The Christian Citizen
Matthew 22:15-22 

** Aren't you glad you live in America? What if, by chance, we were born in Saudi Arabia? There are 1.5 million Christians living in Saudi Arabia, and they are denied all rights because they are not Muslims. In fact, they are not allowed to be citizens of that country even though they have lived there for over a thousand years. Therefore they have no rights, no protection under their brutal law of the land.

** Religious liberty is a prize, it is a great blessing. For much of history Roman Catholicism has practiced a despotic rule over the consciences and souls of men.

** For many years, even protestants were guilty of religious bigotry and oppression. Martin Luther, the great Reformer of Germany, though he demanded religious liberty for himself, did not cavil, did not think it a strange thing, to oppress the Anabaptists for their beliefs. He slaughtered the Anabaptists by the hundreds of thousands. These were our spiritual ancestors. -- the Anabaptists.

** And John Calvin, the Reformer in Geneva, did not hesitate to burn Savanarola, that great saint and intellectual equal of Calvin, at the stake.

** It was the Baptist, Roger Williams, who first established a colony where true religious liberty was established as the law of the land.

** And it was the Baptists of Virginia who spoke loudly and strongly to bring about religious liberty to the entire nation. They said they would support the revolution only if religious liberty was granted to all in this nation. They said they would support the adoption of the constitution only if religious liberty was written into it.

** One of the great sermons in modern times was preached by G. W. Truett of Dallas, Texas. Truett had just returned from preaching overseas to our troops in World War One.

In the forward of a book containing the text of Truetts sermon, J. B. Cranfil wrote: "Since Paul spoke before Nero, no Baptist leader ever painted the cause of truth in surroundings so dignified, impressive and inspiring. The shadow of the capitol of the greatest and freest nation on earth, largely made so by the infiltration of Baptist ideas through the masses fell on that vast assembly composed of cabinet members, senators, members of the lower house, foreign ambassadors, intellectuals in all callings, peoples of every religious order and of all classes. History was involked, but far more history was explained by the inner guiding principles of a people who stand today as they have always stood for full and equal religious liberty for all people.

Then, Truett speaks.

"Southern Baptists count it a high privilege to hold their annual convention this year in the nations' capital. And be counted one of life's highest privilege to be citizens of our one great, united country.

Grand in her rivers and her rills,
Grand in her woods and templed hill;
Grand in the wealth that glory yields,
Illustrious dead, historic fields.
Grand in her past, her present grand,
In sunlit skies, in fruitful land.
Grand in her strength on land and sea,
Grand in religious liberty.

Years ago at a notable dinner in London, that world-famed statesman, John Bright, asked an American statesman, himself a Baptist, the noble Dr. J. L. M. Curry, 'What distinct contribution has your America made to the science of government?'

To that question Dr. Curry replied, 'The doctrine of religious liberty.' After a moment's reflection, Mr. Bright made the worthy reply, 'It was a tremendous contribution.'

Indeed, the supreme contribution of the new world to the old is the contribution of religious liberty. This is the chiefest contribution that America has made thus far to civilization. And historic justice compels me to say that it was preeminently a Baptist contribution."

** With those thoughts, let us turn to our text.

I. The Herodians Question
A. Who were the Herodians? The Herodians were something of a mixture between a political party and a religious sect. They believed Herod the Great to have been a Messiah and they wanted to see Herod's children back on the throne of Judea. They staunchly opposed Pontious Pilate. This put them in opposition to the Roman government and als, strangely enough, with the Pharisees. The Pharisees and the Herodians, however, both opposed Jesus and so we see them in league here to get rid of Jesus
B. What did they do? They proposed a question that they believed would trap Jesus. If He answered "Pay taxes to Ceasar," this would discredit Him in the sight of the Jews.
Out of all the Roman taxes that the Jews had to pay, this one was the most hated. They hated it because they believed that the coin that they had to pay it with was idolatrous. It had the image of Ceasar on it, and on the back of it an inscription that called Ceasar the high priest -- in Latin, Pontifex Maximus. In A.D. 6 this coin sparked a rebellion among the Jews. We read of this in Acts 5:37. The aged Gamalliel stated that "After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed." This tax continued to be troubling to the Jews and in A.D. 66 the Jews again rebelled. This brought about the terrible destruction of the Jewish nation and its temple in A.D. 70.

Now, if Jesus said "pay your taxes" you can see how that would have put Him in danger with the Jews. The Jewish leaders could have incited the masses to riot and had Jesus lynched and killed.

