Dear Christian friends:

We, Christians, belong to two kingdoms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of men. We are members of the Holy Christian Church and also citizens of the United States of America. How are these two kingdoms related to each other? What is our duty to the Church and the State?

In our text,Jesus answers these important questions. So today we will preach about:


In our text, Jesus teaches that we, Christians, should support both the Church and the State. When the Jewish leaders asked Him if they must pay taxes to the Roman government, Jesus answered, "Pay to Caesar what you owe him, and pay to God what you owe God." Jesus is not against civil government. He supports it and wants us Christians to support our government. Civil government is very necessary. We need laws and officials to enforce those laws.

If we did not have civil government, we could not live in peace and safety. We should not complain about the laws, but gladly obey them and give a good example to others. We should also cheerfully and gladly pay our taxes. Also we should vote and try to prevent waste and corruption in the government. On November 7, each one of us should vote. Now we should be listening and studying the candidates and read about the various propositions so that we can go and vote with wisdom. That is what Jesus means when He says here in our text, "Pay to Caesar what you owe Him."

Also, we should support the Church. Jesus says in our text, "Pay to God what you owe Him." How do we do this? When we go to church and attend to the Gospel preaching and believe in Jesus Christ for our Savior. Rejoice in Jesus. Thank and praise God! Love Him! Worship Him! Respect Him! Obey His Commandments! Support church evangelism and worldwide mission work. That is how we pay to God what we owe Him.

God wants the Church and state to do each their separate work and purpose here on earth. He does not want the church to interfere in the work of the government, and He does not want the government to interfere in the work of the church. Jesus wants peace and cooperation between the Church and the State.

Sometimes governments interfere and bother the Church in its work. We thank God that here in the United States of America, our government does not interfere with our church work and the things that God commands us to do. Really our government is very cooperative with the churches. It exempts the churches from paying property taxes. Federal government exempts ministers from income taxes on housing allowances. Our government allows us to deduct all our contributions to church, up to 30% of our income, when figuring our Federal income taxes.

But in many countries, this is not true, especially in those countries where a communist government is in power or rules, as in Russia, Poland, Hungry, and other communistic states. Many laws bother the churches and prevent them from paying to God what they owe to God.

What should Christians do when that happens? They must protest and if that does not help, then not obey such a government. When the Jewish government forbade Peter and John and the other apostles to preach about Jesus' death and resurrection, Peter answered, "We ought to obey God rather than men. We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we saw Jesus do and heard Him say." (Acts 4:18-20)

Many Christians today suffer persecution from governments that exceed their authority. The governments have no right or business to interfere with the churches' work. The churches do what the Lord Jesus Himself has commanded them to do.

But the churches on the other hand, must not interfere in the work of the government. In past history, this has happened in some countries. When the government uses police and other power to force people to join a certain state church. Some ministers and churches try to get laws passed that will force people to belong to church and support the church. The churches must be careful and not try to use government force or power. God has given the Spirit, His Word. The church must not use the sword of the government to do its work.

May God show mercy to us and to our government that we Christians give to God all that we owe to Him. Then the government will take only what belongs to it and nothing more. God will see to it! Thus, we can live in peace and harmony enjoying God's many blessings on earth, and be saved through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.