Tjenestegaver til Gud og tjenestegaver fra Gud - en guddommelig dynamikk for varig vekst (Ef 4.8-13 / Salme 68)

Jeg våknet idag med et bibelvers - det vil si: ikke innholdet, men bare referansen. I halvsøvne hørte jeg Ånden si: “Ef 4.8”. Ettersom jeg har lest og studert bibelen i over 30 år, så har jeg relativt god oversikt over hva som står, særlig i det nye testamente, så jeg visste at dette hadde noe med tjenestegaver å gjøre, og jeg fikk en fornemmelse av at versene rundt var med å skulle gi sammeheng:

“Til hver enkelt av oss er nåden gitt, alt etter som Den Salvedes (lat. Kristi) gave blir tilmålt. Derfor heter det:

Han steg opp i det høye 
og bortførte fanger,
til menneskene ga han gaver.

At han steg opp, må jo bety at han først var steget ned til det aller laveste, til jorden. Han som steg ned, er den samme som steg høyt opp over alle himler for å fylle alt.” (Ef 4.7-10)

Jeg kom på at jeg hadde funnet dette Skriftstedet som Paulus siterer i salme 68, og at jeg hadde stusset litt over at det virket å være litt annerledes formulert der enn det Paulus siterer.

“Guds vogner er ti tusen ganger tusen,
Herren er blant dem, hellig som på Sinai.
Du steg opp i det høye, bortførte fanger,
tok gaver blant mennesker, også opprørere,
så du kunne bo der, HERRE og Gud.” (Salme 68:18-19)

I den ene versjonen, der hvor Paulus siterer, heter det at Gud gav gaver til mennesker, mens det i den opprinnelige teksten i GT så heter det at Gud tok gaver blant mennesker. Jeg antok at Paulus sikkert hadde sitert fra Septuaginta (LXX), den greske oversettelsen av GT, som ofte har en litt annen vri enn den hebraisk/arameiske versjonen, og som de fleste GT sitater i NT er hentet ifra, men nei. Paulus har rett og slett tatt seg en gudommelig frihet og bevist gitt skriftstedet en ny dimensjon. En finner flere slike interessante forskjeller hvor NTs forfattere setter ting inn i en ny kontekst på denne måten. Kanskje et problem for dem som er oppstatt av skrift og bokstav. Men for dem som skjønner at Ordet dypest sett har en annen substans - Ånd og liv, så betyr det bare en gjennomtenkt utvidelse, et nytt perspektiv som Gud inspirerer. Når Skriftene er innblåst av Gud, så betyr det at det ligger noe mer bak, et bilde som egentlig er større enn det skrift og bokstav kan formidle. Det er derfor vi er så avhengige av Guds ånd, som har forfattet det hele og som ser dette større bildet. Det er han, sier Jesus, som vil formidle Jesus til oss, han som er Ordet i sin egentlige substans. Da blir det ikke historiene om Jesus noe som formidles bare, men Jesus blir levendegjort i livene våre, og han lever i og gjennom oss (Gal 2.20). Det som står skrevet får da en annen dimensjon, for den gudsåpenbaring og gudsliv og Gud inngripen en finner der, gjentar seg. Det som ligger bak det skrevne ordet, er ikke eventyr eller tom teori. Nei, Jesus lever, og hans brennende ønske er å leve i og gjennom oss. Han har ikke forandret seg, for Skriften sier: "Jesus den Salvede er den samme, igår, idag, ja til evig tid!" (Hebr. 13.8). Det han gjorde da, det gjør han nå. Det han ville da, det vil han nå. Skriften erstatter aldri en levende Gud; den åpenbarer ham og inviterer oss til et liv med ham. Det er derfor Skriften er noe helt annet enn noe annet som er skrevet på jord.

I den opprinnelige teksten i Salme 68, så er hensikten med Guds inngripen at Gud kunne bor der, og det selv om det ennå fantes opprørere. Vi hører gjenklangen av Guds lengsel som kommer til uttrykk så mange ganger i Skriften og som også kommer til å få sin endelige oppfyllelse: 

“Se, Guds bolig er hos menneskene.” (Åp 21.3)

Det forunderlige er at Gud når Gud tar gaver blant mennesker, så er altså opprørere med i betraktningen. Det henger utvilsomt sammen med Guds evne til å snu rundt på opprørere, fange deres oppmerksomhet og få dem til å oppdage hans storhet og skjønnhet og derfor bli grepet av ham. Paulus var jo selv en slik - en forfølger at Den Salvedes etterfølgere. Men Gud snudde ham 180 grader rundt, satte ham i spretterten og sendte ham avgårde i motsatt retning. Gud blir ikke redd av opprørere, av folk med sterke overbevisninger, meninger og overgivelse til det de tro på. Får han snudd slike, så blir det vei i vellinga. Gud liker tøffinger, også. 

“Men Gud være takk, som i Den Salvede (lat. Kristus) alltid fører oss fram i triumftog og gjennom oss sprer duften av kunnskapen om ham overalt.” (2 Kor 2.14)

Når Gud bortfører fanger, som det står i salme 68, så er det langt ifra så ille som det høres ut. Paulus tar dette bildet og takker Gud for at han ble fanget av Guds Salvede og nå ser seg sjøl om en del av hans triumftog (!). Det kan virke fremmed på noen av oss, men det var slik herskere gjorde det på den tiden. De gav fangene røkelseskar, slik at velduften kunne stige opp til gudene, og Paulus gjør bruk av det bildet også som unektelig var kjent for de han skrev til. Vi er i vår tid opptatt av å være frie og fremhever at vi er sønner og døtre og ikke slaver. Det som er riktig er at vi ikke er slaver i den forstand at vår Herre ikke bryr seg med å dele sine innerste hemmeligheter med oss (Joh 15). Vi er oppgradert for Gud inviterer oss til eierskap (arvinger) og vennskap (dyp relasjon). Det betyr ikke at sønner og døtre ikke tjener sine foreldre. Igjen blir vi fremmedgjort fra den opprinnelige sammenhengen av en moderne verden som ikke har den samme konteksten og de verdiene som ligger til grunn. I vår moderne tid er det nærmest foreldrene som står til tjeneste for barna, og en ender i verste fall opp som såkalte “curlingforeldre”. Det bibelske konseptet for å være sønn og datter, er at en tjener i familien fra en er helt liten. Det er en naturlig del av treningen for å ta del i familiebedriften som en skal arve og etter hvert få mer og mer ansvar i forhold til. Vi er ikke sønner og døtre som sitter der for å bli underholdt av foreldrene. Det var og skal ikke være foreldrenes problem at barna “kjeder seg”. Bruk fantasien og finn på noe. Det er sunt! Og hvis ikke; så har vi plenty å gjøre - no problema. Utfordringen i dagens samfunn er at vi blir bombadert med stimuli i form av underholdning, enten det er TV, Youtube, Facebook eller TV-spill. Ikke alt er bare negativt, noen spill kan trigge problemløsningsevne og være lærerike, og det finnes gode TV-program som både formidler kunnskap og gode verdier. Men vi kan ende opp med at vi forer hjernen og belønningssystemet i kroppen med overdose av underholdningsdop, og vi blir så dopa at det ikke er plass til stillhet og ettertanke og god gammelsdags kristen meditasjon, så vi kan høre ifra Gud. Jesus snakket også om å være en tjenerinnstilling hvor en ikke primært er opptatt av anerkjennelse og en klapp på skulderen, men finner glede i det å tjene bare fordi det er rett og godt (Luk 17.10). Og det interessant er at Jesus kobler en sterk tro med en slik tjenerinnstilling, slik også Paulus gjør det (1. Tim 3.13).

