10.26.22 不要把神的歸凱撒 Don’t Give What is God’s to Caesar

針對耶穌時代的宗教領袖提出的向凱撒納稅是否合法的陷阱問題，耶穌巧妙地回答：“凱撒的歸凱撒，神的歸　神。”

首先，“凱撒的歸凱撒”，耶穌承認政府的領域，甚至羅馬政府的領域。在羅馬書 13:1 中，我們了解到所有的權柄“都是上帝所設立的”，所以生活在政府領域的基督徒應該成為好公民並服從權柄。

第二，“神的歸　神”，雖然我們承認政府的領域，但這種承認並沒有給基督徒提供藉口來忽視我們對上帝的責任。

劍橋大學國王學院院長亞歷克·維德勒博士說，教會的有“雙重身份”, 他稱這種身份為“神聖的屬世”。

從一方面而言, 教會是一群「聖民 “holy” people 」, 從世人中蒙召出來,歸屬於神. 從另一方面而言, 教會又是一群「在世上的人“worldly” people 」, 意即是受差遣回到世界, 為要見證並服事.

“神聖的屬世”

第三，比較這兩個領域，上帝的領域是優先於政府的領域，因此當政府試圖通過制定不符合聖經的法律來進入上帝的領域並想要讓教會保持沉默時，基督徒不應該“把上帝的東西給凱撒”。隨著中期選舉的臨近，讓我們投票-“凱撒的歸凱撒”，同時按照上帝的話語, 聖經投票-“神的歸　神”，從而履行與我們”雙重身份”的責任。

禱告：親愛的天父，願祢幫助祢的教會將適當的事物帶到適當的領域，並知道最終祢的國度比世上的國度更強大，它也將存到永遠！奉耶穌的名，阿們！

In response to the trap question asked by the religious leaders of Jesus’ day concerning whether or not it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus cleverly answered:  “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

First, with regards to rendering “to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”, Jesus recognized the realm of government, even of the Roman government. In Romans 13:1 we learn that all authorities “have been instituted by God”, so Christians living in the realm of government should be good citizens and submit to authority.

Second, concerning rendering “to God the things that are God’s”, while we recognize the realm of government, this recognition doesn’t give Christians the excuse to ignore our duty to God.

Dr. Alec Vidler, who was Dean of King’s College at the University of Cambridge, said that the church has a “double identity”. He termed this identity a “holy worldness”.

On the one hand, the church is a “holy” people, called out of the world to belong to God. But on the other hand, the church is a “worldly” people, in the sense of renouncing “otherworldliness” and being sent back into the world to witness and to serve.

“Holy Ｗorldness”

Third, comparing the two realms, the realm of God is superior to that of government and therefore when the government tries to enter into the realm of God by establishing unbiblical laws and wants to silence the church, Christian SHOULD NOT “give what is God’s to Caesar”. As mid-term elections are coming up, let us vote so as to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”, but at the same time “render to God the things that are God’s” by voting in accordance with God’s Word, the Bible, thus fulfilling the responsibilities associated with our “double identity”.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, may You help Your church to render the appropriate things to the appropriate realm and to know that ultimately Your kingdom is stronger than the kingdom of this earth and it also will last forever! In Jesus’ name, Amen!