John MacArthur on wearing masks & social distancing

 

It is something of an understatement to say that I have been encouraged by John MacArthur's faithfulness over the years.  He is one of the few warriors left.  It is no secret that over the course of a long ministry he has consistently contended for the faith; and in more recent years he has continued to do so though it has cost him.  

His recent 'defiance' of covid regulations has been particularly helpful to many of us who have been discouraged by the silence and (apparent) complicity of so many church leaders.   At a time when  many have changed (are changing and continue to change) it is a blessing to have men like MacArthur who are unwavering in their commitment to the Bible... and who are willing to act on its principles no matter the cost!

But what does John MacArthur believe about masks and social distancing?  The following is part of a legal REBUTTAL DECLARATION shared publicly by the Daily Wire.  

A. The first part comes as response to those who have argued that his religious objections to mask mandates are not genuine.  So what then are his biblical objections to masks?  I am quoting from a section of the declaration titled, RESPONSE TO THE COUNTY’S ARGUMENT THAT RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS TO MASK-MANDATES MAY NOT BE GENUINE

Here he explains:

* All italics and bold highlighting are my own.

1. "Grace Community Church regards the wearing of masks in worship first of all as a matter of conscience—and since we are forbidden by the teaching of Christ not to make extrabiblical religious rules that bind men’s consciences (Matthew 23:1-7; 15:1-9), we neither mandate nor forbid the wearing of masks in worship."

2. "Veils and face coverings have profound religious significance in many world religions. Indeed, much of the rhetoric surrounding COVID masks (even among evangelical Christians) describes them as symbols of personal piety. Serious questions about the usefulness, effectiveness, or medical necessity of masks are routinely dismissed or swept aside, and people are told to wear them simply because they are a tangible, visible means of showing love for one’s neighbor. This rationale is pressed on people’s consciences regardless of whether it can be proved statistically that masks really safeguard anyone from the virus, and irrespective of the fact that masks can cause other medical problems. But COVID masks have become, in effect, secularism’s substitute for religious vestments. No one can reasonably deny that face coverings have become the chief symbol of popular culture’s sanctimonious devotion to the secular credo."

3. "But one of the distinctives of Christian worship is face-to-face fellowship. Koinonia is the Greek expression that the New Testament uses to describe it. The word conveys the idea of community, close association, and intimate social contact. Thus the apostle’s instructions: “Greet one another with a holy kiss” are repeated four times in the Pauline epistles (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:22)."

4. "The importance of face-to-face koinonia is stressed repeatedly. Paul writes, “We . . . were all the more eager with great desire to see your face” (1 Thessalonians 2:17). “We night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face” (3:10). The apostle John writes, “I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full” (2 John 12). “I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face” (3 John 14)."

5. "Worship, in particular, is best seen as an open-face discipline. Covering the face is a symbol of disgrace or shame (Jeremiah 51:51; Job 40:4). Concealing one’s mouth while praising God suppresses the visible expression of worship. The Psalms’ calls to worship are filled with the words “tongue,” “lips,” and “mouth.” “Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise” (Psalm 81:1). ” Wholehearted worship cannot be sung as intended—unrestrained and unmuted— from behind a state-mandated face covering. We see “the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (4:6), and our faces were designed by him to reflect that glory back to heaven in uninhibited praise."

6. "It is true, of course, that for now, “We see in a mirror dimly, but [someday] face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:2). That speaks of a face-to-face encounter with Christ himself, when we will be brought into the fullness of knowledge and moral perfection. John the apostle says, “We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2)."

7. "Despite the temporary limitation of seeing heaven’s glory as if we were looking in a dim mirror, we nevertheless are privileged as Christians to have a view of divine glory that is superior to what Moses and the Israelites enjoyed at Sinai. We see God’s glory revealed in Christ—“glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Unlike Moses, who was shielded in the cleft of a rock from seeing the full display of divine glory; and unlike the Israelites, who only saw the fading reflection of glory on Moses’ face (and even that was covered with a veil) we see Christ so clearly revealed that it is as if we are looking in the very face of God’s glory. “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Again: we see “the glory of God in the face of Christ” (4:6)."

