What Happens When Caesar Tells Caesar, “No”?

Jesus said, “Give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his” Mark 12:13-17 MSG.

Here Jesus, when the opposing Pharisees sought to trick him into prioritizing his loyalties, counseled that both God-mandated and just and fair man-made laws should be obeyed.

The only to-be-paid guarantees in this life we have been told are death and taxes.

But who forgot to remind “Caesar” - oops, correction: President Trump? 

Sunday’s New York Times exposè https://nyti.ms/33d8R9l chronicled Donald Trump’s 20-year history of paying minimal or no God- or man-mandated taxes. 

When the leaders of men disobey the just laws from the leaders of men, it’s illegal; but when they also disobey the only true “rule of law,” God’s Word, then it’s additionally immoral with divine consequences.

We humans err when we lean to our own understanding (Prov. 3:5), and disregard God’s law. As the earlier text indicates, we honor God by submitting to his law, then obeying God-inspired and just man-made laws. Failing to do either is criminal, but disrespecting both robs us of both God’s and man’s favor.

To avoid such a double error, our task is to follow the Jesus model of Luke 2:52: “And Jesus increased in wisdom (intellectual development) and in stature (physical development), and in favor with God (spiritual development) and man (social development).” 

Only then can you and we emulate Jesus’ charge from the Sermon on the Mount, to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” Matthew 5:16.  

#TrumpTaxes #750 #PresidentialHypocrite #WrittenThoughts #UShistory

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tim allston is the author of the printed/digital/audiobook, The U.S. Coronavirus Crisis and the Rise of the “Silver-Mettle” Leaders, available now at https://amzn.to/3cx1koV.