Church and State

Audio Player

When questioned about the spiritual views in 10 Downing Street, Alistair Campbell, the Prime Minister's press guru, said recently: "We don't do God." An older Alistair, Alistair Cooke, reported last week in his Letter from America on BBC Radio, that when Walter Mondale was running for President he had said: "God has no place in politics". When he was thoroughly beaten and lost the election, Bob Hope (who has just died) observed: "apparently God feels the same way about Mondale."

So what place should God have in politics? Nor can that question be shirked. That is because there are hard choices to be made in the modern world at the beginning of the 21st century. I have to simplify. But the basic choices relating to "the church" or "God" and the "state" or "governments" are between the views and the politics of secular Godless humanism; Islam; and Christianity. You can choose the way of Godless humanism that denies "God" and makes the "state" everything. Or you can choose Islam that denies the "state" and makes "Allah" everything. Or you can choose the way of the Bible and Christianity that teach you must have both God and the state. Jesus taught:

Give to Caesar [or the state] what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.

So this morning we are looking at Mark 12.13-17, our second reading. The Bible has much to say about the Christian's attitude to the state, government and politics. There is much in the Old Testament. For example, in our first reading from Daniel chapter 4, we heard about Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon in modern Iraq (so he was a predecessor of Saddam Hussein). Nebuchadnezzar thought he could do what he liked. God taught him otherwise in a dramatic way. He let him lose his sanity and become like an animal. Verse 32 says this was ...

... until [Nebuchadnezzar] acknowledge[d] that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.

The Old Testament teaches the fundamental lesson that our God is sovereign over all. He providentially orders all the affairs of men and women on this earth - so that must include their political arrangements.

When you move to the New Testament, you find direct teaching that is very relevant for today - in Romans 13 and in 1 Timothy 2, for example. We will be looking at these passages later. Then there are other references that have clear implications regarding the state. For example, the last six chapters of the Acts of the Apostles are about Paul's final confrontation with the Jewish authorities and his appeal to Rome.

And then there is much indirect New Testament teaching that affects our thinking about politics - not least on the reality of sin; the need for loving our neighbour; and the teaching about the law, especially God's primary law, often called "natural law" (I've written about that in this month's Coloured Supplement in the Newsletter). Well, this morning I want us to look at the direct teaching you find in Mark 12.13-17. And I have three questions.

First, WHY IS THERE A CHRISTIAN DUTY? Secondly, WHAT BELONGS TO CAESAR? And, thirdly, WHAT BELONGS TO GOD?

First, WHY IS THERE A CHRISTIAN DUTY?

Look at Mark 12. Jesus in now in Jerusalem in the last week of his life. Chapter 11 and the first part of chapter 12 tell us that "the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders" - the religious establishment - hate Jesus and his teaching. So they sent the equivalent of their secret police - chapter 12 verse 13 - in the persons of ...

... some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.

Now Mark tells us that these Pharisees and Herodians were a particular nasty bunch. They were nasty because they should have hated each other. The Pharisees were ultra strict Jews and anti-Roman. The Herodians were very lax Jews and pro-Roman. Yet they were willing to sink their differences to attack Jesus.

In Mark 3 you are told that after one of Christ's healing miracles,

the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus (Mk 3.6).

So they are not interested in Jesus views. But, verse 14:

they came to him and said, 'Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?' But Jesus knew their hypocrisy.

People can ask you questions about your faith, when they have no desire for an answer. They are just wanting to trap you. Beware. How you need to pray for discernment and wisdom! Jesus needed wisdom here. You see, if Jesus had said, "No!", the Herodians would have reported Jesus to the Roman authorities and he would have been executed for treason. If he had said, "Yes!" the Pharisees would have reported him to the Jewish people as being disloyal to their nation and so have further inflamed Jewish hatred.

