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Study 07 of 10

God or Caesar, Which?

God's kingdom rules the mind, thoughts, and eternal destiny through love and forgiveness, while Caesar's civil government rules only the body, actions, and temporal order through force; mixing the two realms corrupts both.

Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.

Synopsis

Taking Christ's answer 'render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's,' Prescott lays out a sustained contrast between the two realms: God rules mind, thought, sin, morality, forgiveness, love, and eternity, while Caesar rules body, action, crime, civility, penalty, force, and temporal affairs. Christ's Sermon on the Mount shows that God's law reaches the thoughts, something no civil government could enforce without destroying society. Using the stories of the three Hebrews, Daniel in the lions' den, the trial of Jesus, and the persecuted apostles, Prescott demonstrates that when Caesar oversteps into God's realm—demanding worship or forbidding conscience—God's people must obey God rather than man, and God vindicates them. Historically, the confusion of church and state, from pagan Rome's religious tests to modern calls to legislate religion, has produced some of history's darkest chapters. Any church seeking Caesar's arm to advance religion confesses it has lost the power of God, for Christ's kingdom conquers only by love, never by force.

Key points

  • God's kingdom governs the mind, thoughts, sin, and eternity; Caesar's kingdom governs the body, actions, crime, and temporal affairs.
  • God rules by forgiveness and love; Caesar can only use penalty and force, so applying God's methods to civil government would destroy it.
  • Scripture examples—the three Hebrews, Daniel, the apostles—show that when Caesar invades God's realm, God's people must obey God rather than man.
  • Any church that calls on civil power to advance religion confesses that it has lost the power of God, for Christ's kingdom is won by love alone.

Key texts

  • Matthew 22:15-22
  • Matthew 5:21-22
  • Acts 5:29
  • Daniel 3 and 6

From the book

Sermon 6 · Church and State · Read this chapter

  • “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” (sermon 6)
  • “God in Jesus Christ deals with sin; Caesar deals with crime.” (sermon 6)
  • “Any church that asks Caesar for help, any church that accepts the proffered help, is not a Christian Church; it is Caesarian.” (sermon 6)

Put it into practice

  • Distinguish clearly in my own thinking between matters of conscience before God and matters of civil law.
  • Guard against relying on legislation or political power to advance my faith or convictions.
  • Practice loyal, civil obedience to government within its proper sphere, while reserving worship and conscience for God alone.
  1. Comprehension

    1. What sharp distinction did Christ draw in answering the question about tribute to Caesar?

  2. Doctrinal Clarity

    2. How does God's rule of the mind differ from Caesar's rule of the body?

  3. Contrast

    3. Why would it be disastrous for Caesar to try to apply God's principle of forgiving 'seventy times seven'?

  4. Scripture

    4. What lesson do the stories of the three Hebrews and Daniel teach about the limits of civil authority?

  5. Comprehension

    5. On what charge was Jesus actually put to death, and why?

  6. Doctrinal Clarity

    6. What does Prescott say it means when a church seeks the aid of civil government to advance its cause?

  7. Scripture

    7. Why does God's law govern thought while Caesar's law can only govern action?

  8. Application

    8. Where in your own life might you be tempted to lean on outward pressure or legislation rather than the power of love to advance what you believe?