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\u201c\u2026keep away from everything impure\u2026Your camp must be holy, so that [the Lord] will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you\u201d (Deuteronomy 23:9, 14).

In the Old Testament, keeping things pure was a big deal. It was not just the people of Israel, but their possessions and the camp (and later the cities) had to be kept pure. This meant that neither people nor possessions could touch anything impure. If they did, these people or things would need to undergo a purification ritual which could last days or weeks. Check out Leviticus for more details.

The big deal regarding purity was simply this: God dwelt among his people. God is pure and cannot abide impurity, so stay pure. During her journey to Canaan Israel is repeatedly warned: do not take God taken lightly; he is not to be trifled with. Israel often got herself into trouble because she did not take her God seriously. People died.

The Old Testament portrays Israel as a people who did not respect God appropriately. However, when the New Testament opens, things had changed. Israel took God so seriously people would not say the name of God aloud. Thus, when Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, people refused to believe him. They could not believe that God would condescend to live among humans, as a human.

But this is central to the Christian faith. Jesus dwelt among us to purify us once for all. The writer of Hebrews puts is succinctly, \u201cSuch a high priest truly meets our need\u2014one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens\u201d (Hebrews 7:16). And later, \u201c\u2026and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful\u201d (Hebrews 10:21-23).

Here is the difference between the testaments: Israel had to make herself pure so that God could dwell among her. Jesus dwells among us to purify us. Before Jesus, the responsibility for purity was on the people. In Jesus, God took on that responsibility. Therefore, John writes, \u201cBut perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment\u201d (1 John 4:18).

Let us apply this profound Christian reality to our situation today. Because of vaccine passports, our society is being divided, separating out a small percentage of people, and limiting their participation in public life. I am not making a judgement on vaccine passports but stating that these passports effect our public life and intrude into church life. That is one of the dynamics of living in Canada.

My point is that our vaccination status against COVID-19 makes no difference to our status as Christians and thus as members of Christ\u2019s church. And my fear is this: the divide between those with passports and those without can become a kind of purity test. We think we are purer than those on the other side. Such accusations can be hurled from both sides. It is this potential gulf that we must avoid. We are spiritually purified in Christ, and only in Christ.

Moreover, Christ gives each of us his Holy Spirit to be our guide on the journey of discipleship. As Christians, we journey together, but each makes a unique journey as well. Each journey goes by its own speed as the Spirit directs. Yet there are qualities that are part of each journey. Paul writes, \u201cBe completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love\u201d (Ephesians 4:2). More than ever, we all need to lean into these, so that we can continue walking together the COVID road.