For å oppsummere: Gud fanger oss, og mellom oss tar han ut gaver til seg sjøl. Det er slik det beskrives i salme 68. Hensikten er dog god: Han vil bo imellom oss mennesker. Jeg tror vi sliter med å skjønne hvilket uendelige privilegium det er. Guds hus er et bønnens hus for alle folk, og det er preget av glede (Jes 56.7). For bønn er ikke et tomt rituale, men fellesskap med Far, og det kommer både spennende innsikt og bønnesvar ut av det. For mirakler skjer der Gud føler seg hjemme.

Paulus vrir litt på salmen og gir den en ny dimensjon. Når Gud tar ut gaver til sin Salvede, så gir den Salvede disse gavene til menneskene. Det er slik det fungerer i Guds rike. Vi gir til hverandre og det blir bare mer og mer ut av det. Men det er helt vesentlig at det begynner med at disse gavene er overgitt til Jesus og dermed til å bære Guds rikes frukt. De er ikke en del av menighetens underholdningsprogram, så vi skal føle det litt bedre. De er der for å representere Jesus Guds Salvede i all hans fylde og de er der for å se menigheten vokse opp til å ligne på ham (Ef 4.11-13), slik de selv ligner på ham. Og Jesus sin målsetningen er ikke rent liten. Paulus sier: “for å fylle alt” (!). Ok. Her begynner det jo å ta litt av. Paulus kobler denne målsetningen til tjenestegavene og deres rolle i å se Jesu kropp reise seg og nå hele den Salvedes fylde (Ef 4.11-13).

“...for å fylle alt. Og det var han som ga noen til å være apostler, noen til profeter, noen til evangelister og noen til hyrder og lærere, for å utruste de hellige til tjeneste så Den Salvedes (lat. Kristi) kropp bygges opp, inntil vi alle når fram til enheten i troen på Guds Sønn og i kjennskapet til ham og blir det modne mennesket som er fullvoksent og har hele Den Salvedes (lat. Kristi) fylde. (Ef 4:11-13)

Måten Jesus har tenkt å fylle alt, er å la sine gaver, som alle er grepet av ham og hans visjon om å fylle alt, utruste de hellige så menigheten som helhet uttrykker Jesus i all sin fylde og herlighet. Hva i all verden, Paulus. Er vi ikke fullstendig på vei inn i herlighetsteologi, her? Det en trenger å forstå er at denne meningsløse teologiske diskusjonen som setter korsteologi og herlighetsteologi opp imot hverandre, den finnes ikke i NT overhodet. Tvert imot, så er det to sider av samme sak. Du får aldri bibelsk herlighetsteologi uten at den inkluderer korsteologi. Det at Den Salvede bor i meg, forutsetter at jeg er korsfestet med ham (Gal 2.20). Det at han får leve sitt liv igjennom meg og deg, betyr at vi må ta opp korset hver dag og følge ham. Hva betyr det? For mange virker det å være å dra seg sjøl opp etter hårene og virkelig ta seg sammen. Men det dreier seg ikke om det. Det dreier seg om å la seg utruste til tjeneste heller å sitte på rompa på møter etter møte og høre den samme undervisningen opp igjen og opp igjen uten at vi velger å sette det vi hører ut i livet. Og her er det to sider av en ulykkelig situasjon for Guds folk. På den ene siden er ikke å utruste å stå bak en talerstol å dosere en undervisning fra bibelen. Hvis vi skulle lese dette ut fra evangeliene, hvor stor prosentandel av Jesus sin tjeneste bestod i å gjøre dette? “Værsågod, her har dere hver sin Torah; vi begynner i 1. Mosebok.” Men vi mener tydeligvis at vi har funnet en bedre metode enn Jesus. Sørgelig bare at resultatene ikke bekrefter det, tvert imot.

Om vi skal forstå hva Paulus snakker om når han snakker om å bygge opp Den Salvede / Messias sin kropp, så må vi tilbake til forståelsen av Messias - det som dessverre er blitt til det intetsigende latinske Kristus. Denne som Isrealittene ventet på, som skulle være som David en som var salvet til Konge - Prest - Profet på samme tid, og som skulle berge dem fra fiendene. Det de fleste av dem ikke skjønte når Jesus kom, var at han var den som i GT ble beskrevet som Herrens engel. Om du leser GT nøye, så vil du finne at det mange ganger er vanskelig å skille mellom Herrens engel og Herren sjøl. Det virke mange steder å være den samme. Og om jødefolket og de skriftlærde tenkte at Messias ville være menneskesønnen som var ved Guds trone som vi finner beskrevet i profeten Daniel 7.13-14, så forstod de iallefall ikke at Jesus skulle være dette; de hadde helt andre forventninger. De skjønte heller ikke sammenhengen mellom Herrens lidende tjener i Jesaja 53 og utover og denne Messias. Jesaja forutså dette og sa: “Hvem trodde vel det budskapet de hørte?”

Jesus inkluderer oss som hode for sin kropp i den samme tjenesten som han hadde når han gikk på jord. Han profeterer i Joh 14 at fordi han går til Far, skal dette skal få større dimensjoner enn hans egen jordiske tjeneste. Forklaringen får vi på pinsedag, når Peter forklarer at Jesus av sin Far fikk den hellige Ånd som han øste ut over de første troende, og som han fortsetter å øse ut av de troende idag.

“Denne Jesus har Gud reist opp, det er vi alle vitner om. Han ble opphøyd til Guds høyre hånd og mottok fra sin Far Den hellige ånd som var lovet oss, og den har han nå øst ut, slik dere ser og hører.” (Apg 2.32-33)

Den hellige ånd salver oss i en nytestamentlig prest-profet-konge tjeneste. Peter kaller de troende et kongelig presteskap (1. Pet 2.9), og Paulus forklarer i 1.Kor 12-14 hvordan Ånden med sine gaver hjelper de troende både å bygge opp hverandre og å vinne mennesker gjennom å fokusere på andre enn oss sjøl (1. Kor 14). Han løfter frem den profetiske gaven som spesielt viktig (1.Kor 14.4-5; 14.24-25). Vi tjener Gud med en salvelse fra den hellige Ånd til å være prester som tilbud Gud i hans nærvær, som ber på vegne av dem som ennå ikke vet hvordan de skal be, som bringer Guds rettferdighet og rettledning ut til folket. Vi er salvet av Ånden til å være et profetisk folk som hører slik fra Gud at de som er i berøring med oss faller på sitt ansikt og bekjenner at Gud er sannelig mellom oss (1.kor 14.24-25). Vi har en kongelig autoritet fra Gud til å befale sykdommer og demoner å fly og Åndens kraft over oss til å helbrede de syke og sønderbrutte. Det er slik Jesus opererte og det er slik han så gjerne ønsker å kunne operere gjennom oss. At vi kalles den Salvedes (lat. Kristi) kropp, betyr at vi er en del av en salvet kropp, vi er ment å være en fortsettelse av det Jesus “begynte å gjøre og lære” (Apg 1.1, BGO).

