RENDER UNTO GOD THE THINGS OF GOD.
By M. C. W.
WHEN the Pharisees sent some of their number to Jesus to entangle him in his talk, they presented before him a Roman penny, and asked him if it was lawful to pay tribute to Cæsar or not. Jesus asked them, "Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore to Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's." The wisdom of the lowly Nazarene baffled them. Here is a broad principle stated by our Lord. In fact it is so comprehensive that it covers all relations which man owes to earthly governments and to God. "Cæsar" represents earthly governments and what they can rightly demand of man. "God," of course, represents God and his requirements. What belongs to God is not to be rendered to Cæsar, and what belongs to Cæsar God does not require of us only that it should be rendered to Cæsar. The question asked of our Saviour was, "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar or not?" Tribute was a tax exacted of the people of a nation or of some conquered nation, for the support of a government. Where there were sufficient of the conquered nations, the nationality of the government were free from taxation. But government is ordained of God. To maintain the laws of the government, officers are necessary; and to support these, funds must be raised. Therefore tribute or tax must be levied on all who are within the territory ruled by this government. That it is right to pay this our Saviour's words show. He himself paid tribute. Matt. 17: 27. Paul enjoined it. Rom. 13: 7. Furthermore the government, we will say Germany for example, must have her heralds, consuls, and ambassadors, officers to be sent out into all the world to represent Germany and see that the rights of German subjects are respected and secured. These servants of the public must be supported by the German government. In fact, it would be derogatory and disgraceful to the German539government to have it otherwise. The ambassador is not expected to earn his own living or to provide for himself, in the country to which he has been sent, by pursuing some other kind of business, or engaging in some enterprise or scheme which might present itself. It would be a disgrace to his government so to do. It would not only be the "town-talk," but the world-talk, to see something like this pasted conspicuously on the bill-boards of London in flaming posters, and distributed in small circulars from door to door: "A grand entertainment and krAzy SuPpEr will be given by his Highness Count Von Moltke, the Ambassador of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Wilhelm II. of Germany, December 14, 1889. tHe krAzy suPpEr WiLl be a NoVeLl aFphair, krAzy wAiTers, crazy diShEs, & krAzy guEsTs. A fish-pond and post-office, two American novelties will furnish no small part of the amusement. Lots of fun and frolic and pretty girls. Come one, come all. Tickets can be obtained at Herr Vandeburgers, 39, Strand; price 5s. Don't forget the place or time. Such a thing would never be dreamed of by an earthly government. It could not stoop so low as to so disgrace itself and its subjects. Well, God has a government, with a law which is purity and righteousness itself. He has his messengers which go from his shining courts to all parts of his boundless, star-gemmed dominion. In that dominion, which is worthy of Omniscience and Omnipotence, a world has fallen, humanity made in God's image has rebelled. To reconcile man to him, God gave his only begotten Son to die. Through him, he will give life, power, and grace to men, that they may throw off the yoke of rebellion, turn from all sin, and thus be fitted for an eternal home with him. Those who accept of these conditions he makes his representatives here. He has given them rules for organization, for support, for the propagation of the glad tidings. He sends out his ambassadors, ministers, plenipotentiaries, and heralds, to bring men to him. The true minister and the true evangelist are ambassadors of Jesus Christ. They represent him to the world. They bear the awful message of life or death to dying man. But they are human and mortal. They need support. What provision has God made for this? Surely he has not called men to warfare upon their own charges. Did he design that the world should support them? that entertainments, socials, fairs, lotteries, grab-bags, raffles, oyster suppers, should be held or given for that purpose? No; a thousand times, no. All these things minister to the very lusts for which Christ died, in order that man might overcome them. If such things are beneath a government of earth, as all will confess, how infinitely are these things beneath the government and loyal citizens of Heaven. And yet the church of Christ, professedly so, has prostituted herself to just such means as the above, and laughs at reproofs and admonitions. She has grown worldly, and has lost her credentials—power and connection with God. "The Church has fallen, the beautiful Church,
And her shame is her boast and pride." How shall the ambassadors for Christ be supported?—In God's own appointed way. "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." 1 Cor. 9: 14. If through the ambassador men become reconciled to God, become partakers of spiritual things, they ought to minister to him of earthly things for his support. Verses 11-13. It would seem that the heart which had tasted of the goodness and love of God would realize this, and would gladly meet the Lord's requirements. What God does require for this purpose is set forth in our lesson of this week. "The tithe [or tenth] is the Lord's." No sophistry can destroy the force of this positive language. It was the Lord's before the Levitical dispensation was ushered in, as recognized by Abraham and Jacob; it was the Lord's during the Levitical dispensation; it is the Lord's still, as shown by Malachi, the third chapter, which is prophecy, warning, and promise for the Christian dispensation. If we desire the blessing we must do the duty. God in his wisdom, for our good, has given man two special tests of loyalty to him. They are not only tests, they are helps to liberality and knowledge of God. The one concerns man's time: "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." It belongs to God; render it to him. The other concerns man's means: "The tithe is the Lord's." It belongs to God; render it therefore to him. It is the better way, it is the blessed way. Oh, if the church had but heeded God's claims she would now have been strong in God and the power of his might. His ambassadors would have borne faithful messages of warning without fear or favor by the world, pandering not to its fashions, its follies, its lusts. God's way is the better way.