"But Jesus knew their hypocrisy". So with great wisdom he answers them. He says that there is a moral duty to pay taxes and - this is the nub - the Pharisees, no less than others, have that moral duty. Jesus said (the last part of verse 15):

Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.' They brought the coin, and he asked them, 'Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?' 'Caesar's,' they replied. Then Jesus said to them, 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.' And they were amazed at him.

You need to know that the literal translation here is important. In verse 15 the literal translation is not "should we pay or shouldn't we?' but "should we give or should we not give?" It is important, because in verse 17 the literal translation is not "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's" but "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's."

The Pharisees (and Herodians) use the verb "give" in respect of handing over money for taxes. Jesus, in his reply, adds the important preposition "back" - "give back to Caesar what is Caesar's". So Jesus is saying that there is an obligation on the believer and on everyone to play their part in political life - in particular in paying taxes, which is paying back what is owed. Let me explain further.

The denarius was the common Roman coin of those days and was an average daily wage. For example, that is what Roman soldiers were paid each day. And on one side of the coin there was the portrait of the Emperor Tiberius. On the other side was the inscription in Latin: "Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the divine Augustus." The Pharisees were so strict that they would have thought these coins broke the commandment about making images. Not only that, they saw that the words "divine Augustus" were blasphemous.

But do you see what Jesus did? He asked them to fish in their pockets for a coin. And, lo! and behold! they hand one over. For all their scruples the Pharisees were using these coins themselves. They were making use of the Roman economic system. They may have disliked the Romans, but they were benefiting from their rule. The Romans were providing them with roads and relative peace. They, therefore, had a duty to play their part and pay their taxes.

Next, having exposed the Pharisees' hypocrisy, by implication Jesus opposes the Herodians and their views of the Romans. He makes it clear that it is very wrong to call Caesar divine. Caesar most certainly is not God. They are absolutely separate beings. So Jesus says:

Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.

That, then, is the first reason why the believer, or the church, has a duty to the state. We benefit from the state. And we have to give back to the state what is it's due.

A second reason is this: God himself has authorized the state authorities or its government. Turn over, if you will, to Romans 13 (page 1140 of the Bibles in the pews). Look at verse 1:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Then look on to verse 4:

he [the ruler] is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

That word servant can be translated "minister". So George Bush and Tony Blair are as much God's ministers as you and I are, who have a "ministry" in the Church. They have God's ministry in the state. You see, the "state" is part of God's "common grace". Rulers are God's provision "to do you good" (verse 4). And they do you good (verse 3) by commending what is right and punishing what is wrong. Remember Paul was writing this under Nero. For all its terrible faults, even under Nero, the Roman system provided the rule of law. And the Roman Peace undoubtedly aided the spread of the gospel, telling people about God's "saving grace" in Jesus Christ. Even bad government is usually better than no government. I experienced "no government" in the Sudan for a short time in the 1960's and it was frightening. With no government, you have no idea what orders the military are following. And you've had that situation in Liberia. Yes, sometimes so called "governments" are in no way "God's servants" - look later at Revelation 13 and the beast from the sea which is probably the state in a demonic form. But generally any government is better than no government.

The second reason, therefore, for your duty towards the state is that it is God's provision for your good. Not least a state that fulfils its function is important for evangelism. Paul tells Timothy to pray for his political leaders so that ...

... we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2.2-4).

And the third reason is that you have a duty "to love your neighbour as yourself". Those words come later in this chapter 13 of Romans (verse 13). But if you turn back to Romans 12 verse 9 and the verses following, you can see that Romans 13 on the state is sandwiched between aspects of Paul's teaching on love. So if you are going to "love" your neighbour you must fulfil your duty towards the state - with justice being love in the public realm.

And the fourth reason we have a duty is because Christ is Lord (whether people realize it or not) over all nations, states and politics. He has his plan and purposes. We must pray and work for them. He is "the ruler of the kings of the earth" (Rev 1.5); and his special name we are told is ...

... KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev 19.16).

Let's move on.

Secondly, WHAT BELONGS TO CAESAR?

