A Statement to All You Feisty Maskers and Anti-Maskers at Trinity
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. - 2 Timothy 2:23
Trinity Church,
Every Sunday as we worship together we say the Apostle’s Creed. This 1700 year old confession marks the church’s unity. In a world of divided allegiances and controversies, we gather each week to confess and to be reminded that we are united in our confession of the Triune God instead of being divided by the various factions that mark our world.
Our society, over this past year, has been catechizing us to turn every division into a political division and every division into a division between love and liberty. We have even taken a thing like a piece of cloth over ones’ nose and mouth and made it a thing of heated moral division in our culture. I am concerned that such divisions have made their way into our young community. As a church body we have taken the position that we will not have a position on mask-wearing or anti-mask-wearing. We believe it to be an issue of conscience left to each household to decide how to approach this issue. We do not enforce mask-wearing in our gathered worship and people are free to wear a mask at our services or not. We provide different worship spaces (the balcony maintains more space between households, we offer audio outside on the lawn, and transmit the service via radio for those wishing to remain in their cars) for those who want or need more space or isolation and everyone is free to wear a mask if they choose.
But more importantly this is an issue which we will not be divided over. And to that end I want to speak to both groups in our church community:
To those of you who have been convinced that masks are not wise or good: There are those among us, godly members of this church who do not believe what you believe about masks. They have any number of reasons for believing that mask wearing is an urgent health need in our day. There are good medical professionals and scientists, many of whom are committed to the Scriptures and the authority of Jesus, who back this claim and believe that mask wearing in our society is best right now. Please do not assume that mask-wearers are simply enslaved lemmings. Do not assume that they are terrorized by some irrational fear. Your temptation during these times will be towards a kind of scoffing pride. Do not do this. Such pride could harm you and our church for whom Christ died. Your commitment to liberty is a good thing, after all Paul tells us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. But do not let your liberty be an excuse to look down on your brother and sister for whom Christ died. They likely have very good reasons for wearing their masks.
To those of you who are convinced that wearing masks are the best way right now: There are godly members of this church who do not believe what you believe about masks. There are good medical professionals and scientists, many of whom are Christians who believe that for the majority of our society masks are an unwise way to proceed and cause more harm to us and our neighbors than good. Please do not assume that those not wearing masks, particularly in this community, simply don’t love their neighbor or care about your well-being. Your temptation will be to elevate extra-biblical standards to define love. Do not do this. Such self-righteousness could destroy you and harm this community for whom Christ died. Your commitment to love your neighbors is good, after all Jesus has commanded us to love our neighbors, but do not use your good intentions as an opportunity to sin against your non-mask-wearing brothers and sisters. They likely have very good reasons for not wearing masks.
I want to say as forcefully as I can- We will not be divided over mask-wearing. Do research, trust to God’s providence and care, and then let each of you do what is best. The Bible calls us to all kinds of commands on how to pursue liberty and love together without adding the dividing mark of mask wearing or anti-mask-wearing. In a society that is totalizing narratives about masks - telling stories about love and liberty, our refusal to be divided over such a thing is a necessary form of resistance. If you are afraid, the Word of God gently confronts you with the wonderful command: Do not be afraid. If you are reckless in your freedom, the Word of God gently confronts you with the wonderful command: Love your brother and sister.
May we be eager to obey the numerous ways that Scripture teaches us to pursue liberty and to practice love. And may our liberty and love be expressed not in masking or unmasking, but in our confession of the absolute authority of Jesus over all things, even our faces and certainly our fears.
Lastly, one of the clearest commands given to us in Scripture is to not “forsake the gathering together” (Hebrews 10:23-25) of God’s people. In addition to learning new divisions in this time, God’s people are inadvertently learning to disobey this command from our Lord. We want to encourage all of you to be dligent to resist temptations to forsake the gathering of God’s people in worship. This is not about asserting some abstract principle of rights, but about honoring our King and attending to the means of grace given to us in being together to receive Word and Sacrament. So, in short, come to church.
The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for the person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. - Titus 3:4-11
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. - 2 Timothy 2:23
I appeal to you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. - Romans 16:17
I appeal to you brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. - 1 Cor. 1:10
For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part. - 1 Cor. 11:18
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is one, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit. Let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. - Galatians 5:19-25
It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. - Jude 19