sense, dehumanize people. Then, there are the: “Wear your mask so as to not put others at risk” people, who, effectively, are saying: sacrifice for the sake of loving your neighbor. I want to focus on “loving your neighbor”.
There is NO question that we are supposed to love our neighbors, including sacrificing for their good.
So, how should we as Christians see this issue?
It seems to me that there has been such an intense focus on mask wearing as a means of “loving your neighbor” that we are missing the far bigger and far more important issue of how to love our neighbor.
I am NOT going to talk about wearing or not wearing a mask. I AM going to talk about loving your neighbor. Truly loving your neighbor.
Follow me to see the principles in this: WHY do we say that wearing a mask is loving our neighbor? Simple: some studies indicate that wearing a mask can both reduce your chance of being infected by Covid, AND, (more directly applying to loving your neighbor) reduce the possibility of you infecting others, if you have Covid but are not yet aware of it. (if you are aware, you should not be out with others).
OK. Wanting to protect my neighbor sounds like love to me. We can’t really argue with that as a principle.
But wait. Let’s look at this more carefully. We need to go beyond the sound bites, to make wise, God-honoring decisions.
The “love” in this case is caring about the physical well being of my neighbor. That is clearly a form of love. That is a form of biblical love. That is not a problem.
The problem (and yes, there is often a big problem), the hidden problem, is that in this “Covid” situation, we are so focused on loving our neighbor, by caring about his PHYSICAL well being, that we can fail to recognize that we are often greatly neglecting to care for his SPIRITUAL well-being.
Which is the greater and more important love?
Certainly, there are commandments which talk about loving our neighbor by caring for his physical needs.
But, there are far more commandments which call us to to love our neighbor by caring for his spiritual needs.
Examples abound, for example: 1 Peter 4:10,11
“10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1Peter 4:10-11 NKJV)
Notice the phrase regarding our spiritual gifts: “minister it to one another”. Another translation is: “use it to serve one another”.
We are to use our gifts (actively) for the good of others. THAT is loving our neighbor. We must make ourselves available for the spiritual good of others. This is not just an occasional action, this is a lifestyle God commands us to have. But it doesn’t just happen by chance.
In 1Corinthians 12:7, we read:
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:” (1Corinthians 12:7 NKJV)
Your spiritual gifts (the manifestation of the Spirit) are given to you for the profit of all. YOU have what others need to be spiritually healthy. Are you actively and consistently using your gifts for the spiritual good of others? That is truly loving your neighbor, living for his eternal good.
There are SO many other passages. For instance, Philippians 2:2-4.
“2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:2-4 NKJV)
This is so clear. We are to live for the good of others. This should make a immense difference in how we we make our daily decisions.
Jesus Christ has saved us, but not so that we can live comfortable, enjoyable lives. Titus 2 proclaims the real purpose for which He saved us.
“who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14 NKJV)
Jesus Christ redeemed us that we might be zealous for good works. Good works are helping others to see more of Christ. Christ saves us that we would have a passion to live life sacrificing to help others see more of Christ and grow in their Christian walks.
So, how does all of this relate to wearing a mask so as to love our neighbor?
OK. We should be concerned to do “all that is possible” within reason to help protect the physical health of our neighbor.
But wait. Should we not be even more concerned with our neighbor’s spiritual health?
Should we not be zealous for this, living sacrificially for the spiritual good of others? As believers, the answer is absolutely clear in Scripture. While we should care about the physical good of our neighbor, true, biblical love compels us to live sacrificially for his or her spiritual good.
In reality, we so often let our sin hinder us from truly loving our neighbor.
There are so many examples.
For example, if as a habit I overeat, or eat an unhealthy diet, I am harming my own health. This makes it more difficult, or even hinders me greatly, from using my spiritual gifts for the good of my neighbor. If I give in to my flesh, and lack self-discipline, (a sin) I am NOT loving my neighbor, because I am hindering my ability to use my spiritual gifts for his good.
If I invest a significant part of my free time (if I have very little free time, that significant part may be very few hours, but it is still significant for me) to do what I like, be it a hobby, or watching sports, or fishing, or whatever, I am taking time I could have used to edify others. I am NOT loving them. I am hindering their growth, by not using my spiritual gifts to the fullest. I am lacking love for my neighbors, for those God has placed in my life.
