Liberty Minute December 25 2013

It is of perennial significance that Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem to satisfy a taxation demand made by a politician who presumed to rule the world. Caesar Augustus believed that everybody residing within his claimed domain owed him tribute for the privilege of living. He saw nothing improper about conducting  a human inventory in search of revenue to fund his imperial ambitions, because he considered them to be ? at least to some extent ? his property.

Decades later, while Jesus was involved in His ministry, He was confronted by a group of critics who posed what they thought was a devastatingly clever trick question regarding the lawfulness of paying taxes to Caesar. His reply answered the question the Pharisees should have asked, which is: Who actually owns us? Each of us is made in God?s image, not Caesar?s, and we should render to God that which is properly His ? our hearts, our lives, our worship and gratitude. In exchange he gives us freedom from the consequences of our sin and the grace to live the second great commandment ? to love our neighbor as we would be loved.

God is entitled to everything ? so what is left for Caesar to claim?

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.