In 1 John 4:1-6 there was a heresy being taught at the time that Jesus did not come in the flesh. But these verses have been a guideline for me in how I approach every aspect of life because I believe the statement “they are of the world, and the world listens to them.” would include not just preaching/teaching a false Gospel but those of the world will listen to every kind of false teaching(myths/fables) because those in the realm of the flesh cannot please God, nor are they able to (Rom 8:7-8), so lying will not be a problem for these people as it has already been proven. I fully believe in the sufficiency of scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
So if they tell me I must social distance, wear a covering on my face, lock down in my home, take an experimental drug we have to question not only whether it’s true or not but question the motives and people behind it.
When this started I would pray “is the face covering” recommendation of God? is the Holy Spirit moving my heart to do this for the good of others? Is wearing it loving my neighbor as we were being told? Am I being selfish and just don’t want to wear one? Am I spreading a disease even though I have no symptoms? 2 years later and now we ask all the same questions/prayers about the now 3rd jab we are being told we must take and in many cases / areas if we want to buy or sell(should be a red flag for Christians).
Through study, prayer and most importantly testing against what God has said about how to live in this world of sin, the answer is a resounding NO. As a Christian I should not have any kind of participation in any of this. To do so, will be to participate in fables (1 Timothy 4:7), and should not subject ourselves to man’s regulations (Colossians 2:20-22).
This is where I stand on this whole thing if you think I’m wrong I leave you with a quote from Martin Luther.
Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess [a]that Jesus [b]Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.