There seem to be essentially three categories of Christians in the American Evangelical church at the moment. This can be nuanced a bit, but generally speaking, Christians, and especially Christian leaders, fit into one of these categories.
The first is on the left fringes of evangelicalism. This is a category full of political activists for leftist causes while still professing to hold to the central tenets of the Christian faith. Second, there’s a group that I am going to call “Biblicists” (I do not mean this in the more recent, pejorative sense, but in a more classical, Protestant understanding). I’ll define this group as those who believe the Bible is not only inerrant but also sufficient for all of life. This includes church life, family life, and the public square. This group is fully opposed to Woke ideology because they understand that it’s a divisive, Satanic system, confusing the Gospel wherever it goes. They don’t see Woke ideology as having insights any more than Christians don’t see false religions like Mormonism and Islam as having insights.
Finally, there’s a group that some have identified as the “Woke-right. These are not social activists but are willing to give credence to those to their left because they believe there are valuable insights there, and because they place an immeasurably high value on “unity.”
I want to address the third group, the “Woke Right,” and specifically the vague charge they make to those on their right.
Who are the “Woke Right?“
The Woke-Right believe that they are the “biblical ones,” and those to their right are practicing extra-biblical, pharisaical idolatry in their passion over politically conservative perspectives and issues. Those to their right often insist that public theology is black and white. In other words, to vote for a Democratic candidate is not a biblical option because the Democratic platform is diametrically opposed to biblical ethics in every way. But though one platform is not an option (while the other platform, while imperfect, can still be an option) the Woke-Right is most concerned with those who would dare to take a stronger stance on the matter.
I’ve personally heard many pastors in this category say, “I have concerns about the extremes of Social Justice, but I’m more concerned about political idolatry among the people too far to the right.” So, they take a middle-of-the-road position. The leadership in this category has little to no concern with those to their left. I say little to no concern because when they have addressed the issue of race, people on the left fringes are platformed, like Jarvis Williams, not someone strongly on the right, like Voddie Baucham. What they say concerning those on their right is that they are carriers of the great threat of “Christian Nationalism”, but when you ask them to define what they mean by Christian Nationalism they are typically unable to do so. The best they can do is call it, “political idolatry..
In other words, those on the right care too much about forcing their conservative political views on to others, while rejecting what they see as legitimate concerns by those to their left.
Political Idolatry?
But let’s examine this charge of political idolatry. In Exodus 20, the Lord commanded Israel in the 2nd Commandment, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5). So, what is idolatry according to the Lord? Idolatry is simply worshiping someone or something other than him. He is the only one worthy of the highest honor, praise, and glory, but when idolatry is taking place that worship is assigned to something else.
When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment he responded in this way, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). Jesus’ response was referencing Deuteronomy 6:5. But what is interesting is that Jesus elaborates on what it means to love God with everything we have. He said, “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:39-40). There Jesus was quoting Leviticus 19:18. Essentially, He was saying that if you love God with everything that you have, what will be shown in your life is that you’re going to love what God loves. In other words, you are going to love God’s image bearers. You’re going to love His law and be determined to carry it out in every area of your life.
When it comes to biblical ethics in the public square, every Christian should be passionate about promoting biblical morality. This can be seen with who I’m calling the “Biblicists” in the second category. For example, those on the right are very passionate about speaking out concerning the holocaust of abortion. They right believe abortion is the “issue of our day.” Since the Roe V Wade decision in 1973, over 60 million babies have been murdered. Since the child in the womb is a person (Psalm 139:13-15), their life must be protected. When Roe V. Wade was overturned in June 2022, this was cause for celebration. It didn’t rid America of abortion but it did make the murder of babies in the womb more difficult. The Lord used the efforts of Christians fulfilling the Lord’s will of loving their neighbor in the public square to make this happen. For decades born-again believers fought for this and voted for a President who appointed three Justices that righted an unjust, deeply wicked court ruling in 1973. Those Christians passionate about abortion were not committing political idolatry as they fulfilled the Second Greatest Commandment – they were loving what God loves and hating what God hates. They were showing their love for Jesus as Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
This isn’t idolatry. It is the worship of God carried out with action.
The Irony of the Accusation
There is much irony to the Woke-Right making the charge of political idolatry to those on their right. Where is the idolatry truly taking place in our day? It’s not only taking place within the social activist crowd but also within the Woke-Right. The godless Social Justice agenda has been intensely promoted within the broader American evangelical church, championed (whether explicitly or implicitly) by these groups.
The Woke-Right crowd commits idolatry as they do the bidding of those aligned with the Left. Unlike the vague slanderous charge of political idolatry to those on their right, those in the Biblicist category can clearly define the idolatrous participation of those to their Left. The secular ideology of Social Justice can and has been clearly defined by Christian leaders fulfilling their responsibility of, “rebuking those who contradict sound doctrine” (Titus 1:9). Only one group is truly following the Lord on these important matters, while the other two are doing the Evil One’s bidding, all while slandering those obeying the Lord Jesus Christ.
To the Biblicists, next time someone tells you that you are “getting carried away” remind those on your left why you fight for God’s law in the public square. At the root of all of it is because you love God, and that is the opposite of idolatry. As you call out the idols of our day, also call out the people engaging in this actual idolatry to repent and truly follow the Lord uncompromisingly.
May the Lord open up more eyes to see the truth in these matters.
