“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” The Pharisees and the Herodians (who were friends of Rome) waited for Jesus to speak directly against Rome and were secretly going to accuse Him. But they were amazed at His reply and they had no choice but to leave Him quietly.
They asked if it was right to offer taxes, but the Lord spoke to signify that people should not give what belongs to them but pay back what they owe. We enjoy peaceful surroundings on earth so that we can pursue lives of faith. This requires us to be indebted to the nations’ authorities. The Pharisees in those days could not avoid giving taxes to Rome - but if they considered it carefully - they could never deny that they already received so much from the nations’ authorities.
Even so, Jesus did not tell us to give priority to the countries of the world. We dwell in the world while we are in the flesh, but we belong to the Kingdom of God at the same time. Yet God’s Kingdom is not in competition with the world. God is the Master of the world and every human life, and He is the last Decision Maker. We should truly have our hearts set and show that we belong to God, and not the world.
Since it is right to have a heart of indebtedness to the countries of the world, what attitude should we have towards God (who saves us from eternal punishment and leads us to eternal life)? Is it not right to have a heart of indebtedness all our lives and be faithful to God’s Kingdom? However, many people get confused about these two kingdoms. They pour their hearts to the world and only have formal attachment to God’s Kingdom.
Some people believe affiliation as a Christian will guarantee their salvation. They push aside their lives of faith as something secondary. After they enthusiastically serve in church, something may not be to their liking, and then they fidget with the idea of leaving the church like it is a trump card. When they discover something inadequate in the church, they recklessly criticize it in front of other people instead of dedicating themselves to improve the problem. Rather than help church members understand the pastor’s heart, they quickly deride him in unofficial situations.
A person’s relationship with God does not rest on membership. It rests on sincerity and a faithful spirit. We are those who are indebted to God. We received a love that only God’s Son could receive, though we had no qualifications or rights. It is now our duty to be faithful in the church that the Lord has called us with an indebted conscience. We should not lose our hearts to the world and forget the nature of our lives.
No one can be perfect. Yet no matter how deficient a person is, they can honestly show their sincerity before God. All we should do is confess we are tired when we are tired, and confess we have sinned when we sin, and move forward. Let’s not reduce the Lord to someone who only helps us in our lives, but go to Him in gratefulness for His grace. Let’s not stay as people with just formal membership, but be people who belong to the Lord’s heart in sincerity and faithfulness.
(Lord’s Day Service on November 14, 2021)
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