Når noen får seg til å kalle dette for herlighetsteologi som i motsetning til korsteologi, så er det fordi en ikke har erfart denne dimensjonen av den Salvedes tjeneste nok til at den andre siden av dette er blitt virkeliggjort: “Alle som vil leve gudfryktig, vil bli forfulgt.” Det blir ikke virkeliggjort så lenge vi bare har ytre skinn av gudsfrykt, men med livene våre fornekter dens kraft (2. Tim 3.5). Derfor er vi sårt avhengig av en ny reformasjon.

Det beste Gud kan gi til oss, er det som allerede er helt
overgitt til ham. Det beste vi kan gi til Gud, er å ta
imot den overgivelse til oppgraget som han sender oss
og la den forme livene våre og bære rikets frukt.

Vi trenger at Gud reiser opp tjenestegaver. Men det er to helt
nødvendige ingredienser som må til for at vi skal komme ut av åndsfattigdommens hengemyr og vokse opp til som han er hodet, den Salvede (lat. Kristus). For det første må de Gud reiser opp ikke ende opp som konferansetalere. Det er bedre om de gir seg til de 12 mest sultne i en by enn at de holder konferanse for 1500 mennesker som hører det de forkynner, men ikke har vilje eller evne til å omsette det i et levd liv, men gjerne kommer på neste konferanse. For det andre må vi som er troende faktisk ønske å bli utrustet til tjeneste. Ordet for utruste er det greske katartismos, som stammer fra et ord som betyr brukende, istandsatt, fullstendig, hele og sunn. Gud ønsker å ha oss brukende og sunne. Men igjen kommer korset inn. For vil vi sitte på gode stoler, ha fin og vakker lovsang og høre på inspirende og god undervisning, kun, eller vil vi bli trent til å se vekst for Guds rike og få en sunami av arbeid og trøbbel på grunn av det? Det er det som Gud forstår som fullstendig og sunn. Selvopptatthet og bedagelighet er usunt. Hva er det som får oss i Vesten til å tro at å bre ut Guds rike er som å flyte på en rosa sky, når ikke Jesus og apostlene opplevde det slik og det ikke fungerer slik de stedene i verden hvor evangeliet går frem? Kommer det til å innebære ubehag? Ja, så absolutt! Men den gleden i den hellige Ånd som de fikk del i, dem som ble pisket og fikk forbud mot å forkynne om Jesus, den er fremdeles tilgjengelig idag. Poenget med mennesker som er fanget av Gud og slik grepet og oppslukt av evangeliet om Guds rike, at det motiverer og styrer hele livet, er at hele menigheten skal bli slik. Ikke at alle skal bli helt like i utrustning, gave, farge og fasong, men vi skal være like grepet av Jesus. Enten vi hjelper de rusavhengige, fattige eller ensomme, eller leder en forbønnsgruppe som støtter opp om lederskapet og evangeliseringsteamene, eller leder en cellegruppe, eller har gitt oss seg til skape profetisk kunst, eller har gitt oss til oppsøkende evangelisering ute der folk ferdes. Gud vil la stadig flere tjenestegaver vokse frem når vi gir oss til å bli trent, og slik vil veksten fortsette til oppdraget er fullført. Det er korsteologi og herlighetsteologi i skjønn forening. Vi kan ikke omfavne korset uten å erfare Guds herlighet. Da er det ikke det sanne Jesu kors vi har omfavnet. For Jesu kors fordrer en etterfølgende oppstandelse og åndsutgytelse. Du kan ikke bære Guds herlighet uten å omfavne korset. Hans liv er et korsliv, et liv som tømmer seg ut for å se andre velsignet, forandret og utrustet. Uten korset dør det med oss og vi står uten varig frukt. Poenget med vårt gjennombrudd er andres gjennombrudd. Kjærligheten viser seg i fokuset på “de andre” (1. Kor 14). Paulus sier det slik: Slik er døden virksom i oss, men livet i dere. Hva er det han sier? At han legger ned livet sitt for at andre skal få oppleve det han har opplevd. Det er da vi i sannhet er grepet av den Salvede.

The Faith, The mask, The Vaccine and The Conscience

Challenging and darker times
We are living in challenging times. The ongoing pandemic has put the world society under pressure. Whether you think of globalism as a curse or a blessing, it is obvious that there is no possible “Brexit” from the corona virus. It just doesn't honour such boundaries. Chinese “Alpha”, “Indian” Delta and ”South African” Omicron; we can try to put names on it and point out its origin, but it doesn't matter if you get infected, get seriously ill and in worst case, die from it. You could put on your tomb stone: “It all came from China”. But it won't bring you back to life, and it wouldn't heal the sorrow and wounds of your family that misses you. They would still have to go through it. “America First” won't help if too big part of the US population don't believe in and won't take the very vaccine their own “hero” President wanted so much to take the credit for. For some that is an expression of true freedom. For others it is an expression of stubbornness towards stupidity.

Other geopolitical dark clouds are emerging. China is putting their clammy arms around Hong Kong, not honouring the “one country - two systems” deal, as the last independent news papers closes down after arrests confiscations. It's a dark reminder of what will be the fate of Taiwan, which seems to be the next on the list for Beijing, and which will have much greater impact on the western world, should it take place. So big an impact, that it might start a war. A little further westwards, the one Arabic/Islamic state that boast true democratic rights, seem to be history. The Arabian Spring has proved to be a failure. Democracy has had its better circumstances in Russia as well, and now Russia clearly threatens Ukraine with invasion and war and is trying to threaten NATO alliance to negotiatiate on Ukraine's future. The Russion claims seems to be unthinkable to accept, and war might be inevitable. The consequences is unpredictable. Russia delivers a lot of the gas that Europe needs to survive, and they may decide to turn off the taps even though that might have a hugh negative impact on their economy. 

To summarize: what has seemed to be a world heading towards better integration, stability and slow improvement, has changed.  As good as democracy is as a stabilizing factor that can bring freedom, prosperity and wealth for a bigger part of the population, it can be slow to take action when crisis emerge and more dramatic changes are needed. On the other side of the scale, war and violent revolutions are ready to show their ugly faces, and history teaches us that they are have never been the answers for a generation, and only a few times for generations to come. 

