What happens if we lose religious freedom? Here’s what few people realise

By wanting to restrict religious freedom through cultural and legal means, these same pro-refugee advocates are exposing refugees to potential cultural and legal penalties.

The second problem of 'we don't need to care about religious freedom' is the problem of biblical consistency.

The Bible doesn't speak directly to many social issues that Christians may care about, be it climate change, foreign aid, or immigration policy. But it does speak directly to the issue of religious freedom:

Namely, we're commanded to pray for religious freedom (1 Tim 2:1-4). We're commanded to give to God what belongs to God and only give to Caeser what belongs to Caeser (Mark 12:17, Acts 5:29). This is because God's design for governments is not to coerce religious belief (Romans 13:1-6).

Yes, God in His sovereignty may remove religious freedom from Western shores. But that doesn't mean we stop caring about it - anymore than we stop caring about vulnerable refugees who, under the sovereignty of God, had to flee persecution.

And so, if we're in a position to advocate for religious freedom – for the sake of our Muslim, Siek, Hindu neighbour as much as for our Christian neighbour – then shouldn't we take that opportunity while we still can?

What can Christians do?

What can Christians do to help our vulnerable religious neighbours, who have fled persecution to our shores?

First, pray for religious freedom, as God commands us through His word (1 Tim 2:1-4).

Second, while the Bible does not give us specific commands about political advocacy (and thus political advocacy is an area of Christian freedom), I urge you to explore ways to use your God-given political responsibility as a citizen to advocate for religious freedom.

Over this week, the Christian Legal Thinktank Freedom for Faith (FFF) is running a campaign encouraging Christians to contact their local MP and ask them about religious freedom. FFF will help you do that here.

Either way, our God cares about the religious freedom of our neighbours - and so should we.