Render unto Caesar
Jesus was given a most difficult and sticky problem, as was written down in Matthew, and the result was a Loose-Loose, speak against Rome and face the death penalty, speak against “the Church,” and that would have Jesus bound and punished by the Pharisees, who would then have immediately appealed to Rome for a “Death Penalty,” as a traitor and treasonous terrorist. With both sides so very sure that one of them was going to be the ultimate winner, Jesus then gave this simple ruling, thus giving neither sides what they were hunting after. Matthew 22:18-21 “But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, [ye] hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose [is] this image and superscription? “They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” We live in this world under Caesar’s rule, so with all the “State” legislation, rules and requirements, we are expected to obey all these as good and upright citizens. We are also requested to abide by all the “Church” rulings; well that is until we have a clash, Matthew 22:21b “Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” God is to hold the “Supreme” position, for if the State allows immorality, we live by the highest power, God, and refrain, if lying and cheating and stealing is condoned, God’s Kids appeal to a higher authority and live by God’s rules, and refrain from impurity and immorality. God’s Kids will always “Render unto God the things that are God’s.” And that is the very first thing we always do, God comes in first place every single time.
To modify or to adapt a product or a food recipe is “Adulteration,” now “adulteration of the principles of Heaven,” is fatal, and those who fall short, will face the potential charge of high treason against the government of heaven, the wages of Sin, being a Tare or a Goat, anything but a pure and true servant of God, one of his Kids, for falling short of the Glory of God, well that is always very fatal. In our daily “Render unto Caesar,” how very honest are we with our “Taxes?” How about our daily business dealings, are they a bit shady? How about all the “Traffic Rules?” As they say, “If you were ever arrested, would there be any charges that would stick?”
In the “Render unto God,” section, and God has in the end, fully summed up your life in Judgement, what is the conclusion? We grow what we sow, so what crop awaits us, and then God multiplies it by up anything up to 100x larger, so what awaits us? Pilate asked the mob, “Which Jesus do you want?” We still have to answer that question by the way we live our daily lives, and that proves which one we serve, and remember the real one is about to turn up, and to shut down this world, and to give everybody their “Pay Packet,” Revelation 22:11-12 “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
The “Real Jesus,” asks us this question, John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Luke 10:27 MSG “He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbour as well as you do yourself.”
This is the point where we actually and truly get to the place of, “Rendering unto God the things, and the very lifestyle that are God’s.” John 4:23-24 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.” For us to properly “Render unto God,” we need to do this through a specific formula, “and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.” Now we can more clearly see the moment by moment role of the “Holy Spirit” in our daily lives for Psalm 119:105 “Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Matthew 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” God’s Kids live by The Bible, and they eat Scripture daily, internalize it, and then live according to the principles of Heaven, “Rendering therefor unto God the things that are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Here we get the recurring theme, “Render unto God the things that are God’s.” Jesus made you, and you were born, Jesus died on Calvary so that you could be re-born, and to live with him eternally, he died your death so that you could live with him forever, he abundantly showers us with Grace and Blessings, so are these gifts consumed selfishly, or do we spread the blessings about? How well do we carry out the second part of the law, “and that you love your neighbour as well as you do yourself.” Is it not past time that we “Balanced the Books,” fixed any dodgy entries, and followed the simple creed, Matthew 22:21c “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”
