In this lesson, David explains how our “loves” can lead us towards good things, or to taking good things and making them idols. When it comes to our nation, a good love for our nation will result in patriotism, while an idolatrous love for our nation can lead to nationalism and its various forms, including Christian nationalism. In the Gospel, Jesus calls us not to leave or forsake our nations and the people in them, but to love his kingdom over the kingdoms of man.
In this lesson, David gives a crash course on the concept of “principalities and powers”, and how political idolatry is a spiritual reality just as much as it is a physical one. If we only look at politics through a physical/natural lens, we will miss how Scripture defines an idolatrous love for politics as being something influenced by demonic powers and forces that keeps the nations of the world blinded to the Gospel and glory of Christ. Christians must see the spiritual reality of politics and guard against the spiritual influence of politics towards idolatry.
In this lesson, David explains how political idolatry leads us to believe false gospels that cannot save us. A false gospel based on political idolatry can take numerous shapes and appearances, and is something present on both the Right and the Left of American politics. All political false gospels will co-opt categories of Christian theology for their own purposes, especially the doctrine of Christ. Christians must recognize the siren song of false gospels, including political ones, and respond with the true Gospel that can save souls.
In this lesson, David lays out the practical steps you can take to have hard conversations with someone about political idolatry (or any form of idolatry). While having these kinds of conversations can be painful, exhausting, and demoralizing, we should put our hope and confidence that God will use our words as a means of delivering someone from the spiritual danger and deadliness of idolatry.
Books, Articles, Organizations, and Substacks our faculty recommend on this topic.