“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17).
In His statement, Jesus not only recognized the validity of government, but our responsibility toward it.
Paul, likewise, commands us to be subject to the governing authorities (Romans 13:1-7).
As when we looked at this passage last December, (Living As Dual Citizens) the only time we can resist the authority which our government has over us is . . .
- When it requires us to violate a command of God (Cf. Acts 4:17-20; 5:29)
- “We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29)
- When it requires us to do something immoral or unethical.
- When we must violate our Christian conscience to obey government.
- (I.e., pro-life pharmacists in Washington state who challenged a state law forcing them to sell the morning after pill and abortion-causing drugs which violate their Christian conscience, June 2016)
Jesus statement was not just for that day, but for all time, and especially for those of us who are Christians today.
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