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Acting Out of Love: a Christian Responsibility
A
t the heart of God’s kingdom is the principle
How have Adventists considered vaccination
that others are just as important as
in the past?
yourself. In fact, the nature of sin is based
Replying to a question regarding Ellen White’s
on selfishness—the very opposite of this principle.
attitude toward vaccinations, one of her secretaries
God shows His true nature in His self-sacrificial love.
wrote: “This question can be answered very briefly
Jesus put it very bluntly: “Greater love has no one
for so far as we have any record, she did not refer
than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”
to them in any of her writings. You will be interested
(John 15:13, NIV).
to know, however, that at a time when there was an
So, when it comes to our behavior as followers
epidemic of smallpox in the vicinity, she herself was
of our loving Lord, who laid down His life for us,
vaccinated and urged her helpers, those connected
we need to be practicing what we preach. Take the
with her, to be vaccinated. In taking this step Sister
COVID-19 vaccination debate. Much of it centers on
White recognized the fact that it has been proven
“What is best for me?” Yet, as Christians, shouldn’t
that vaccination either renders one immune from
we be asking “What is best for my neighbor?”
smallpox or greatly lightens its effects if one does
18 Pacific Union Recorder