A call to shine as a city upon a hill

“Rise up in splendor and be radiant, for your light has dawned,
and Yahweh’s glory now streams from you!
Look carefully! Darkness blankets the earth,
and thick gloom covers the nations,
but Yahweh arises upon you
and the brightness of his glory appears over you!
Nations will be attracted to your radiant light
and kings to the sunrise-glory of your new day.“ (Isaiah 60:1-3, TPT)

I truly believe this word from the Lord through Isaiah is for the church in every generation. Jesus Himself said; “And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden” (Matt 5:14). The one who fulfilled the prophecies in Isaiah 53, in the song of the suffering Servant of Yahweh, The Eternal I Am, will also fulfill the prophecies in Isaiah 60 through 62. It is Him, The Anointed One, The Messiah, who said: 

“And this truth of who I am will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it! 

I will give you the keys of heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in heaven.” (Matt 16:18-19)

The question that remains, is how we work this beautiful redemptive story of God out. Because it is primarily His story, not ours. We get to become a part of His story, and to the extent that we take part in His story, we are highly relevant to this world of darkness, because then His light will shine through us. Darkness is still there, but it will have no chance against light, just as Jesus predicted: the power of death will not be able to overpower the church of the Living God. I do believe that we find the answer in the Scriptures, God's own word. I think he has modelled who we should be the light of the world. The early church didn't spend much time on political matters and questions outside the church. The church was itself the alternative society which was to be the showcase for the Kingdom of God. That is why the church took care of its poor and needy people. It didn't expect the world around it to do so. That did not exclude any charity to non-believers, but the early church clearly understood its primary responsibility. There was no law to protect believers, unless they happened to be Roman citizens, like the apostle Paul. And even though he was a Roman citizen, he ended his life as martyr under Roman hands. In the end of the day, the early church could only surrender to God, whom was the center of their lives and their influence. The ironical fact is that even though a lot of believers ended their lives as martyrs, nothing could stop the spread of the Christian faith and lifestyle. And though the faith reached people who had political influence in their day, it is hard to find that their focus was as nearly as much in the policital sphere as we find us as believers today. The best example in the Bible of a believer who server as the a minister in an administration, is the prophet Daniel. And honestly, he had an accuracy that was a little above those who, on behalf of God, promised the former President of the US another 4 years in position. Also, he did not relate to an evil demonized Witch-King as nearly as respectless as I've found belivers to relate to the current US President. The example of the prophet Daniel shows us that there is a place in God's Kingdom to serve as a politician or a secretary of State. But what would make those believers shine is such positions would be divine wisdom, revelation and a hunble and respectful attitude. There is a limit to what we as believers can get involved in and support. Daniel had his limits, and those boundaries threw him both in the fierce oven and in the lions den. Yet, there was no way Daniel could give in to the pressure that he no doubt must have felt. There are some red lines that just cannot be crossed. For Daniel it was impossible to get involved in worshipping the King of Babylon, and there was no way he could stop praying to the true God. The life of Daniel serves as a guideline to how we as believers should operate in a world that “lies under the misery and influence of the Evil One.” (1 John 5:19, TPT). 

What formed the early church and made it a true “city upon a hill” was the teachings and training of the apostles (Act 2.42). It was a foundation of apostles and prophets where the cornestone was not the teachings about Jesus, but the Anointed Jesus Himself (Eph 2.20). Thus the didache ton apostólon was not only the bible teachings of the apostles, it was the training, the instructions into an apostolic-prophetic lifestyle that emerged from that foundation of apostles and prophets. What made this “grassroot movement” so difficult to stop, we find in Acts 9-11. The ones that were driven from their rightfully owned homes and jobs, just ordinary disciples, preached the gospel whereever they came. Also, we find that they did so succesfully. The teachings of the apostles was an equipping, preparing, training of the holy ones for work of ministry, a ministry that resembled that of the apostles, and that is why they received the same result as them; growth for the Kingdom of God. The word for equipping is the greek katartismos, which is derived from a word that means suitable, complete, capable and sound. The ultimate goal for this equipping and training is the buidling up of the body of the Anointed One, both in numbers and level of maturity (Eph 4.11-13). The way the ordinary believers that were in a desperate situation were used by God to spread the gospel and to establish a new apostolic base in Antioch proofs what work of ministry was not merely to sit in the pews and listen to good, systematic theology or to fascilitate big meetings and conferences. Nay, they were trained for what to do if there were non of the apostles who trained them around. And they didn't start when that was the situation. What they did when they were on the run from persecution was what they already did in their everyday life. They were trained to preach the gospel with signs and wonders following, to lead house groups and house churches by doing it. That is why Paul says work of ministry, its means action primarily outside church buildings. The fact that “go to church” for most people means to go to specific building, is an omen of how far the church has slipped away from true New Testament Christianity. The first apostles taught and evangelized in homes and publicly (Acts 20.20; 5.42). Apostles are not primarily pulpit and conference people. Their focus is on multiplication of believers and ministries (2. Tim 2.2). That is why that we quite early in the history of the church are introduced to new named ministries (Philip, Stephen, who became the first martyr, Barnabas, Paul, Simeon, a negro fellow, Lucius, Manaen, Judas, Silas, Timothy, Agabos, Apollos). From the school of supernatural ministry that Paul ran in Ephesus, people were sent all over Asia Minor (Turkey) and new churches were planted, to some of whom Paul wrote one of the letters we have in the New Testament, but never got the chance to visit. 

Faith and reality
To understand how the Kingdom of God would and should look like in our modern day, it is crucial to understand how it looked like in the environment where it all started. Some things will be exactly the same, and some circumstances could be different, partly dependant upon where you live on planet earth. I don't think Chinese and Iranian Christians would say that heavy persecution we witness in through the testimony of the NT is not relevant to them. They would recognize it and relate to it. The irony is that, in our modern western democracy's, where Christians seem to shout louder about persecution, ordinary believers don't shout so loud about the gospel as do their fellow believers in countries like Iran and China. More Muslims come to Christ, the Anointed One in Muslim countries than in a country like Norway, per capita. Actually, some converts that have to escape their Muslim home country and immigrate to the western world, has lost their new faith, because they didn't find Christians who seem to take their faith seriously. That is a harsh reality, and it should be a call for the churches in the western world to repentance. There has always a seed of truly believing Christians through the generations. This was the case during the Dark Middle Age, and is still the case in what some have come to believe to be a post-Christian Age.  