If I am not self-disciplined in managing my time, this sin of giving in to my flesh greatly hinders me from having time to spiritually minister to other believers, and evangelize unbelievers. I am lacking love.
We could think of countless other examples of how we can live so as to hinder us from truly investing in others for their spiritual good.
So, here is my point:
The “wear your mask” side insists that we must wear masks, because we must “love our neighbor”.
Of course “loving others” is vital as Christians. Yet too often, the insistence that we “love our neighbors” by wearing a mask hides a great hypocrisy. If someone insists that we should wear masks to protect the physical health of others, how much more should we live sacrificially to care for the spiritual health of others.
If a person states what we should wear masks in order to love our neighbors, but then gives in to his flesh in areas of his life which hinder him from living for the spiritual good of others and therefore does NOT invest his life sacrificially, so as to use his spiritual gifts as much as possible for the spiritual good of others, in reality, that person is a hypocrite. He preaches “love your neighbor”, but then, his is NOT loving his neighbor in that which is most important. He is deceiving himself.
And the “no-mask” side? You say that wearing a mask is not necessary. Who am I to say that you are wrong, in fact, there are excellent scientific studies which substantiate your view. BUT, that is not the real issue. The real question is: Are you living sacrificially for the true, spiritual good of others? Are you sacrificially giving of your time, your preferences, your energy, to edify others and help them to see more of Christ? Are you truly zealous for good works?
I am saddened to see believers divided over the necessity of wearing masks, but often both sides are failing to live in such a manner as to consistently pursue the true, spiritual good of their neighbors. Too often, we are not “zealous for good works”.
I pray that we would see our hypocrisy, have godly sorrow, repent, and seek the true, eternal good of others, the spiritual good.
I pray we would see our sin of giving in to the flesh, in countless areas, and how it hinders us from truly loving our neighbors.
In reality: If you eat in an unhealthy way, you are NOT loving your neighbor as you should. You are sinning. The fact that you give in to your flesh, and do not care for yourself, so that you can best invest in others for the kingdom of God, is a sin. If you are part of the “love your neighbor, wear a mask” crowd, recognize your hypocrisy and repent.
If you are not self-disciplined with your time, then you are sinning against your neighbor, rather than loving him or her, because your sin of not using your time well means you are failing to love your neighbor as you should.
If you are spending hours in unproductive things, like TV, or Internet, or so many other areas, you are NOT investing in the lives of others as you could.
There are countless other areas in which we give in to our flesh, and by doing so, fail to love our neighbors as we should.
So, let us not be so focused on “loving our neighbors” by caring for their physical health, that we fail to see our sin of not living sacrificially to care for their spiritual health.
I understand that this is a sensitive subject, but I felt compelled to write because so many are so focused on “masks” that they fail to see the much greater underlying issues. In addition, those who preach “love your neighbor” often don’t realize their own hypocrisy, which needs to be recognized and confessed.
I especially urge church leaders to not impose “rules” or “recommendations” on members, under the banner of “loving your neighbor”, and at the same time, failing to live so as to truly love others sacrificially, in all areas, but especially spiritually.
I pray that this article would help us consider what it means to truly love our neighbor. It’s easy to get distracted, but I pray that the church will be a beacon of hope and sacrificial love as we “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us”. May we “run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith....” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV). Jesus Christ has established His church for the great and marvelous purpose of being His light in this world. Love requires sacrifice, but the fruits are very sweet. As we lay aside these weights and sins, we will see God do great things in our neighbors, our churches and mostly in us. Consider where you would be if Christ had not loved you sacrificially.
May we be humble enough to confess sin areas in our lives, courageous enough to walk in God’s truth and ready to love our neighbor with Christ’s love.
A personal note for those of us who have a role of spiritual authority: I am a pastor, which means I have a certain very limited, delegated authority regarding the church. The commandment in 1 Peter 5 continually rings in my ear:
“not as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3)”
May we not use our authority to seek to force people to “love others by caring for their physical good”, while in truth the science is not settled), while we ourselves are failing to truly love others spiritually, with a sacrificial love, being zealous for good works. May we be models of truly loving others, living so as to be poured out for the spiritual good of others. Pray that I would live like this.