Render unto Caesar?
Jesus had departed and left the disciples to carry on the work of sharing the gospel that brings salvation to mankind. The gospel is not just a term to be used in sermons and lectures. It is a life-changing reality that does not just modify the character—but transforms it completely. This is why the term for conversion is the new birth, a completely new being. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It actually demands ultimate change.
Change is something people do not like. We naturally like to remain just as we are. Sometimes we complain about our lives, but quickly we settle back to the way things are and to a lifestyle that makes us comfortable. This is why the message to the last-day people is called the message to Laodicea. “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot” (Revelation 3:14, 15). Lukewarmness is a state of comfort desiring no change.
When the gospel message of change—or another word for this change is reform—comes to a person, there are several reactions. Some like the Jews in Berea welcome such a message. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). Others do not react so pleasantly. Instead, we are told that “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). And why is that? Because people do not like reform—a change that transforms the life into a godly character. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).
And what does persecution attempt to do? To stop people from speaking about—and especially livint—the truth. If Jesus only spoke the truth it would have been more tolerable. It is because He actually lived a pure life that caused both the conservatives and the liberal elements in society to get riled up. When the apostles began to share this message with enthusiasm, what was again the response of those in leadership positions? “And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” Do you think it was possible to obey such a command? “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done” (Acts 4:18–21). The response of the people shows that this was not just words. They lived what they were teaching. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
The disciples just could not contain themselves because when a person accepts salvation through the blood of Jesus, what happens to that message? “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). How did the leaders then react? “Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison” (Acts 5:17, 18).
Why were they propelled to continue their work even after imprisonment? “The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:19, 20). This brings us to our relationship with authorities. The apostles were specifically commanded not to teach this life-changing message. Of course the ruling class did not want to believe it themselves, but as they saw the people recognizing these truths and accepting it, they were fearful for their own authority. So they brought these men before the council to answer for their disobedience. “Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5:28).
Why did they refuse to submit to the authorities? “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” Not only did they explain their refusal but they accompanied that with a message of repentance to those in leadership. “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 5:29–32). They were not reckless in their disobedience. They were constantly concerned for all souls including the persecuting power—and wanted them to be saved.
At the same time we are told to obey the authorities. “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour” (Romans 13:1–7).
We learn from the apostle Paul that we are all subject to the higher powers—and he is speaking of earthly governments. In his time that was the Roman government, and it was not always the best in dealing with civil and religious rights. In fact it was one of the most tyrannical governments ever to exist. Daniel’s description in prophecy is horrific. “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns” (Daniel 7:7). And yet we are told that this power is ordained of God and that we need to respect it. How do we relate to this message and compare it with the experience of the apostles who made it clear that it was appropriate to disobey in their particular experience? In order to understand this properly, we need to clearly understand the role of governments.
Because Adam was created in the image of God, he was given the rulership of this world. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26). But once he succumbed to sin, the one that conquered him became the ruler of this world. “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage” (2 Peter 2:19). That is the central principle of conquest. For this reason Satan is called the prince of this world. “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30).
As the prince of this world, Satan has been the one controlling most of the kingdoms on earth. “And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.” And in order to have such power, he requires worship—worship that does not justly belong to him. “If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine” (Luke 4:5–7). He claims to be the sole ruler of this world and demands worship.
Giving such a boastful picture of his dominance over the nations, he does not readily show who he really is. The Bible describes him as a terrible dragon that destroys humanity. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” This coming of Satan to become the prince of this world is not something to be desired or welcomed. His arrival brought sorrow and sadness and crying and every imaginable calamity to humanity. “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:9, 12). It is amazing that when all this calamity and destruction comes we call it an “act of God” when it is Satan himself that causes all that fiendish destruction and sorrow.
Although the archenemy had usurped control and become the prince of this world, in reality this world does not belong to him nor to those whom he gives it. Actually, if it were up to him, there would be no good governments at all. Everyone would be a tyrannical regime enslaving all but those supporting the rulership of the few. And even them, ultimately he seeks to destroy. This is why we are warned about his real purposes. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
In reality, all truly belongs to God. “For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations” (Psalm 22:28). It is the government of the Almighty Creator that rules the world and all the nations that are here. “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Psalm 103:19). The reason for this is that He created all things. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This power of creating everything gives Him a right that no other being in the universe can have. “To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth” (Isaiah 40:25, 26).
Not only did God begin this world but He also maintains it. This is why we are able to live and work and enjoy the creation He has made. “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:2, 3). [Emphasis added.]