8. "Yes, the language of that biblical passage is symbolic. We don’t literally see the face of Christ physically. For now, we see Him as he is revealed on the pages of the New Testament. But the symbolism embodied in Paul’s description of seeing Him with “unveiled face” is important, and the wearing of masks—especially government-mandated masks that serve as the vestments of secular religion—feels like a covert attempt to erase one of the core truths that makes Christianity unique."

9. "All except the first paragraph of the above are my personal convictions about masks. It is not a dogma we teach. It is certainly not a rule we expect people in the church to swear fidelity to. Again, we do not want to bind anyone’s conscience with manmade restrictions. We especially do not want to shame the person who wears a mask purely because he or she genuinely believes the current secular orthodoxy about masks as a potentially effective shield against viral transmission. People in the church are free to wear masks if they choose. But people who share the above view are likewise free to worship, sing, pray, and proclaim God’s Word without a face covering—even if that goes against the vacillating, sometimes arbitrary, and frequently heavy-handed dictates of government officials. It is simply not the church’s duty to enforce executive orders based on a politician’s whimsy—particularly when obeying those edicts impinge on our freedom of worship in our church."

B.  The second part comes as a response to those who argue that his objections to social distancing are not genuine.

What are his objections to social distancing?   Here he explains.  The section I am quoting from is titled, RESPONSE TO THE COUNTY’S ARGUMENT THAT RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS TO SOCIAL DISTANCING AND COUNTY MONITORING MAY NOT BE GENUINE.

* Again, italics and bold highlighting are my own.

1. "When the Board of Elders of Grace Church first voted to reopen the campus in July 2020, the Board decided to published a statement explaining our decision. That statement is attached here as Exhibit A and available online at: https://www.gracechurch.org/news/posts/1988. That statement explains that Grace Church objects on theological grounds to the concept that the State has any jurisdiction to tell us how to worship. As explained by that statement:

[W]hile civil government is invested with divine authority to rule the state, neither of those texts (nor any other) [from the Bible] grants civic rulers jurisdiction over the church. God has established three institutions within human society: the family, the state, and the church. Each institution has a sphere of authority with jurisdictional limits that must be respected. A father’s authority is limited to his own family. Church leaders’ authority (which is delegated to them by Christ) is limited to church matters. And government is specifically tasked with the oversight and protection of civic peace and well-being within the boundaries of a nation or community. God has not granted civic rulers authority over the doctrine, practice, or polity of the church. The biblical framework limits the authority of each institution to its specific jurisdiction. The church does not have the right to meddle in the affairs of individual families and ignore parental authority. Parents do not have authority to manage civil matters while circumventing government officials. And similarly, government officials have no right to interfere in ecclesiastical matters in a way that undermines or disregards the God-given authority of pastors and elders."

2. "The statement further goes on to say “[t]herefore, in response to the recent state order requiring churches in California to limit . . . all meetings indefinitely, we, the pastors and elders of Grace Community Church, respectfully inform our civic leaders that they have exceeded their legitimate jurisdiction, and faithfulness to Christ prohibits us from observing the restrictions they want to impose on our corporate worship services.” “[I]t has never been the prerogative of civil government to . . . modify . . . worship. When, how, and how often the church worships is not subject to Caesar.”"

3. "Whether the State tries to “modify” worship by restricting the number of people who can attend by a 25% cap or by six-foot social distancing, the principle is the same: “When officials restrict church attendance to a certain number, they attempt to impose a restriction that in principle makes it impossible for the saints to gather as the church. . . . When officials mandate distancing, they attempt to impose a restriction that in principle makes it impossible to experience the close communion between believers that is commanded in Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, and 1 Thessalonians 5:26. In all those spheres, we must submit to our Lord.”"