What we learn from the bible and which is also so in the New Testament, is that faith and reality is not opposite of each other. This have at least two implications. Firstly, the bible doesn't hide facts that is opposite to God's perfect will and standard. So it does say that some of the disciples failed to cast of the demon of the boy, while Jesus and the other three were on the mountain of transfiguration. It doesn't hide the fact that Peter sank, after walking towards Jesus on the water. It doesn't hide that Peter kept hidden for a while after being supernaturally set free from prison. Nor does it hide that fact that the prayer meeting in deep intercession for Peter first denied to receive the very answer to their prayers himself. All this details tells be that the bible is not a fairytail book, some kind of idealistic and unrealistic fantasy that just isn't meant to be available for ordinary people. So when it says in Acts 5 that all the people in the villages surrounding Jerusalem who came for healing were actually healed, it does say what actually happened. He both hear that Paul healed virtually everyone ill on the island of Malta (Acts 28), and that he had to leave one of his team members sick (2. Tim 4:20). This also means that when Peter did sink, he wasn't denying the facts. He was neither frantically nor calmly confessing: “I am not sinking. I am not sinking. I am not sinking.”. Nay, he knew he was in serious trouble and shouted: “Lord, save me!”. And what saved Peter wasn't his dull confession deriving from Jesus' faith seminaries. It was the very presence of Jesus Himself. I truly believe that Jesus was more happy with the one who tried to do the impossible, and partly succeded, than with all the ones that remained in that boat. Probably it was with a smile that Jesus challenged Peter on his loosing his courage: “Why did you doubt me?” Peter was the one yelling in this situation; Jesus was only talking. And Jesus didn't wait until Peter's head was under the water surface before coming to rescue, just to teach him a lesson. Nay, he immediately stretched out his hand and grabbed this to-be leader of his church of miracles. The point is, that we as believers have a faith that can handle to face facts and realities. We are not threatened by the facts, and we should also be able to handle facing our own weaknesses and immaturity. So, even though I now for a fact that there is spiritual realities that are available to me through faith and that is above physical realities, like illness and even death, I am also aware that I have not seen anyone raised from the dead, yet, nor have anyone that I personally fellowship with in church. Personally, I have never seen anyone healed from cancer, even though I desperately long for it. Do I pray for people with cancer? Yes, I do! I regularly go out on the streets, doing treasure hunts, searching for people that would be open to prayer, and we have seen people get stunned and flabbergasted when miracles have happen through prayer and laying on of hands. Not long prayers, because Jesus didn't teach us to use long prayers. Nay, no more than 15 seconds, and then we let them test it, if possible. People who have had physical restrictions have been able to do what they couldn't to before after such prayers. Which is fantastic and great, and such an opportunity to preach the gospel. Yet, I will have to admit, that there is quite a long road before I am even close to the level of success the early church that is described in my bible had. I don't let that distance intimidate me from praying for the sick and stretching my faith towards new breakthroughs. But God's love dictates that I should do so in a way that is not dangerours or harmful to anybody. I take responsibility for any lack of improvement, and not putting that on people who are already suffering and downcast. I tell them that I am a disciple of Jesus learning to do His stuff, and people have generally been very respectful to our approach, even people who confess their are atheists (which are people that are really fun to pray for).

The mask - lack of faith, or just loving anxious people?
During the corona pandemic, we have had very little restrictions on our treasure hunts. Just a few weeks during almost 2 years hassling with this thing, restrictions have made it difficult. I've seen Christians who have strong opinions on using masks. I try to understand their arguments, and it seems that they are afraid that masks will steal their identify, their freedom and expression of faith. Maybe I am a bit simple minded, but during this pandemic we've had a simple approach to this. If people we meet on the streets or in a shopping mall, wear masks, so do we, and if not, it is easier to talk without it, so we take it off. We've had a “gentile to gentile, and Jew to Jew” approach:

“Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” (1 Cor 9:19-23, NLT)

Even though I am not anxious because of the pandemic, some people are. I don't want to provoke them negatively or scare them from a conversation about the risen Anointed One. I wouldn't cheat them from a chance to experience His ressurection power over something so silly as a mask, would you? Nay, I would treat people and their fears with respect. So, we have used antibac before laying our hands on people, asking them for permission to touch them, and demonstratively washed our hands before their eyes. Why? Because of unbelief? No! Because we love people, and we want them to feel safe. My own experience is that if you can have people relax, it is easier to get them healed. Honestly, one of the biggest miracles I have seen on the street happened as we prayed wearing masks. This was a young fellow who had hurt his shoulder during exercise, and it was so painful that had put restricions on him. He was already astonished while we prayed for his friend who had injured his knee, because he could feel God's presence. So he accepted prayer for his shoulder. I cracked a joke with him, that I immediately regretted when I saw what it lead to: “What if you performed a cartwheel?” Suddenly, he got a very serious expression on his face, and he said: Well, if that works, then .... ” He positioned himself just in front of a grocery store for everyone to see and looked as if he was preparing for something really astonishing. I looked at his friend with bewilderment, but he shrugged his shoulders and answered: “I don't have a clue what he's up to.” Suddenly he want off with great speed, performed to cartwheels and then a backwards sommersault. Our jaws dropped, honestly, and I prayed fervently to God: “I really hope you did something good, Lord, if not we might have to take him to the emergency room.” He came back and was as pale in his face as a white sheet, shaking all our. It took some time for us to understand the situation because he just repeated: “I just don't understand this. I just don't...” The thing he couldn't get his head around was the fact that his shoulder didn't hurt. We had such an opportunity to share God's heart for them and the gospel of Jesus the Anointed One. 

I cannot say that wearing a mask wouldn't restrict anyone in their ministry. I only say that this is not necessarily so. But if something like a little cloth as a mask really could restrict your faith, I am still surprised, and I think our own opinions and feelings about it would have something to say. Anger and frustration is not the best fuel and motivation for Christian ministry. I have found that when I focus on loving people, smiling to them, showing them our affection and interest in their well being, I become a more effective witness for Jesus in every respect. Like, when people say that they are already well, we smile and say: “Man, that's fantastic! What a happy Thursday evening for you!” When they understand that we are there to pray for the sick, such a respons surprises them and makes them happy. It tears down disinclinations and prejudices, and it paves the way for deeper conversations. To wear a mask is not comfortable, but I find it a little price to pay to be able to reach out to more people than would otherwise be the case. And we won't be wearing masks forever. It is just for a limited period of time. 

“Try to do what is good and right and honorable as agreed upon by all people. If it is within your power, make peace with all people.” (Rom 12:17-18, VOICE)

We have to ask ourselves this question: Is wearing a mask of such importance that it is a non-negotionable? Would we allow ourselves to be cast in the fuiry oven and to the lion's dens because of it? Is it a serious restriction on or breach with our Christian faith? Or is it rather Christian virtue to identify with the weak and rather hide our confidence in some areas of life? But if this such a serious matter for any of my fellow believers that they are the weak ones, having a conscience that would accuse them of sinning, if wearing a mask, then, of course, love dictates that I should not impose that rule on them. But I yet to meet who would say that, though. To me, it seems more like a reaction against government whom they regard to move in a Anti-Christian direction. I do understand their point as far as that go. I just don't think imposing masks is the big part of it. And if faith is about the realities of heaven, I still have some many opportunities to grow, and honestly we need to. Because the Jesus we end up portraiting seem to have lost all of his teeth, figuratively speaking.

The Vaccine - science, the media, the society and the Christian faith
As Christians we can have different attitudes towards medical science. I think it hard to find any biblical basis to say that medical science is inherently evil. Most Christians will not have any objections to going to see a doctor if they broke their leg, or something, or to use pain killers to relieve headaches. Quite a large percentage of Christians would accept chemotherapy as treatment for cancer, even though long term sideeffects of chemotherapy can reduce life quality a lot. There is a saying for this: cancer free, but yet not healthy, and I personally know people who have been marked by such treatment. But since cancer in most cases is a life or death situation and we as a church, at least in the western world, don't see all to many healed from cancer, it is a risk that many of us are willing to take.

