Matthew 22:21 They say unto him, Caesars. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars; and unto God the things that are Gods. “Caesar’s … God’s”: Caesar’s image is stamped on the coin; God’s image is stamped on the person (Gen. 1:26-27). The Christian must “render” obedience to Caesar in Caesar’s realm (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17), but “the things that are God’s” are things that do not belong to Caesar and should be given only to God. Christ thus acknowledged Caesar’s right to assess and collect taxes, and He made it the duty of Christians to pay them. But He did not suggest (as some suppose) that Caesar had sole or ultimate authority in the social or political realms. Ultimately, all things are God’s (Rom. 11:36; 2 Cor. 5:18; Rev. 4:11) – including the realm in which Caesar or any other earthly ruler exercises authority. In distinguishing obedience to God from obedience to Caesar, Jesus identified the underlying principle of two different kingdoms: church and state. Both are divinely ordained institutions, but ought to remain separate, since they have two distinct purposes. When church and state are united, the integrity of each institution is often called into question. This separation does not prohibit the involvement of Christians in areas of social responsibility. A government of the people, by the people and for the people is an anarchy unless governed by eternal, self-evident principles, which are reflected in Scripture. Jesus taught us not only to “render unto God” but also to “render unto Caesar.” Christians are therefore responsible for obeying laws, paying taxes, praying for those in authority, and actively speaking out and standing for God and His laws in government. The example of Christians involved in the political system demonstrates how God uses them to be both salt and light to the world (Matt. 5:13-14). TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 15:12:08 +0000
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