— INTRODUCTION —
Recently, various governors and businesses in the United States of America have issued executive orders mandating the use of face coverings or masks. Due to this overreach, I felt the need to develop a Biblical and religious statement of my beliefs for the edification of myself, and others, and for the correction of states and businesses which are participating in the violation of religious liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
— ARTICLE I —
Masks, veils, and face coverings signify shame (Gen 38:15; Ps 69:7; Jer 51:51), mourning (2 Sam 19:4), and death (Est 7:8; Mar 14:65). In Christ, shame has been removed (Rom 10:11; 2 Tim 2:15), mourning has been turned to gladness (Ps 30:11; Isa 51:11), and death has been turned to life (1 Cor 15;54-56; Rom 6:8-11; Heb 2:14,15). Therefore, wearing a mask in public is a symbolic act of covering up the Gospel which frees believers from those things which the mask signifies.
— ARTICLE II —
Veils symbolize the Old Testament administration of the atonement (2 Cor 3:13,14) and are a rejection of the revelation of the Gospel of grace revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ in redemption (2 Cor 3:15-18). Therefore, veiling one’s face in public can be considered a symbolic rejection of the Gospel.
— ARTICLE III —
Covering the face is an act of worship in God’s presence (Ex 3:6; Isa 6:2), and to cover the face for any other, as an act of obedience, is an elevation of that person or authority to the place of God (Rom 1:24,25; Rev 22:8,9). Therefore, wearing a mask to submit to the state is not an act of obedient submission (Rom 13:1-7) but an act of misdirected worship of the state.
— ARTICLE IV —
Masks demonstrate an irrational fear of disease (Ps 91:5,6), and death (Heb 2:14,15), which requires a lack of faith in the providence and sovereignty of God (2 Tim. 3:1-7; Rom 8:28-39). Therefore, to wear a mask out of fear of death or disease is an open declaration of a lack of faith in the sovereignty and providence of God.
— ARTICLE V —
Wearing masks as a precaution, in light of what we know regarding Covid-19 (ie low death rates, hospitalization, etc.) is an act of the unbeliever and the weaker brother (1 Cor 8:4-7; Rom 14:15,19,22), who lacks faith and rejects his liberty in Christ (1 Cor 8:6;Rom 14:1,2,14). Therefore, in situations where a weaker brother may be caused to stumble (1 Cor 8:9-13), or where Gospel preaching may be otherwise hindered (1 Cor 9:19-23), wearing a mask is a suitable act of love toward the brother and the unbeliever.
— CONCLUSION —
It is an express violation of a Christian’s religious expression, guaranteed by the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution, for an employer or any federal, state, or local governing body, to require a Christian to wear a mask in public.
A Christian may find it suitable, at times, to forego this freedom for the sake of the furtherance of the Gospel, or out of love for another brother in Christ; Nevertheless it is a violation of their freedom of religious expression for any governing body, or local business, to require the believer in Christ to wear a mask at all times in all situations, regardless of what dangers that governing body or business may perceive exists.
Full Document
The Baptist Catechism 