Medical science was in its beginning research done by believing people, who didn't see their research as opposed to prayer. In the bible, a prophet adviced ointment from figs as part of a healing process of king Hezekiah (2. King 20), and the apostle Paul had Luke, a doctor, as part of his apostolic team. As far as it goes, medical science has its limitations, and personally I am convinced that we will always need prayers for miracles to happen. Our experience on the streets, is that there by far enough people who have needs that we can pray for, given that they are willing to receive prayer. For those who are sceptical, we find that some fresh testimonies of what God has done, often will change people's minds. “Well, it can't hurt. I'll give it a try”. If the church at large had a level of faith and breakthrough in this ongoing pandemic where we were truly successful, a vaccine could prove unnecessary. So far, I have not heard of any prayer teams who have emptied intensive care units for patients, nor a greater number of dead people raised. I read a comment from a brother who felt like, “well, Jesus wouldn't take any vaccine, and truly he wouldn't be afraid of covid. So why should he?” Well, it is easy to agree. I though to myself: “Finally, I've found a fellow who has that kind of faith. I'll call him and say that I want to join him and empty a couple of intensive care units of covid patients. How fun will that be!” Well, he didn't respond to my request, unfortunately. But, if we are going to be real and not only boast of our theoretically intelligent theology, to empty intensive care units of covid patients, is what Jesus would have done, right? Honestly, I would not be against such an exploit, and I truly hope that one day we will grow to show what power there is in the resurrection of Jesus the Anointed One. As it is, I have personally lost believing friends in third world countries that has seen quite a few more miracles than I have. They didn't even get the choice of a vaccine that could have saved their lives, and now churches have lost their dear spiritual mother and father. It is costly, not only in ours, but also in God's eyes. 

I know that Jesus wouldn't be afraid of covid, but nor am I. I am not afraid of dying, because life is the Anointed One, and dying is an upgrade. So I am not panicking in any ways. On the other hand, I am not looking for the first and worst way to die, so there is certain things in life you pay some due attention and respect. I pay attention to traffic rules to reduce the risk of accidents, for instance. If a familiy has contracted vomitting, you normally would just avoid visiting them for a while. For those of us who are not raised in the US, it is kind of hard to get our heads around why people has so much faith in God to protect them from covid, so that neither masks or vaccine are necessary, but truly they need guns to protect them from thieves and other criminals. Suddenly God seems to be out of the picture. My point is, independent on what we think of gun laws, that there is a inconsistency in this that should tell us that our attitudes on things like a new vaccine, has more to do with how we trust those who run the country than how we trust God. You can receive faith and peace from God to accept a vaccine to protect you from being infected, or at least from getting more severly ill. Others might still be more sceptical and find it uneasy to accept a vaccine where long term side effects is not yet known, or might even be sceptical to any vaccine for some reason. What seems quite clear from what we know so far in this pandemic, is that our choice might not only affect our health, but others as well, and that fact makes the choice a bit more complicated. In my opinion God's love dictates that unless I am certain that I have the level of faith and breakthrough to heal those affected of covid, this pandemic shouldn't be a case for me to stretch my faith and just ignore every directions given from the health authorities. There is so many other circumstances where I can have my faith stretched without risking the health and lives of others. If I think that I am certain that I am protected, such certainty of protection and healing should have some evidence and testimony in the real world. If you regularly see people stricken by covid healed, you're good to go. And even though I am not yet at that level of faith, it doesn't mean that those people do not exist. On the other side, it is no good testimony for the gospel of our Lord if a greater number of believers die from covid rejecting a remedy that was available to them, and we should be sober in the assessment of where we stand in this. In the US, more people die of Covid per capita in areas where people are sceptical towards taking the vaccine, and ironically where a majority voted for the losing President candidate who has in fact taken it himself. The US has passed Sweden in the numbers of Covid related deaths per 100.000 capita by almost a 100 (245 vs 150). Why is that important? Well, Trump support and a love for America and scepticism against government seem to go together among the Christians I know. Trump made fun of Sweden and used them as an example on how not to do it, and yet he more than reproduced it himself. To be fair, not every reason for the high death rates in the pandemic relates to Trump and his choices, because there are many aspects here that has been so for decades, but some of his choices and statements obviously didn't help.

As a Christian leader I would be reluctant to put to much spiritual “revelation” into such the choice of getting vaccinated or not. I wouldn't say that I've heard from God that the vaccine is safe for everyone, even though that might be my personal conviction. I would still recommend people to get informed and to make a choice for themselves. Nor would I warn people to say that there is some danger or, even worse, some Satanic conspiracy behind it. But, again, our Christian faith and minds should survive facing some bare facts. Even though, in the unlikely event of medical science having suddenly decided to make a new vaccine to eradicate the Christian faith, they would never succeed. Our God is bigger than that. The irony in this is that some seem to have the need to spread fear against a remedy that doesn't seem to have any other intentions than to save lives, and the same people accuse the governments and media for spreading fear among people to make them accept restrictions and to receive fairly new vaccines. If we choose to go into the conspiracy paradigm, we can easily choose to call everything that contradict our views “fake news”, and MSM (Main Stream Media) has become a popular word amongst some believers. Personally, I read news, and I study to what extent they become a echo chamber, or whether they manage to give opposite voices a place. My conclusion is that the media in Norway is far less MSM than some people would want to portray them as. Some of my MSM claiming friends don't even regularly read the media channel they criticize. It is generally much easier to keep a simplified and caricatured picture of things you don't know well, and it as a well known psychological mechanism. It works everywhere, like, when the secular media in Norway write about charismatic Christianity; suddenly everything becomes so “extreme” and unhealthy, while top-level sports athletes doing their extreme things are considered heros. The fact that some of these ahletes have to push their bodys so hard and keep their weight down that they get eating disorder, doesn't get he same “extreme” and unhealthy label. Supporters going totally wild in a sports game, is portrayed as totally normal and just some really good atmosphere. In a charmismatic Christian meeting the same would be depicted as mass suggestion. On the other side, I find Christians who are equally able to make themselves echo chambers where they are willing to believe virtually anything and equally denying obvious facts. That is were we choose to take our lives and our faith away from the real world, and start making a fantasy world of our own. Whether our lives are so settled that it is deadly boring, or it is so demanding that we don't really know how to face the next day, creating virtual realities might feel as a relief, but it is not helpful. The Christianity that in the early days brought the gospel to the world didn't create a virtual reality, it changed the reality by the way the Christian life was lived. The gospel was spread by ordinary people who not only survived in harsh environments, but also lived influential lives. We are called to do the same - to be world changers.

