Christian's, vaccination isn't just important, it's your Christian duty / Jordan Phillips

For those of us who identify as a part of the Church, our witness to the world right now is being tested.

I truly believe that as Christians we are obligated to be vaccinated. Hear me out.

I believe what many of us Christians have lost in the Western Church (if the term "West" even conveys anything meaningful anymore) is the literal self-sacrificial nature of our faith. When we were baptised we were baptised into a community and way of life that says we are DEAD to self-preservation and ALIVE again to a new way of living - where we no longer keep our lives, but give it away for the sake of others.

I mean, baptism is a funeral! (So radical aye)

This is the transformative power of our Saviour. We believe it is this counterculture conviction that reimagines the world. That, slowly (like a mustard seed) grows into a reality changed. That self-sacrificial, co-suffering love reshapes society, away from darkness and toward light. It can also be a demanding call. It can be scary.

Usually we read "self-sacrificial" in some metaphoric way. And though this may be helpful as well, for hundreds of years the early church understood the tough reality of the LITERAL nature of this call.

I wonder if we've actually done the Church in the West a disservice by not making it clear that to become a follower of Jesus means martyrdom is on the table. I want to be careful with this. I'm not saying we should actively look to die. I'm saying following Jesus requires a cross. I'm echoing the Jesuit priest, Daniel Berrigans words, when he said, "if you wanna follow Jesus you better look good on wood."

How many of us didn't realise what we signed up for when we made the choice to become a follower of Jesus? It's not your fault. Rich comfy pop Christianity probably failed to read you the fine print. Coz now that call is literally being tested.

I was born with a heart condition, and 16 I needed to hace minor heart surgery. It didn't work. I've lived my life with issues as a result of it. One of the side-effects people are saying from the vaccine is myocarditis which is a heart issue (though these cases are miniscule in comparison to everyone else).

Before I got my jab, I would be lying if I said this wasnt playing on my mind. Will I be more prone to that side effect?

However, I understand that vaccines are not just for me but for others. They have saved millions of lives throughout history. But what if this vaccine isnt safe?

Well, as a Christian, I hold the conviction that safety is no longer a legitimate reason to not undergo a procedure that may save the lives of others. I know. That's a hard word. But that's the radical life we were baptised into. With this call, despite my concerns I knew I was obligated to get the jab. If something happens to me, I signed up for it when I went under that water!

I'm not painting myself out to be someone I'm not. I'm just convinced that to follow Jesus means we risk our lives for the sake of others. If you are christian and were hoping for a "religious exemption" to not get the jab, or had some other excuse because you are afraid, I understand. I get it. It's scary to some.

But to be faithful, the only exemption you are entitled to now is exempting others by standing in their place. The reality is there is no greater witness right now from the Church than Jesus followers getting the jab even if they are skeptical about it because they want to prioritize the lives of others over their own.

In the words of Stanley Hauerwas, in this season God is making us leaner and meaner. It's time we reevaluate what we believe it means to follow Jesus because the truth is, it's risky. And it may cost us our lives.

Thankfully death doesn't have the last word.

Jordan Phillips is born and raised in Auckland. He’s a husband, father of one, and follower of Jesus. He loves all things creative and is currently at uni to studying philosophy and psychology.