Since the Lord created all things and there is no life without Him, then it is natural that He requires—nay He deserves—our implicit willing obedience. He created what is best for us and wants us to continue enjoying the best. I am not alive without Him. I cannot have a continued heartbeat without Him. Even all that I have belongs to Him. “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). Even my powers to obtain things in this world are due to Him. “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18).
Even though we look at the amazing things people have done in the past to create governments, yet ultimately they have such authority because God gave it to them. We may look at how intelligent Nebuchadnezzar was in developing military and political strategy to create the great kingdom of Babylon, yet he would never have anything if God forbade it. “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory” (Daniel 2:37). Each government then needs to understand its limitations. Their power was not given by God to be unlimited and for them to demand absolute control irrespective of the will of God and His order and laws. In the case of Nebuchadnezzar, when he took all that glory to himself and thought that he could do with it all that he wanted, then God had to teach him a lesson that reminded him of who the supreme king really was and who he himself must obey. “And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will” (Daniel 5:21).
The same we can see with David. God anointed him king over all of Israel. Yet he himself was still subject to the higher authority of the One Who created all things. When David commanded to kill Uriah to cover up his sin with Bathsheba, that became a criminal act even though David was the ruler anointed by God. So when Joab executed that order he was not guiltless just because he was following orders. “David’s power had been given him by God, but to be exercised only in harmony with the divine law. When he commanded that which was contrary to God’s law, it became sin to obey. ‘The powers that be are ordained of God’ (Romans 13:1), but we are not to obey them contrary to God’s law.”1 We still have our individuality and are accountable to God no matter what we are commanded by any kind of authority because God’s authority is still subject to God and His laws.
Every ruler has to come to the point of understanding that they are subject to a higher law in order to fulfill their responsibility appropriately as well as to fulfill the purpose of their existence. When Cyrus became the ruler of a world empire, he recognized that authority as supreme and he willingly obeyed its command. “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up” (2 Chronicles 36:23). That is what every ruler needs to truly understand. And when we as individuals recognize that the Creator is the Supreme Ruler of the universe, that His laws are just and reasonable, then we will never obey commands that are contrary to that ultimate universal law. And any ruler that understands their role will never give a command that is contrary to that law either. With a clear understanding of that superior loyalty, when we are brought into question between God and man, the answer is simple. “We ought to obey God rather than men.” And any person, any ruler, any nation that does not understand that principle will ultimately perish. “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted” (Isaiah 60:12).
The rulership of this world was usurped by Satan when he tempted and overcame Adam and Eve to give up their rightful role that God had bestowed upon them when He created a perfect world. This responsibility is being restored by the plan of redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus. “And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem” (Micah 4:8). “Not only man but the earth had by sin come under the power of the wicked one, and was to be restored by the plan of redemption. At his creation Adam was placed in dominion over the earth. But by yielding to temptation, he was brought under the power of Satan. ‘Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage’ (2 Peter 2:19). When man became Satan’s captive, the dominion which he held, passed to his conqueror. Thus Satan became the ‘god of this world’ (2 Corinthians 4:4). He had usurped that dominion over the earth which had been originally given to Adam.”2 “All who desired deliverance from his power would be set free. The dominion that Adam had lost through sin would be recovered.”3
This rightful dominion God is restoring through the gospel message. “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” This original dominion will once again be given to Adam and his children. “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever” (Daniel 7:14, 18).
Yes, because God is the rightful Owner, Creator and Ruler of the entire universe including this wayward world, obedience to Him is always paramount. It is up to us to know and understand His will and at the same time respect those that have temporal rulership in society and the church, but always remember that none of them can negate the will of God.
How do we understand the difference between the will of God and our will? Many times we disagree with authority, not because we are obeying God but because we are obeying ourselves or are under the control of another power. So it is imperative in this entire subject to really know God’s will. How do we do that? How do we make sure that we are hearing the right voice and knowing when to stand and when it is actually our responsibility to submit to earthly authority? “Seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:31, 32).
When the true spirit of God’s kingdom is imbued in us, then a different attitude takes possession of our soul. Only when that attitude is fully in us are we able to be citizens of that eternal kingdom. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). It is true that many times we will be persecuted for our faith. However “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). We will not be trying to figure out how to disagree nor be looking for opportunities for disagreement. Instead, we will have the spirit of Christ and truly want all persons to be save. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44, 45).
Is this our real attitude towards the world around us? Are we obeying all authority so that we can be model citizens in the church as well as in society? Are we respectful to these same authorities even when we have to disagree with them and obey God rather than men? May God truly help us to have the genuine spirit of Christ. This is the spirit and attitude that was manifested in the character of Stephen who, as the stones fell upon him in his dying breath, won the heart of the persecutor.
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15.