So what are the facts, then? There is an ongoing pandemic that has the potential to kill a lot more people than an ordinary flu. A lot depends on the level of exposure to the koronavirus, and this is what makes this difficult to explain and difficult to manage. Ideally, those with good health could be infected with only a small amount of viruses which would no more symptoms than a ordinary flu for most of us, and would be quite effective to avoid more spreading and therefore more serious cases of covid. Firstly, infections doesn't normally happen that way. That is why we make vaccines, and have done so for decades, which is the way we figuratively speaking “infect” people willingly, but in a way that doesn't make people badly ill. For all vaccines, even the old ones, there is still a small residing risk, though. I have one in my family that was severly impacted by a vaccine, and he got brain damaged. So why give people vaccines when there is such risks involved? Well, because the alternative is much worse. There is risk involved in taking painkillers; it rare circumstances it could actually kill you. But we don't advocate stopping all sale of painkillers, do we? There is three attributes of the coronavirus that makes it a real pain to manage. 

1) It is a retrovirus (RNA virus), like other viruses known to give us “the flu”, and like the HIV virus. We haven't had any successful vaccines against neither the flu nor HIV/AIDS, and it is due to the way this viruses operate and the way our immune system operates. Retroviruses can change their “look” and thus hide themselves from the alarm system of our immune system which will call on the SWAT team to do the dirty job to kill the intruder. There is some vaccines against the flu, and som elderly people get them on yearly basis, but they are prone to fail because of the variety of the viruses. 

2) It is highly infectious. This doesn't only mean that it is likely that many get the virus. It also means that the number of viruses in each human being that has been infected can be very high, and in these cases, the risk of getting severly ill, increases. When high number people with high number of viruses, you can do the math. The time it takes before quite a number of people get critically ill in very short time, may skyrocket. We've seen it in Southern Europe, in India and in New York, just to mention a few. The Health care system is put under severly pressure, and we've seen doctors and nurses die from covid because of high level of exposure, even though they use all kinds of countermeasures to protect themselves.

3) At least some variants of the coronavirus, like the delta variant, thrives and reproduces itself deep down in our respiratory system, affecting our lunges and our ability to breath effectively, and it may cause a lot of other complications, and in worst cases it is life threatening.

There is no vaccine against the HIV, due to its retro design, even though getting infected has deadly implications if untreated. There is luckily treatment available, but who need to be on specially designed ART medications (antiretroviral) with a some potential long term side effects the rest of your life. In Africa, a lot of people still die from HIV/AIDS. 

“In the countries of sub-Saharan Africa most affected, AIDS has raised death rates and lowered life expectancy among adults between the ages of 20 and 49 by about twenty years.”

But we don't hear a lot about HIV/AIDS in our modern, western world, do we? For our part, it is deemed sufficiently managed, because few people die from AIDS. Antiviral drugs could absolutely be a way of treatment for corona/covid as well, and some variants have proved effective and recently been released for use. The only drawback is that you need to apply them rather early the course of the infection. While HIV spend years to make you critically ill, the corona virus is a lot faster, and again it depends on the level of exposure. With just a few people infected, the level of exposure can be kept low and alternative treatments could prove to be sufficient.

The very much discussed vaccines can be categorised in two groups. More traditional vaccines and the brand new mRNA vaccine. If these two, the mRNA vaccines, like that of Pfizer and Moderna Spikevax, has proved to best the most effective and also the ones with least short term side effects. The more tradisional vector based AstraZeneca vaccine has proved less effective against new variants of the coronavirus, and has also had some serious side effects, which caused countries like Norway and Denmark to ban its use in the vaccine program altogether. The serious side affects were very much mentioned in what some call MSM - strange thing to do, if they should be a part of a hidden conspiration with the intension to hurt the population, don't you think? The mRNA vaccines are different. We are used to vaccines that promise to be effective for like 10 years or so. The challenge that these new vaccines face is altogether different, and the way they work is different, for good and for bad. Firstly, those with a weaker immune system, those who are most in need of protection, will benefit the least from the mRNA vaccine, like the elderly or other people on treatment that reduces their immune system. The remedy has seemed to be additional doses. Secondly, the protection seem to last for shorter period of time than traditional vaccines. For how long would we need additional doses? Honestly, we don't know. Thirdly, the protection these vaccines give, when you throw all the new variants of the coronavirus at it, is more to prevent serious illness than to prevent infection and spreading. That is, there is protection against infection and spreading; it is just that this protection is lower than the protection against a serious covid condition. Some will say: “Well, that's is not a vaccine, then”. That would be more a discussion of definition, but knowing the degree of scepticism, it could be wise not to call it a vaccine, and make it in tablet form. Then I would not be in need of writing all of this, and everybody would be happy. Well, just until some spread a conspiracy theory why they did not call it a vaccine, while it in fact still was. I think it fair to call the mRNA treatment a vaccine, it just that it is different in nature, facing bigger challenges.  

Covid related hospitalization per 100.000 capita, unvaccinated (red)
vs vaccinated (blue)

In the end, the key to the answer is how many people get so ill that they need hospitalization and intensive care. Time has given us knowledge to understand the dynamics of how this thing works where the rubber hits the road. In Norway 8 percent of the population is unvaccinated. Still they make up 70% of covid related hospitalization. That is still so, despite the fact that elderly people who are mainly vaccinated are more prone to serious covid conditions that need specialist health care. When the new omicron variant came along, when we all hoped that this tragic event was in its ending phase, there was some interesting figures arising the give us some insight, well, if facts should be the basis of our understanding, that is.

New hospitalization - dec. 2021 - unvaccinated (red)
vs vaccinated (blue)

