Soon-to-be former State Rep. Glenn Rogers is not happy. And you can’t really blame him. He lost his re-election bid to the Texas House of Representatives, something he felt was important for himself and his state.
However, in a recent article about his defeat, he made some curious remarks. While writing that he “took a stand for our public schools” and asking that “God Save Texas,” he then complained that certain elements in Texas politics are attempting to “create a Theocracy that is both un-American and un-Texan.”
Apparently, he cannot see the disconnect between his statements.
To help explain this, I’ll reference an interaction I recently had on X. A moderate Christian appeared to be complaining about evangelical Christian support for Trump. He wrote, “When did Evangelicals’ priorities shift from fulfilling the Great Commission to saving America?” I pointed out to him that those were the same things. As Evangelicals fulfill the Great Commission by saving individual Americans, America will be saved as well.
State Rep. Rogers made the same error. He asks God to save Texas, then complains it is a theocracy when Christians turn to God for help in doing just that.
The left does the same thing every day. Last month, Politico’s Heidi Przybyla claimed the defining characteristic of Christian nationalists is that “they believe that our rights as Americans, as all human beings, don’t come from any earthly authority. They don’t come from Congress, they don’t come from the Supreme Court. They come from God.” I suppose she has not read the Declaration of Independence.
Our rights come from God because He created us (“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” [Genesis 1:27].) and because He is our King (“God is the King of all the earth … God reigns over the nations” [Psalm 47:7-8].). In reaction to this fact, those who complain about theocracy often do so by saying something like, “Your god is not my god. I keep my god out of government. You keep your god out and we won’t have a problem.”
But these critics miss a very important point. God does not only rule in heaven; He also rules on earth. “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage'” (Psalm 2:7-8). And, “Jesus came and spoke to them saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth’” (Matthew 28:18). Also, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ. He will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Furthermore, we are told to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).
So if State Rep. Rogers wants God to save Texas, how does He think God will do that? Yes, saving Texas starts with the personal salvation of Texans by the Holy Spirit. But it doesn’t end there.
Saving Texas includes redeeming Texans and Texas institutions, including civil government. So as politicians, regulators, and teachers are saved, also saved will be city councils, the Texas Department of Insurance, and Texas public schools—perhaps even the Texas Legislature.
This will happen as Texans who vote for politicians or work in civil government are saved and look more and more to God for how to conduct their daily affairs. This will include how they vote and how they perform in their government jobs. God’s commands such as “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15), “rulers are not a terror to good conduct” (Romans 13:3), and a ruler “must not acquire many horses for himself [or] wives [or] excessive silver and gold” (Deuteronomy 17:16-17) will come to have much greater meaning in our public life.
In a country whose founding document says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”; and in a state whose constitution begins, “Humbly invoking the blessings of Almighty God, the people of the State of Texas, do ordain and establish this Constitution,” it does not seem un-American or un-Texan to look to God for wisdom on how we might save Texas, Texas government, and Texas schools. If someone wants to call that a theocracy or Christian nationalism, so be it.
This is a commentary published with the author’s permission. If you wish to submit a commentary to Texas Scorecard, please submit your article to submission@texasscorecard.com.
