Religious Liberty: Obeying God Rather Than Man

Religious Liberty: Obeying God Rather Than Man

“We must obey God rather than men.” — Acts 5:29 (AMP)
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” — Romans 13:1 (ESV)

1. The Gift of Freedom Under God

Religious liberty is not merely a political privilege—it is a biblical principle rooted in God’s design for human dignity and conscience. From the earliest pages of Scripture, God reveals that genuine worship must be voluntary, springing from love and conviction—not coercion or fear.

Throughout history, Christians have wrestled with how to live faithfully under governments that do not always honor God. The apostles faced imprisonment for preaching Christ. Reformers risked their lives to proclaim the Gospel. Today, many believers face a new kind of pressure: laws and cultural mandates that compel them to affirm what Scripture condemns or to remain silent about what it declares.

Yet the Bible remains clear: when human laws contradict divine truth, Christians must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29).

2. The Biblical Foundation of Religious Liberty

A. God Alone Is Lord of the Conscience

Every person stands accountable before God for what they believe and how they live. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12).
Because conscience belongs to God, no government, institution, or culture has the moral authority to force a person to sin against it.

B. The Role of Government

Romans 13:1–7 affirms that government is ordained by God to promote justice, restrain evil, and preserve order. Christians are called to obey lawful authority, pay taxes, and live peaceably—until obedience to man requires disobedience to God.

When the apostles were forbidden to preach the name of Jesus, they respectfully but boldly replied:

“We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

This sets the biblical framework: submission to government is conditional, but submission to God is absolute.

3. The Liberal View: Redefining Freedom

Modern secular culture increasingly views religion as a private matter—acceptable in homes or churches but not in the public square. Under the banner of “inclusion” and “non-discrimination,” new laws often compel Christians to speak, act, or participate in events that violate their conscience.

A. The Core Argument

• Liberal Claim: “Businesses should serve everyone equally, regardless of belief.”
• Implication: A Christian baker, photographer, or florist must participate in same-sex weddings or risk legal punishment.
• Consequence: Freedom of religion is replaced by freedom from religion, where faith must bow to political ideology.

B. The Philosophical Contradiction

The same worldview that defends self-expression in sexuality and speech often denies it to those whose convictions are biblical.
This selective tolerance exposes the inconsistency of a system that celebrates “diversity” but silences dissenting conscience.

4. The Biblical and Historic Christian View

A. Freedom to Obey God Fully

Religious liberty means more than the right to worship—it includes the right to live, speak, and serve in accordance with one’s faith. The Gospel cannot be confined to Sunday mornings; it transforms every aspect of life.

Christians gladly serve all people, regardless of race, background, or belief. But they cannot be compelled to celebrate or endorse sin. Participating in a ceremony that contradicts Scripture is not an act of love—it is an act of compromise.

B. Historical Witness

From Daniel in Babylon to the early Church under Rome, believers have always lived as “dual citizens”—honoring earthly rulers but worshiping the King of Kings. The Protestant Reformation and later the American founding both enshrined freedom of conscience as central to human dignity.

As the theologian Roger Williams wrote in 1644:

“It is the will and command of God that…a permission of the most paganish, Jewish, Turkish, or anti-Christian consciences and worships, be granted to all men.”

True liberty protects even those we disagree with, because it flows from a conviction that only God can rule the human soul.

5. Logical and Apologetic Defense

A. The Conscience Principle

Compelled speech or forced participation in moral error violates the conscience, which God commands us to guard (1 Timothy 1:5, 19). To coerce conscience is to dethrone God as moral authority.

B. The Double Standard of Secular Tolerance

If society demands that Christians affirm every belief except their own, it is not pluralism—it is tyranny disguised as equality.
Freedom of religion cannot exist if it only applies to those whose beliefs are politically approved.

C. The Social Benefit of True Freedom

History shows that societies that protect religious liberty flourish in creativity, compassion, and justice. When conscience is free, faith inspires charity, education, and social renewal. When conscience is suppressed, corruption follows.

6. Practical Application: Standing Firm with Grace

A. Honor God Publicly

Faith must not be hidden. When you stand for truth, do it with humility, gentleness, and conviction. The goal is not to win arguments, but to glorify Christ (1 Peter 3:15–16).

B. Defend the Rights of Others

Religious liberty is not just a Christian issue—it’s a human issue. If one group loses freedom of conscience, all do. Defend the right of others to believe differently, even when you disagree.

C. Engage with Grace, Not Fear

Courage and compassion are not opposites. Speak truth boldly, but love your neighbor sincerely. Remember: the Gospel thrives not in comfort, but in conviction.

7. The Wisdom Checklist

✅ Am I prepared to honor Christ publicly?
✅ Do I defend others’ religious freedom too?
✅ Do I engage with grace, not fear?
✅ Am I willing to face discomfort for the sake of obedience?
✅ Do I trust God’s sovereignty even when the laws of man oppose Him?

8. Freedom Rooted in Faith

Religious liberty is not the absence of law, but the presence of divine order—a reminder that human authority has limits and conscience belongs to God.

When Christians obey God rather than man, they honor both the truth of Scripture and the dignity of humanity. True freedom is found not in doing whatever we please, but in doing what pleases God.

“Christians gladly serve all people—but cannot be compelled to participate in ceremonies that contradict biblical truth. Freedom of conscience is essential.”

May we, like the apostles, stand firm with courage and compassion in a world that often misunderstands faith.
For when conscience is captive to the Word of God, the soul is truly free.

“We must obey God rather than men.” — Acts 5:29

References

• Augustine. The City of God. New York: Modern Library, 1950.
• Schaeffer, Francis A. A Christian Manifesto. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1981.
• Stott, John. Issues Facing Christians Today. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014.
• Henry, Carl F. H. The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1947.
• Wilberforce, William. A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians. London: T. Cadell, 1797.
• John Piper. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008.
• Timothy Keller. How to Reach the West Again. New York: Redeemer City to City, 2020.
• Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). Religious Freedom in the Modern Age. Scottsdale, AZ: ADF Press, 2022.