I've put on some English translation as this is taken from a Norwegian paper. As the omicron entered the country, the number of infections was already rising, and the number of hospitalization was increasing among the elderly people who are mainly vaccinated. As a remedy for this, a third dose vaccination started for this group. At that time, as you can see from the chart, the number of vaccinated people were higher than the unvaccinated (in mere number, not per capita, though). My vaccine sceptical friends laughed at me and told me: “You see? It's all a fake. Who's in hospital with Covid?” (they trust MSM if it goes they're way) But really it gives sense. It's a combination of a weakness in the mRNA vaccine, and a general vulnerability to covid among the elderly. And then as the elderly people starting getting their third dose of the mRNA vaccine, the picture changed. The number of hospitalization among the vaccinated flattened, while it just kept on increasing among the unvaccinated. So there was a need to pull the brakes again, because the sick leave rate in hospitals were all time high and we were heading towards Christmas. As much as I understand how difficult it must be to be in the front line in the intensiv care units in the hospitals, clearly there are serious consequences of restrictions, also. Among the public and the media, including what some define as MSM, the voices have been much more critical than it was during the last “shutdown”. A justification for the restrictions has been requested. The answer from the government remains the same. They dare not see the specialist health care collapse under the burden of too many very ill patients. Yet, not even “MSM” seem to find the justification sufficient, and articles that tone down the danger of the omicron variant have dominated the news coverage. In Norway the restrictions is to last until medio January, and at the moment there is no compelling reasons to keep all of them. In my city of 250.000 citizens 4 restaurants have gone bankrupt in a month and the Mayor of Bergen, which is from the same political party as the Prime Minister of Norway is now begging for restrictions to be lifted. Even though the government spend billions of NOK to support companies affected by the restrictions, it is just not sustainable to keep it going. Voices advocate using Corona passes so people with recent positive PCRs or who gone through an infection or is vaccinated people can return to a normal life. That would put extra pressure on people who have chosen not to be vaccinated. If their reason not to be vaccinated is primarily because they are sceptical towards the health authorities or they want to promote their right to choose for themselves, introducing corona passes are not going to make the most deeply convinced people change their mind. Rather it will increase their level of alienation. It still might prove a effective middle way to be able to lift off restrictions, as we see a tendency where people, who wasn't really that convinced not to take covid vaccines, change their minds and get vaccinated. New vaccines as which is based on more conventional technology and knowledge, like protein based vaccines are also emerging, as the research go on to make vaccines that are both safe and with more lasting affect than the mRNA ones. Maybe some would find it easier to accept other vaccines than mRNA vaccines, even though the vector based ones has proved more dangerous in a shorter perspective. To put additional pressure on vaccine-sceptics, is a fine balance, though, because creating a deeper “us” and “them” awareness in the population has a cost, also. There is no need to spend much time on social media or in the comments on online news channels to see that the “dialogue” is getting rougher each day. Governments should be really convinced that a corona certificate would prove effective to keep the society open and still keep the number of hospitalization under control. We see that demonstrations against corona certificate based regulations and restrictions are taking place in several Europan countries. As long as they are peaceful, it is important to make space for them to have their right to voice their opinion. The level of frustration on both sides could end in violence, which would be quite a negative outcome. To vaccinate the population by force, really seems to be an impossible route for any modern democracy.  We hear stories from other countries where people have lost their jobs because they refuse to be vaccinated. Interestingly, some of those who report such hardships, are from the US, which like to picture themselves as the “land of freedom”. Luckily, in Norway a great majoriy of people in health care and other critical functions have chosen to be vaccinated. The health care sector might be set in a chess mat position if too few choose to do so, and I have personally met few Christians employed in the health care sector who do not understand the difficulties that both each employee and those responsible to offer proper health services might find themselves in during this pandemic. Patients might choose to sue them if infected by corona at a hospital, a physicians office, or at the dentist's. My right to freedom might be other people's restriction and calamity. There is an immature and a mature way to handle our freedom. Paul says in the Bible:

“I can hear some of you saying, ‘For me, all things are permitted.’ But face the facts: all things are not beneficial.” (1 Cor 6:12, VOICE)

The root meaning of the word beneficial is to bring together. Something builds up. Other things tear down.

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” (Gal 5:13, NLT)

For the immature, the freedom for me is important, the right to do as you wish. For the mature, the focus changes and what is good for your neighbour comes more and more into the picture. Everyone has a responsbility to bring things together, both vaccinated and unvaccinated alike. And when things get rough, our true values are tested. Can we be brothers and sisters, and love each other even though we might disagree on things that has real practical implications for us? It can be hard, and right now both the society as a whole and we as Christians are tested on this. We shouldn't use abusive terms and insults against each other. The pressure to get vaccinated is already there. My job as a brother in the Lord is to investigate what is the facts in a friendly way which any brother and sister in the Lord. I have friend that have not been vaccinated. Some, seem to take any argument for the vaccine as a denial of their right to still say “no”. Of, course I don't have the right to discuss this topic with everyone. It is the place to say “thank you, but no thank you. I have made up my mind”.  But for some, it might be that their own arguments against fall short of the arguments for, and of course nobody likes the idea of being wrong, especially of there is strong feelings involved. Honestly, there is risks at both sides. It is a question of what are the worst of them, for us personally and for those around us. If all you know about corona is from YouTube, I might challenge you in a friendly way. There is more to the story. If you've been told that there is something happening behind the scene and that the government and health care has bad intentions, you'll interpret all what they say through that filter. There is no such scheme. But there is humans in their best intention, and even such have it wrong sometimes. It is true that those who decide the restrictions have their job and their salaries fine, but those who are impacted by the restrictions might not have bread to eat. We must understand the frustration, and that goes for policitians as well. It's hard decisions that they have made and will have to make. I'm glad I am not one of them, and I happily pray for wisdom for them during this difficult time. It doesn't boil down to political colour. Any politician will find running a country during a pandemic to be a severly difficult task. Whatever they choose to do, they'll be heavily critized. Our task as Christians is not primarily to critize, but to pray for, be supportive and build healthy relationships with. Only if there is the humility and respect combined with the ability to actually hear from God, they'll listen to us. So far, Christian leaders have not been too acurate in their predictions, nor has their respect been voiced appropriately. In the end, these people are just as us; people. 

If you've been told that the new vaccine is the mark of the beast, I'll definitely challenge your position. That is a really bad take on understanding the bible in its own respect and context. Why isn't every other vaccine the mark of the beast? Why isn't the mark of the beast hidden in a pain killer in tablet form? And why should the mark of the beast be anything physical, anyway? The book of revelation is full of symbols and allusions to GT imagery. It the mark of God places on his servants also physical? Please show me yours!

“For all the animals of the forest are mine,
and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.” (Psalms 50:10, NLT) 

Does God not own the cattle on the hill 1001? Of course he does! That is the point. 1000 here means complete - all. Just like 7 also means complete, and like 12 and products of 12 (eg 24 or 144) represents God's people. That is why the city of God, who is said to be the Bride of the Lamb, is all measured in 12 and products of 12. Don't you get it? The city is a square in all three dimensions. It just means that it is perfect. It is not a physical description, it is beatiful poetry! The book of revelation is such a fantastic prophecy of the victory of Jesus the Anointed One through every hardship we go through, but we have made it the confusion of the beast instead. What a shame! This nonsense of a physical mark of the beast has been going on for years, constantly taking new forms. Those who wrote the books on barcodes as the mark of the beast got actually quite rich, and none of the money they earned was spent using a credit card. It was all cash. Why are Christians willingly accepting things that are as speculative as that of Jehovas Witnesses and which is proven to be wrong again and again? It is a shame when pastors teach that the new vaccine is the mark of the beast, and when people they know die of covid, they won't even attend the funeral, because they are afraid of getting infected. Don't you see the hypocrisy?

Conclusion
My friendly advice is that you make serious considerations if you are not already vaccinated. My hope  is that the society won't make life too troublesome if you still won't, but people's patience seem to run out. In Norway 70% of those hospitalized are not vaccinated, and they are only 8% of the population. They are also the most ill and those most likely to end up in intensive care. Can we understand that health care personnell is provoked when they have to give up their Christmas holiday with their intensive care unit filled up with people who have chosen not to receive a remedy against this? If this is  only about your rights to choose and some good old stubbornness, I think it might be time to reconsider. If you're really anxious about this and there is something deep down inside of you that keeps you away from it, I think the rest of us is gonna make it for you, and God will keep both you and us safe. For a Christian the conscience is sacred, and no one has the right to ask anyone to run over the conscience. With a clean conscience comes peace, though, and that means there need to be no anger and frustration following your choice. Anger and frustration comes from the flesh, not God's Spirit. Let's keep that in mind.