The Path To Authority: Paying Caesar’s Due Part 1

PART I 

What is Caesar’s work?

Romans 13:4 – to rule society; to run it.

That is what Caesar’s duty is. It’s a very hard job, so hard that God permitted them to punish, and even sometimes kill, people who oppose them. That’s how hard civil authority is. So, Caesar was permitted to take up a physical ‘sword’ unlike spiritual authorities who are limited only to a spiritual response. Then Paul the apostle goes on to tell you in verse 7 to give tax to whom tax is due – give Caesar his tax, but it’s not just tax: “…For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Romans 13:6-7

Don’t wait till you are in a big position to do the right thing. For you to be better or good at doing it, you have to do it at a small level. You must learn to be obedient in your house, to your teacher or Sunday school teacher.

In every sector that you practice submission and obedience, you are training yourself according to God’s plan in giving Caesar what is Caesar’s due. Stop saying, “The day the Governor talks to me, I’ll do it.” Don’t deceive yourself like that. Be obedient in your present setting, your extant space.

For example, the law of the house says: ‘Don’t keep the fridge open; close it carefully!’. Don’t fail to obey that rule and say, “I was in a hurry.” Stop telling stories. Pause and close it carefully. Do it as though God Almighty commanded you to do so.

Daniel 7 says that at the end, the final Kingdom (the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of Stone) shall come. This Kingdom is going to take the dominion from Caesar and all his representatives, and share it out to God’s faithful people (Dan 7:22).

According to Luke 19, you will not get anything if you’re not faithful in [your service to] these present kingdoms, by being faithful in “another man’s” business (Luke 16:12). If you’re unfaithful, no-one will give you your own.

Who will make you a Caesar when your time comes? The answer is found in the message of the resurrection of the dead we preach; entering into the fullness of your inheritance. You will not get it if you are unfaithful. Jesus was clear. If you buried your God given capacity to obey, to produce good from what you have been given, He will take away even the little you had. ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. Luke 19:26

What did you have?

You had the Holy Spirit, you had some graces, and you had some authority. They will be taken from you because you did not use them. You must first bring peace and effectiveness to your own Caesars. But if you are not submitted under authority, you will not be put in authority.

So, let’s note this, about giving to Caesar what is his due (Mark 12:17): Caesar is due something because God said he is due it. Give fear to whom it is due. Picture that you came to a place, thinking: “All these things you people comply with here, that’s your problem! I will do my thing!” It sounds bold, but it’s quite foolish. That is not giving what is due. We are not referring to sin of any sort or illegalities. But simple matters of obligation in place that may even be unfair.

Jesus and Unfair Taxation

“After they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?” He said, “Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes — from their sons or from foreigners?”

After he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free.

But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. Take that and give it to them for me and you.” Mat 17:24

Let’s say you come to a house, and everybody has a different pair of slippers for use within and outside the house. They told you, but you said, “Abeg, leave me jor, slippers na slippers!” [‘Please, leave me alone; slippers are slippers!’] You are preparing to be given nothing in the future, because you’re not being faithful.

I think people think too much about their ‘rights’. It’s selfishness and pride. If you go to a place or you’re among people and your attitude is, “So, is this how you act here?” Within a short time, you will be fomenting rebellion. You’re saying, whether directly or not, “So. that’s how they enslave you people here…”

(To be continued…)