“Render Unto Caesar”

 

BIBLE READING :Luke 19-20


“Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.”                                                                                                                           Luke 20:24-25

                Among Christians, there is often the question, “Should we support the government by paying taxes?” Here in Luke is the answer from Christ. His example showed us, “Yes, we should pay taxes.”

Knowing that the religious “powers” of His time were trying to trap Him, Jesus answered them wisely. Christ knew they wanted Him to answer that it was wrong to pay taxes to the Romans, so they could turn Him in and let the government get rid of Him. His answer surprised and quieted them. He told them that they should pay their taxes.

Some Christians today make the stand that they will not pay their taxes, support their government, or even have any part in defending their country. Their defense is often, “The government today is doing wrong things. I will not help them do wrong with my money. I will not give them my money so they can abort babies, encourage homosexual activity, and do other things that I know are against what God wants us to do.”

                No, God does not want anyone to purposely and directly support the murder of babies, homosexuality, and any other activity that God forbids explicitly. He does, however, want us to support and help our government do more of His commands.

Jesus paid His taxes (Matthew 17:24-27), and He knew what the government did with His tax money. It may have been His money that paid the soldiers’ salaries that nailed Him to the cross. Christ knew what was going to happen to Him in the future, and He knew who would have a part in His death. Still, He paid His taxes. Jesus also knew that it would be the same Roman government that would extend their rage against Christians and have them burned to death, thrown to lions, and tortured in unthinkable ways; yet, he still paid His taxes.

                “Why,” ponder many, “would the all-knowing Saviour support such a thing?” Because He knew His Father ordained government, and that He and we should support it and try to improve it. Yes, there always will be and have been those in government who are corrupt. These people use their power to meet their own selfish goals. Nevertheless, the government has a necessary God-given role in the lives of its people. It should be to reward good and punish evil.

It is the government that should arrest those that do wrong. It should be the government that legislates righteousness and protects its people from those trying to take away what God has allowed them to have.

                Immediately most respond, “Well, that is not happening today.” The government certainly is not enforcing righteousness, and they are even perverting what is right. However, they should be encouraging and legislating what is right. That is where a Christian’s intervention in speaking up and standing for righteousness should alter it and help it be more God-fearing and abiding. We are supposed to be the light and salt to help our environment be more God-fearing and God-obeying! It is our support, intervention, and stand that could help the government be what God intends it to be (Rom. 13:1-7)                                                                                                                                                                                                -Selected

                               

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