...AND TO GOD, THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S

 © Carlos Padilla, February 2013

...Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. Luke 20:25. Matthew 22:21, Mark 12:17.

To God the things that are God's is a wake up call for those seeking God's blessing, the foundation of what every nation, every family, church and every person should consider, if they want to receive God's blessing in these three areas of life. If you don't have it, this is the moment of finding out what it is that you are not giving God, which belongs to God. We will look into the three areas in this study.

It is also the answer to the previous study "to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" in which I introduced a Biblical exposition that compared the current situation of society which is globalized and based in economy to the one where the people of Israel lived before the roman occupation, in times of Jesus Christ. In the same way, today we live it occupied by the bureaucratic power of governments as they become more powerful and controllers of the liberty of the citizen, and oppressors of those who fight to make it. But the most relevant of this matter is to see banks being bailed out while families are foreclosed.

And the citizen asks himself, what is happening? Where are the answers? Is there a solution?. Nations see how they lose positions in people's trust, which affects in the economy, which at the same time affects social issues and as a result, in quality of life. Families, the foundation of society, see it collapsing before them. The Church sees how faith diminishes and apostasy in many of its denominations. But the Christian knows where the answers are: in the handbook of instructions of life and history, written by the author of life: The Bible, whose prophecies anticipate these events that we live in the beginning of the 21st century, A.D. What is it that we must give God as a nation, family and church, and individually? Maybe Jesus meant something else than taxes and tithes.

AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S

The same Text that we saw in the previous study, referring to Caesar, we now see it with its relevance regarding God, and the absence in society of respect and of God's love, according to Biblical prophecies.

...And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: ²²Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? ²³But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? ²⁴Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. ²⁵And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. ²⁶And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace. Luke 20:21-26.

To give tribute unto Caesar, what for?, many would ask themselves as they see how the money of the tax payer is used. But, also, if everyone paid their taxes it could be reduced. But we are not talking about taxes now, but of how to give God what is His. And what is it that we owe God?. This is the great question that man has to ask himself. Yes, the Christian is committed with his tithes and offerings to invest in saving souls, and to help the poor, but God wants us to participate as parts of our lives.

Our Father's Prayer ends with some essentials of the nature of God: ...Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory... Matthew 6:13. Indeed, the Kingdom is God's, both the one in Heaven and the one on Earth, and all this authority has been given to the Son, Matthew 28:18. The Bible so testifies along history, God is the author of creation and the just Judge.

The power is of God, no one can fight against Him. But now only this type of power is the one we should look at regarding authority, but another power more spiritual and needed, that man usually does not use when he sees himself with power. This power is to love with the love of God. God's love is so great that goes beyond our expectations. The power of the love of God changes our heart. His power to love includes His mercy, His piety, fellowship, friendship, joy, grace and glory. And the power to forgive, to forgive sins, and to give us eternal life, power to rise us from death and take us to His eternal Kingdom. There is no greater power than this.

And the Glory. Glory with capital letters because is of God, and it shines the brightness of that power to love us, to the point that by His grace we are saved through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. His glory we see in all that He has created, and the people transformed to His image through the Holy Spirit. For these attributes, from the large list that God has, we owe God what is God's, to honour Him, to fear Him and to love Him.

...THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S. FROM THE NATIONS

On the other hand, and most relevant due to the prophetic character of the subject, we see how the same governments in search of the easy vote, keep imposing laws against the moral values of God, the Christian values that have become the foundation of the historically prosper society of the Western Civilization. We only need to look at the list of the leading Western countries, they are protestant, while those countries in deep crisis are catholic. The problem that now those protestant countries as well as the catholic are suffering, is a decrease in faith, relativism, and the laicism prophesized for the end times. Not of minor importance is the corruption and abuse of children seen in religious institutions while their prelate are untouchable.

Corrupted governments rule nations in the first world, the world that is leader as example of where global society is heading, they are becoming an antichristian influence, example of decadence and corruption. Europe and the US, and the Western World in general live the worst moral decadence of many politicians and spiritual of many leaders of religious institutions, while other countries that have embraced capitalism, but come from a historical communist background, start to lead the financial race, and soon they will take their place. We are living the transformation of civilization into a new world order "Novus Orde Seclorum", as read in the one US Dollar note. The answer to this behaviour: the lack of faith in the Son of God, and the lack of mercy, it is taught by Jesus Christ in the two following Texts:

The work of the Holy Spirit:

...And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; ¹¹Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged... ... Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:8.

The judgment to the nations:

...When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: ³²And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: ³³And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: ³⁶Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. ³⁷Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? ³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? ³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? ⁴⁰And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ⁴¹Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴²For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: ⁴³I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. ⁴⁴Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? ⁴⁵Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. ⁴⁶And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:31.

...THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S. FROM THE FAMILY AND THE CHURCH

Family begins its history with Adam and Eve, the first family created by God. The consequences of their disobedience are evident and as a result it gave a rebel and murderer son, apart from the other son of faith and love of God. Cain and Abel is the story of the two alternatives that family has today in every nation, all over the world, and in every time. Cain is the result of a family that excludes God from their life. Abel is the fruit of a family that loves God.

And even though in the Biblical story Cain kills Abel, God substitutes Abel with Seth from where humanity follows the way of God to the patriarchs. Seth means "substitution", and is a symbol of the repentance. God substitutes the root of Cain who loses the blessing for leaving God. Seth begot the famous Enoch -seventh from Adam- Jude 14. Seth begot Enosh, and we find a great news from his birth: ...And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of Yahweh. Genesis 4:26.

This event has a precedent before the fall of Adam and Eve, when they used to call the name of Yahweh. A clear reference that they taught their children and grandchildren about the consequences of their transgression and that is was good to reconcile with God our Father. Enosh begot Cainan. Cainan begot Mahalalel, he Jared, and him our Enoch, from whom Methuselah was born, before Enoch was caught up by God, like Elijah, and like the Church, those who will live in the return of Jesus Christ, will be caught up in the clouds by Jesus Christ, 1Thesalonians 4:17. Methuselah begot Lamech, from whom Noah was born. And from Noah follows the descendants to Abraham, to whom God changed the name in His covenant with him through faith. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which is Israel, from whom Jude was born, to David and to Jesus Christ.

God's love between the family and between the Church:

...This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:12.

The treat between the family and between the Church:

...Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. ¹⁴We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. ¹⁵Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. ¹⁶Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? ¹⁸My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 1John 3:13.

How does the Christian family live: two answers that come from mercy:

Bear ye one another's burdens, stewardship:

...Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ²Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. ³For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. ⁴But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. ⁵For every man shall bear his own burden. Galatians 6.

Prayer and the Golden Rule:

...Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: ⁸For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ⁹Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? ¹²Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:7.

The mission of the Church to win families in Christ: The Great Commission:

...And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:18.

The result of putting these behaviours into practice is a family full of God's blessing and a Church that glorifies God, and that wins more families in Christ.

...TO GOD WHAT IS GOD'S. FROM THE INDIVIDUAL

There are two types of individuals, the Christian and the one who is not. Before God this is a big division and therefore the answer to God from each one of them is radically opposite. The Christian knows Jesus, has a personal relationship with Christ inside the Father, through the Holy Spirit. He who isn't, does not know Jesus, does not have a personal relationship with Christ and is outside of the Father, does not have the Holy Spirit inside of him. Does not fear God and lives in sin which is to not believe in Jesus Christ, John 16:9, which includes His work on the Cross.

The Christian gives God the glory, the honour and the praise, and he who is not, does not give God the glory, nor honour Him, nor praises Him. The Christian loves God because he has received His Son, Whom He sent. He who is not, does not love Him. The Christian, by loving God in Christ, through the Spirit loves the neighbour, the employees, the bosses, loves the nation where he lives, loves the Church, other Christians. Who is not, is egoist, does not love God, does not love the neighbour, nor the people with whom he lives whether at work or in society, and as we see around us, does not love his family. He who gives God what is God's, loves Him with all the heart, with all the soul, with all his mind and with all his strength, and there is no one stronger and of more blessing than those who love God.

The Great Commandment:

...And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? ²⁹And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: ³⁰And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. ³¹And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:28.

And how do we put the First and Great Commandment and the Second into practice:

...And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ²⁶ He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? ²⁷And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. ²⁸And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

The good samaritan:

...²⁹But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? ³⁰And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³²And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. ³³But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, ³⁴And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. ³⁶Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? ³⁷And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. Luke 10:25.

CONCLUSION

...Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? ²The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, ³Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. ⁴He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. ⁵Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. ⁶Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. ⁷I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. ⁸Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. ⁹Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. ¹⁰Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. ¹¹Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. ¹²Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalm 2.

The nation formed by Christian individuals who love God, is a nation formed by families that love their members, families that give good example in society. These Christian families form a Church that is the Body of Christ, and are the best guarantee of a society of justice and quality of life, security and prosperity, because the blessing of God is on them. The nation that gives God the things that are God's, is the image of a society formed by families that give God the things that are God's, and these families are formed by people that give God the things that are God's. Do you give God the things that are God's?. Does your family and your Church give God the things that are God's? Does your nation give God the things that are God's?.

Perhaps the first of the questions is the one that really matters, the one that is the beginning of the social change without precedents: Do I give God the things that are God's?. ...Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love... ...This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15.

Because if we abide in Christ and His words abide in us, we can ask all the things that are God's, and it will be done to us. Prayer in the king's house, in parliament, in the Church, in the family, in solitude. ...This is my commandment: That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Amen.