What then is involved in fulfilling our duty to Caesar - in "Giving to Caesar what is Caesar's". Well, in addition first to paying taxes, secondly you must respect and honour the office of the ruler. Romans 13.6-7 says:

... the authorities are God's servants ... Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour.

However much you may dislike and oppose what certain politicians do, you must respect their office and honour their role. That is a requirement too many seem to be forgetting today - not least in the media. But Caesar has no carte blanche to demand anything as his right. Not everything belongs to Caesar. So when Caesar orders what God forbids, or forbids what God orders, you must resist Caesar. When Paul says in Romans 13 verse I:

everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities,

that submission, as all submission in the Bible, cannot be absolute. Acts 5.29 is clear. Listen to how the apostles responded when the authorities ordered them to disobey God:

Peter and the other apostles replied: 'We must obey God rather than men!

So your duty towards the state and your duty to respect the office of ruler, doesn't mean you should be uncritical. Jesus let it be known what he thought of the immoral Herod. He called him "that fox" (Luke 13:32). John the Baptist, too, had taken issue with Herod and Herodias over their immorality - they were the Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles of the time. And John was executed for his pains. Yes, you sometimes need to be critical, blunt and definite. Paul was definite in Philippi in Acts 16. He wouldn't let the rulers get away with defying the law in his case. He insisted on his political rights. So you must critically respect the government and obey the law.

Thirdly, your duty towards the state is to pray, as we have seen. In 1 Timothy 2 Paul says it should be Timothy's duty (and presumably ours) "first of all". When you pray, do you pray for the Government? I don't pray as I should. You can only pray intelligently if you know what to pray for. So keep informed. Why not make use of the Christian Institute's briefings and get on their mailing list if you are not already on it?

And, fourthly, you need to witness in the public square. Turn over to Mark 13 verse 9. It says:

You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.

Thank God that we don't get flogged at the Civic Centre or Church House for standing up for the truth about Christ. How much more, then, should we take those opportunities when, under no duress, we find ourselves in a public forum before "governors and kings" - or their minions - when you go to the governing body of your profession; when you go to a public meeting; or when you are given the floor somewhere else where you can have influence. You are to "witness to" Christ to the people you are with.

So every Christian, whatever the government, needs to pay taxes; have a critical respect for the office of the ruling authority; pray for the individuals involved; and take every opportunity to witness to Christ in the public realm. And in a democracy we must do more. Paul was writing under a very different political order.

So, fifthly, in a democracy, surely, we all need, more than ever, to keep informed; support what is good; oppose what is bad (write those letters and get involved in various campaigns). And others need to get directly involved - as councillors, school governors, magistrates or even MP's. Some will be involved in the police and the military. That is because the state, not private individuals, alone can use force (as Paul makes clear in Romans 12 and 13).

Finally, WHAT BELONGS TO GOD?

How do you fulfil your duty towards God and give him his due?

First, recognize that he is the sovereign Lord and that Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And supremely make sure you are living as he wants you to be living. That first involves being right with him. Perhaps someone here has never yet trusted him and accepted God's forgiveness offered in Christ when he died for sin at Calvary. Well, you need to do that and then pray for his Holy Spirit to give you new life to live in both the private and the public realm as he wants you to be living.

Secondly, be realistic. Realize the state is a temporary institution. In heaven there will only be the kingdom of God. And realize that you can't establish the kingdom of God by politics. That is because of the reality of sin. So many political programmes totally ignore the reality of sin. They produce utopian programmes that are quite unrealistic. Because of the reality of sin God has given us governments to restrain the worst effects of that sinfulness, not to achieve heaven on earth. So that means there is always to be a primacy for evangelism and preaching the gospel. That is why our motto at JPC is first "Godly Living and [secondly] Church Growth". But evangelism is helped when the state generates a culture that lets people, as Paul says in 1 Tim 2:

live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour.

That is why, thirdly, we also want to "Change Britain" in so far as we can. If public peace and quiet, and public godliness and holiness "is good and pleases God," we want to please him.

Back to top