Government Policy: Rendering unto Caesar

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. Matthew 22:15-22 ESV

There’s always a lot of debate amongst Christians about the government policies and where our place is among them. We’re constantly hearing, “America isn’t the great Christian nation it used to be…” and so on. I don’t feel like this debate is anything foreign in church history and it’s definitely not absent in the Bible. So, I want us to take a look at some texts that show us our place in government policy and what we are called to do in observing that.

Submission

We are called to submit to government authorities unless it contradicts the list in the next section. Romans 13:1 ESV, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Woof, that’s pretty encompassing I feel like. Now, this is where a lot of Christians throw up our hands and say, “BUT WHAT ABOUT MY RIGHTS!?!?!?” Frankly, it was never assumed in the 1st century that Christians had rights! Martyrdom was accepted and expected for 1st century Christians. As humans, we hate submission to authority at our core (Romans 1:18-32). So I would argue that unless the government is imposing something that opposes one of the below issues, then we are to submit to their authority as Christians for the sake of Christ. Are we to pay our taxes? Yes. Are we to wear masks if there’s a mandate, even if it’s imposing on my rights? Yes. Do you hate speed limits?… Check yourself, do you have an issue with submission to authority?

Are there situations where we stand up to edicts? 

Yes, here’s a list that I can see from the Bible:

1. When it causes us to sin or support sin. It is not wrong to stand up and call out what is a sin if the concern is from a loving perspective and to honor God (contrary to what the culture believes). We see this in John the Baptist. John was imprisoned due to calling out the sin of the government authority, Herod, due to him taking his brother’s wife as his wife. John stood up and opposed. John was thrown in prison and eventually beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12). When we stand up and oppose authorities based on Biblical grounds, we don’t expect our “rights” to be observed. Those can be taken away in an instant.
2. When it keeps us from loving God and loving people. Jesus says these are the most important commandments (Matthew 22:36-40). If the government imposed on the Church to keep from doing these two commands, that would be in contradiction to the core tenants of our faith.
3. When it keeps us from spreading the Gospel. Acts 5:28-29 ESV, “…’ We (high priests) strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.'” That is a huge theme in Acts and is the mission of the Church: to preach the Gospel everywhere, despite the cost (Matthew 28:18-20). 
4. When it calls us to call others ‘king, rather than God as King. Jesus is the King in the Kingdom of God that was inaugurated with His first coming and will reign for all eternity (Mark 14:61-62). This is the most offensive one: we are called to the loyalty of one King. Not a political ideology or party: King Jesus. Those that are tyrannical in their authority hate the authority that God has over them. As Christians, we will be hated for this stance as well.

Conclusion

Christians are not called to bow to any other king but King Jesus yet submit to the governing authorities in places where our faith deems fit. Look at how amazing of a witness to the world this is: citizens of the Kingdom of God submitting to earthly kings on trivial matters while awaiting our true King to come. Yet, we stand where there is opposition to Scripture out of love and devotion to our King, even if it means death.

Austin