Original article posted here.

What belongs to God?  Everything!

When Jesus says to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God (Matthew 22:21), He was not giving government superior status over God.  He was not even giving equal status of Government to God.  Rather, He gave government a limited realm which we must respect.

But there are times when we should not render to Government because Government is asking for more than they should.

One example is on Friday, the now famous Colorado Baker, Jack Phillips, lost his latest appeal to the to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission.  Told he must bake a cake for a homosexual marriage celebration in violation of his religious beliefs, or else, he remained resolute, “I will stand by my convictions until somebody shuts me down.” 

When Jesus pointed to the image of Caesar on the coins, He didn’t give government a carte blanche to do whatever government desired to do.  In the same sentence Jesus limited government, “and to God what belongs to God.”  In reality, everything belongs to God, even Government.  So when our faith and government disagree, we have to obey the higher authority, the greater authority, God.

In our new era of government overreach, government does not want competition of our loyalty.  They want you to render to them that which belongs to them as well as render to them that which belongs to God.  They don’t mind us having different beliefs, but they refuse to allow us to have different practices.

Both the Bible and history have shown that practicing our faith is essential to our belief.  For instance, early Christians died rather than making an offering to other gods.  John Bunyan, who disagreed with the recitation of written prayers, went to jail rather than obeygovernment.  In Sudan, a woman is sentenced to death rather than recant her Christian belief.  James 2:17 is clear, our faith is dead without works.  To separate faith and practice is most unChristian.

Our baker is right in seeing his first loyalty is to God, but Caesar(government)  may close his business, put him in jail, and fine him; they want carte blanche loyalty and they want it unquestionably.

Other cases

In Toronto Canada, a Muslim barber is being sued by a lesbian woman for refusing to cut her hair because he believes in keeping Sharia law that includes a prohibition from touching a woman other than his wife.

A New Mexico photographer, Elane Photography, lost a battle to not participate in a homosexual commitment service.

Several businesses including a convent of nuns are suing to not provide abortion inducing drugs to their employees because of their seriously held religious beliefs.

Several Christian Campus groups have been kicked off campus because they cannot sign campus agreements that violate their religious beliefs.

While I am not asking you to agree with each case listed, these are clear areas of government wrongfully telling us, “What you should render to God, now render to us.”  Our government has a god complex and this god complex will destroy our government and nation.

How far will government go?  If they can “force” nuns to support abortions, Christians to support gay marriage, Muslims to touch women and prevent Christian clubs from upholding their doctrinal statement, then where will they go next?

Only God knows!

While we should render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, Caesar is asking us to do things that have nothing to do with Government’s rightful role.  Thus, like the baker, we should be willing stand up against the government bully even if it will cost us.

Yes, we should give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but Caesar too should respect their own domain and understand that there is no a domain for God.  God is over all, even them.