#JesusSpeaks
“Then He said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
–Matthew 22:21
But what is Caesar's? If someone robs or extorts you and takes what is yours without your consent is it ACTUALLY theirs? If something doesn't REALLY belong to Caesar (i.e., the government), then is Jesus REALLY saying that you have to give it to them? 🤔
The point was that the coin, bearing Caesar's image, ostensibly belongs to Caesar ultimately...And that likewise, we ourselves, bearing the image of God (Gen 1:26, "Let Us make man in Our image"), belong to God and should give our lives fully to him.
I get the second part about our lives belonging to God; it's the first part about what is Caesar's that has always troubled me.
So in the US, our money bears Washington's image; so then our money belongs to Washington? Or, if the government has issued your money then it actually belongs to them? That, in itself, is an argument for using Bitcoin or other non-government issued money.
He ask you to give that which is Ceasars. He never said Ceasar has the right to force it out of you.
Taxation without representation is when the government forces you to pay for something you don't want, you didn't ask for, you don't support, and very often it is something you strongly oppose. For example, public education, social security, foreign wars and medicare.
So the money is only Caesar's if you voluntarily asked for the service agreeing to pay for the service in exchange.
I agree with you, but Caesar doesn't. But I'm more concerned with how God sees it.
Hate to say it, but that’s my interruption of things.
David Lipscomb wrote in On Civil Government, “…pay your tax, but you are not children or servants of earthly governments. Give your personal service and your bodily powers to God.”
