Two Threads, One Blessing: A Tale of Harmony and Salvation
God is at Work in the World to Bless – Two Distinct Ways
“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are Gods.”
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This statement refers to a passage in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 20, verse 25, where Jesus provides a profound teaching on the relationship between our secular responsibilities and our spiritual ones. The context of this statement is a situation where Jesus was being questioned by the religious authorities, who were trying to trap him into making a politically controversial statement. They asked him whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, the Roman emperor at the time.
In response, Jesus asked to see a Roman coin and asked whose image and inscription were on the coin. They replied that it was Caesar's. Jesus then made the statement, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." By doing this, Jesus skillfully avoided the trap that the religious authorities had set for him.
This teaching has several layers of meaning:
Differentiation of secular and spiritual responsibilities: Jesus suggests that there is a distinction between our obligations to the secular authorities (like paying taxes) and our obligations to God. In other words, we should fulfill our civic duties without compromising our spiritual responsibilities.
Recognizing authority: Jesus acknowledges that secular authorities, like the Roman government in this case, have a legitimate right to collect taxes or enforce laws. Christians, therefore, should respect and obey the laws of their land, as long as they do not conflict with their faith.
Prioritizing God: While Jesus acknowledges the role of secular authorities, he also emphasizes that our primary loyalty should be to God. We must give to God what belongs to God, which includes our worship, devotion, and obedience to His commandments.
Dual citizenship: As followers of Christ, we have a dual citizenship – we are citizens of our earthly nation, and also citizens of the Kingdom of God. This teaching helps us navigate our responsibilities in both realms, seeking to be good citizens in our earthly society while maintaining our allegiance to God.
Overall, the statement highlights the importance of balancing our secular and spiritual responsibilities, recognizing the authority of both, but ultimately prioritizing our relationship with God.
Jesus said a very interesting thing in Luke 20:25, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are Gods.” And later to Pontus Pilate, the governor of Judea, who claimed that he had authority over Jesus himself, Jesus responded….“You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.” (John 19:11). Wow…God is at work. He saves the world through the person and work of Jesus, that’s the main message of the bible.
But to make sure that message “gets out” for all to hear…. God keeps the world civil, humane, just, and safe (outwardly) through people like Pilate. So God is at work in the world in two distinct ways….one to keep things civil, humane, just through His created orders of Family, Work, and Government….Or, as I like to say….God works through Fathers, Mothers, Businesspeople, and Leaders….broken and sinful as they are, He still works through them to prevent, chaos, all Hell from breaking loose…..That’s God’s left hand Kingdom rule, His engagement to bless. Of course, that’s not the “good news,” the great news of His Salvation by grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus……But that “left-hand Kingdom work of God,” through even “relatively, moral” unbelievers is part of His work of blessing too.
When Christians engage the Public realm, full of philosophies, ideologies, and appetites emanating from sinful, broken people just like us…. we know that there is work to do to keep things sane, humane, just, and safe. But that work is part of God’s greater work to get the ultimate message of Christ out there for all to hear. Keep it safe, so the Church can speak. Keep it just, so chaos is kept at bay. Give us “rules to live by” in peace, so there can be opportunities to share a message of Grace over the fences of neighbors living side by side in peace. God’s ways, Two distinct ways, Two Kingdoms, Two specific types of engagement, One mission…to ultimately bless the world now and forever.