Mark 12:15-17 – “Bring Me a denarius to look at.’ 16 And they brought one. And He said to them, ‘Whose image and inscription is this?’ And they said to Him, ‘Caesar’s.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were utterly amazed at Him.”
The state is ordained by God. Without laws and law enforcement, life would be utter chaos. The state is the origin of many of the things that make life liveable. Our Declaration of Independence says, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…” Ideally, we want everyone to have equal opportunity to fulfill their God ordained potential by providing God ordained rights.
The Apostle Paul declares that every Christian should be subject to governing authorities. He reminds us that rulers should not be a cause of fear if our behavior is good. He says they bear a sword for those who do evil as ordained by God and for this we are to pay taxes (Rom. 13:1-7). One thing that should not be controversial for Christians is the support of our police officers while demanding justice for those who are corrupt.
Until Jesus fully rules on earth as he does in heaven, He provides mechanisms to restrain the sinful nature of man via government entities. This is to provide as much opportunity as possible for people to live with the order necessary to worship, learn, build, and grow. Christians understand authority will never be without corruption apart from Christ’s rule in man’s heart, but standards of law and order must still be supported so long as they do not violate Christ’s standards. Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s – prayer, taxes, your voice, and your vote.
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the wise standards you bring to create order and human flourishing. I pray for discernment in voting for leaders that will align with your policies and standards as revealed in Scripture. I pray for your love in my heart towards all people regardless. Amen.