Christians Should Support Religious Freedom

It’s disappointing that an increasing number of Bible-believing Christians are coming out against religious freedom. These Christians claim that support for religious freedom is support for sin. They even, in many cases, go so far as to say that support for religious freedom is the same as supporting people going to hell.

Perhaps the most prominent example of this is John MacArthur. In a sermon to Grace Community Church on January 17, 2021, MacArthur declared:

And oh, by the way, I read the other day that one of the evangelical publicists – whatever that is – said he’s happy to let us know that the new administration will uphold religious freedom. Really? The new administration will uphold religious freedom? I don’t even support religious freedom. Religious freedom is what sends people to hell. To say I support religious freedom is to say I support idolatry, it’s to say I support lies, I support hell, I support the kingdom of darkness. You can’t say that. No Christian with half a brain would say, “We support religious freedom.” We support the truth!

Pastor John MacArthur, Grace Community Church, January 17, 2021

First, I have long respected and appreciated John MacArthur. When I was ordained, I was gifted a MacArthur Study Bible. And when I became a pastor for the first time, in addition to of course doing some heavy-duty Bible study (especially in the pastoral epistles), I immersed myself in John MacArthur sermons.

For years, I would treat John MacArthur as my go-to accountability pastor while wrestling with a tough theological question or biblical passage. I would read his commentaries and comb through his church’s very public sermon library while preparing my own sermons and lessons. I would say: “If I’m pretty close to John MacArthur’s take on this passage, I must be doing okay.”

I’m not exaggerating when I say that John MacArthur helped shape my pastoral ministry.

Obviously, as I became more spiritually mature and more seasoned in ministry, I became less reliant on MacArthur and more immersed in the word of God itself. But I still respect MacArthur. I want that to be clear.

Nevertheless…

I have found myself increasingly in disagreement with Pastor MacArthur in recent years — more so for how he says things as opposed to what he believes. And…

On this issue, he couldn’t be more wrong.

Christians should stand for religious freedom. Indeed, Christians should be at the forefront in their support for religious freedom.

There is an important distinction that I feel MacArthur is either missing (or, God forbid, not missing). And that is…

There is a difference between our relationship with each other and our relationship with God.

When it comes to our relationship with God, it’s true that God isn’t a big fan of religious freedom. In other words, either we do things God’s way or we are doing things the wrong way. If God says X = X, then there should be no debate on that. If God says “Do Y,” well…we better do Y. To do anything else or less is disobedience.

What God says goes.

God is the Boss. God is never wrong. He is Truth.

But…

When it comes to you and me? We are not the truth. We are not “never wrong.” We are not qualified to be the Boss.

Therefore, when it comes to a community of human beings, there must be religious freedom.

We must recognize the freedom of speech, conscience, and religion when it comes to our relationship with one another.

And in the context of those human relationships, we — as God’s people — should point people to God.

We should exercise our religious freedom to tell people about the Way, the Truth, and the Life.