Christian Nationalism and Godwin's Law
Always remember that not everyone who claims the name of Jesus Christ is a Christian.
It has often been said that "everyone is the hero of his own story." Anyone with just a little self-knowledge knows this to be true. We seek to justify ourselves for conduct that we know is wrong, even if we repent after the fact. It is also true that some of history's greatest monsters saw themselves as the hero, standing up for their people or for a morally upright idea. Muslim terrorists in the Ottoman Empire thought they were doing the right thing by committing genocide against Christians. Recognizing that I am proving Godwin's law by repeating this, Adolf Hitler invoked Christianity in his rise to power and while in power. He truly believed that he was doing the right thing for Germany by solving the "Jewish question."
No, I am obviously not saying that Christian Nationalists today are equivalent to the Nazis. That is self-evidently false, and I have friends who would describe themselves as Christian Nationalists. I would not be friends with them if they were actually Nazis.
What it should do is make us remember not only that not everyone who claims the name of Jesus Christ is a Christian, but that there are political leaders who cynically claim the name of Christ while holding sinful or even evil motivations. This is easy for Christians to discern when a self-professed "christian" is promoting abortion or transgenderism, but we are often too gullible and trusting when someone who is allegedly on our ideological side invokes the name of Christ. Does this person really seek to honor God in the public square, or is he using Christianity as a mask to cover his pursuit of raw political power for its own sake? Here is a hint: If a "christian" is defending vicious personal cruelty and character assassination because he "knows what time it is," that person is probably only interested in power.
Even if Christian Nationalists pursue power with godly motivations, we must remember that religious zeal has led to horrible things. For example, it was unquestionably good when Christian nations in Europe sought to fight against Muslim terrorists who invaded their lands, brutally raped their women and sold Christians into slavery, but the Crusades also led to the persecution and mass murder of Jews who were peacefully living in Europe and to the heretical teaching that going on a Crusade itself guaranteed eternal salvation.
Seeking political influence to pass laws that honor God in the public square by protecting innocents from persecution or protecting religious liberty is a good thing. Some Christians are called to serve in government or work for issue-advocacy groups. But we must remember that we are fallen people, and we must especially be suspicious of our own motivations. Sin is always crouching in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to seize our hearts.