What Does the Bible Say About Wearing Masks?
Undeniably, there is something called Christian liberty. It is a notion taught explicitly in the Bible. "Whoever the Son sets free is free indeed." - John 8:36. "So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." - Gal. 4:7. "It is for freedom that you have been set free. Do not allow yourselves, then, to be put under the yoke of slavery once again." - Gal. 5:1.
When it comes to the issue of wearing masks in public due to COVID-19—an issue that has become surprisingly polarized and politicized in the US and elsewhere—the primary question for Christians isn't whether we have the liberty to choose not to wear them, but whether that liberty is the most important biblical consideration.
“The primary question for Christians isn't whether we have the liberty to choose not to wear them, but whether that liberty is the most important biblical consideration.”
Large segments of Evangelicalism have decided that their personal liberty is the most important factor to the issue of wearing masks in public. While I do my best to respect the convictions of other believers, I also do my best to analyze all convictions under the microscope of Scripture. In the case of those who elevate personal freedom above all other virtues, I question how much of that conviction comes from Scripture and how much comes from the US Constitution.
What Scripture Says About Freedom
In Galatians 5:1, cited above, the Apostle Paul asserts that Christians are indeed free in every sense of the word. In fact, those who are in Christ are the freest people in the world, regardless of external circumstances. But in the very same chapter, Paul develops the idea of Christian freedom further, going on to explain the purpose of Christian freedom. "For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters," Paul writes in Gal. 5:13. "Only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love." [CSB]
That is the point of Christian freedom. We are to use our freedom to serve others in love.
If that is the point, how does it serve others in love when we refuse to wear masks in public in the name of our personal liberty? How does it serve others in love to put them at greater risk of infection, when a small inconvenience on our part could greatly reduce the chances of infection for us all?
“That is the point of Christian freedom. We are to use our freedom to serve others in love.”
(I am aware that many anti-maskers hold their position because they believe the science behind masks is thin. I will not debate the effectiveness of masks in this article. I speak from the assumption that masks are effective and that the majority of scientists and evidence agree on this point.)
In Matthew 7:12, Jesus gives us the Golden Rule, to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. I am certain that most reasonable people would not want an infected person to send virus-laden droplets hurtling toward them, putting their own health at risk. Why, then, would they be willing to do the same to others?
In Philippians 2:3-4, Paul gives us another relevant, overarching principle:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4 [CSB]
If taken at face value, these two verses put the mask issue in a clear light. In making our decision on whether to wear masks in public, the greatest consideration ought to be the interests of others, not our own liberty or freedom.
One final passage to summarize the biblical mandate for mask-wearing is found in 1 Peter 2:13-17.
Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves. Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
1 Peter 2:13-17 [CSB]
We would do well to read this passage slowly and carefully. As Christians living in the Great Pandemic of 2020, we are to submit to government authorities when they make decisions in the best interests of public health. We are to silence the criticisms of our opponents by doing good (i.e. wearing masks) and not giving them more fuel for their critical fire. We are to submit to laws and directions as free people, serving others as slaves of God. And we are to honor and love those around us, reserving fear for God alone.
Conclusion
At the heart of the anti-mask movement is a spirit of pride. It is an attitude of "self first, others second." And while the truth of Christian liberty cannot be denied, it can be exploited and taken advantage of.
We must remember that there is a greater purpose behind the freedom Jesus has won for us, and it is not to serve ourselves or our own interests. With the issue of wearing masks in public, as with all other issues, let us take our cues from the Word of God and not from the cultural or political formulations of man. The overall teaching of Scripture is clear: put others before and above yourself. Therefore, let us bear with one another in love, put up with a little inconvenience, and love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Let's wear our masks as an outward and visible representation of these biblical, Christ-like truths.