But, if Jesus would have said "no, don't pay your taxes," then this would have put him in danger with the Roman authorities. The Pharisees and the Herodians could have marched into the Roman govenor's office and turned Jesus in for rebellion and treason.

They thought they had Jesus. But you do not confound someone who is the TRUTH Himself. Jesus had the perfect answer, and it is the basis of religious liberty today.

II. The Master's Answer

A. Jesus asked for a coin. It is translated a Penny in the King James Version, but it is not a copper coin. In the Greek it is a Denarius. It was a coin made out of silver and only the Roman Caesar had the authority to mint coins out of silver and gold.
Jesus then asked "Who's image is on this coin?" Caesar, they said. "Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's"
B. A Perceptive Answer. Not only did Jesus give a good answer, He also understood the motive for the question. In V. 18: "But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites." They were wicked, and the nature of their wickedness was hypocrisy.
In the Greek hypocrisy literally means a "false face." They were wearing a mask. They pretended to be people with honest questions, but in reality they were only trying to entrap Jesus. They called Him teacher, a term of great respect, and they flattered Him in V. 16: "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; or do you care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men." But they really believed Jesus was an imposter and they thought they were going to expose Him by their crafty question.
They were hypocrites. And their questions were hypocritical.
C. Now let us see what Jesus says about Christian Citizenship.
1. First, Jesus gave what every informed Christian should see as the great ideal: A free church in a free state. This has forever been the passage from which Baptists derived the doctrine of the separation of church and state.
In 1777 the Revolutionary Forces of the United States were held up in the snowy fields of Valley Forge. There the Commander of the American Armies, General George Washington, knelt to pray for his armies and for the new nation known as America. There is a statue of him praying in Valley Forge today.
About 25 years later, in Philadelphia, American leaders met to adopt the Constitution of the United States. A young man asked Ben Franklin "Which one is George Washington?" Franklin said, when we open the assembly with prayer, George Washington will be the one who kneels."
How beautiful is that?
But what if there was a law, and soldiers had guns and knives, and compelled by force that all should kneel, or that General Washington should kneel? What would it mean then? It would mean nothing.
That is why Baptists oppose the union of church and state. That is why Baptists demand that all men should be free to worship God, or not worship God. Faith must be, by its very nature, free.
You can't compel faith, anymore than you can compel a person to fall in love. It must be voluntary and free.
Right now there is a great challenge concerning the separation of church and state going on in the House of Representatives. It is HR3685. This bill, if passed, will require Christian schools, seminaries, and Christian daycares, counseling centers, and businesses of all kinds will be required to hire and promote homosexuals. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council said: "Small businesses, schools, non-profit groups, hospitals, clinics, counseling centers, even certain religious institutions would be required to hire homosexuals . . . An employer's faith, moral view, the sensitivity of their clientele is of no consequence. Private schools, daycare centers, scouting organizations and quasi-religious organizations will not be exempt."
This is radical secularism invading the realm of the church, and it must be stopped. You can contact the Capitol switchboard by calling 202.224.3121.
2. The second thing Jesus teaches us in this passage is that the Christian has an obligation to the state, not just rights before the state. Note carefully V. 21: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars'" The word translated "render" in the Greek implies a debt that must be paid. Jesus was saying that the tax is not only legal, it is a moral obligation.
Yes, Jesus taught the separation of Church and state. Yes, Jesus taught that we have a human right to be free. But, Jesus also taught us that we have moral obligations to the state and to society. "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars'"
The apostle Paul said: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except t from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. Bu if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. Or because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due; taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."
Romans 13:1-7
And the apostle Peter said, "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good . . . Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." 1 Peter 2:13-17
3. And Jesus said that we are to render unto God the things that are God's. What do we have that doesn't belong to God? The tithe? That already belongs to God. Render it to Him. Our time? It is a gift from God. Render it back to Him. Our soul? It belongs to God. Do you realize that you don't own your own soul? The Bible says that one day our soul will be required of us. We don't even own our own soul. But God promises us that if we will give our soul to Him, He will return it to us with forgiveness, and joy, and love. It will be a soul fit for Heaven and eternal life.
There may be someone here today who has never given themselves to Jesus. No one is forcing you. God Himself doesn't do that. But He does work in us to make us want to come to Him. Do you feel that gentle work of the Spirit in your soul today? That's God. Obey His call today. You have nothing to lose but your sin and guilt. Come to Christ today and be saved.


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