Connect

Guest (Male): This is Connect with Skip Heitzig. Thanks for joining us today. Here at Connect with Skip, our mission is to help you know God's word and apply it to your life through clear, practical Bible teaching and real encouragement every day. If you'd like to keep growing in your walk with Jesus, sign up for Pastor Skip's free weekly devotional. You'll receive biblical insight, teaching highlights, and exclusive resource offers straight to your inbox, everything designed to help you stay strong in your faith.

It only takes a minute to sign up. Go to connectwithskip.com and join the list today. That's connectwithskip.com. Now, let's dive into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig.

Skip Heitzig: Did you know that government was given to us by God originally? It's one of the three institutions God gave to humanity: the first being family, the second being government, the third being the church. All three have very different roles, but in Genesis chapter nine, after the flood, God established mankind to have authority over the creation in a governmental sort of rule.

We call this common grace. Common grace is a term theologians use to describe blessings given to humanity by God short of salvation. Common grace would be things like air, beauty, health, natural capacities, and government. Government is part of God's way of restraining evil in a fallen world. With government comes law. With government comes a police force or a military force and a court system.

Think of what your life would be like without any government at all. I know some of you are thinking that sounds like heaven to me. Actually, it wouldn't be. It would be pandemonium. It would be very difficult to have any kind of safety at all in a society without a government. Anyone could take anything they wanted from you. Anyone could kill you, all without repercussion.

So government is a gift of God. But here, this group is trying to trap Jesus to capitalize on this tension, this complexity. I love verse 15. They said, "Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy. You don't mess with somebody who can read your mind, who knows your thoughts. They don't know who they're dealing with. They're trying to trap Him. He knows their motives. He knows their evil intentions. He knows their thoughts.

In fact, in Matthew's rendition of this very same story, Jesus says, "You hypocrites!" Why would He dare call them out like that? Because He knew that this argument that they are bringing of "Should we pay taxes or not?" was simply a smokescreen. Behind the little question was a whole different set of evil motivations. This was a straw man argument. When I hear people cry "separation of church and state," I know what they really mean. What many of them really mean is they want to silence our faith. They want to keep Christians quiet.

John Moore: Christians, you shouldn't be involved in government at all. What they should do is study a little bit of the words of the founding fathers who actually invited people of faith to weigh in on government issues. The idea of separation of church and state wasn't that Christians don't interfere with the government, but that the government shouldn't mess with church stuff.

Skip Heitzig: Now, this phrase, "the separation of church and state," some people think is in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Not only is it not in the First Amendment to the Constitution, it's not in the Constitution at all. The First Amendment to the Constitution reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

The reason that was written is they did not want a repeat in this country of what they came from in England. They did not want the legal establishment by a government to establish a religious denomination, i.e., the Church of England. So the First Amendment was written.

How did this phrase "the separation of church and state" become such a big deal? What happened is Thomas Jefferson, the newly elected president at the time, was sent a letter by a group of Baptist leaders, the Danbury Baptists from Danbury, Connecticut. They were worried about the First Amendment. They were worried about the Constitution. What worried them is that because religious protection, religious freedom, was written into law, they thought people are going to believe that religious freedom is because of man's gift to them rather than God's gift to them. Instead of seeing it as a right from God, people are going to say, "This is a right given to you by the government." That bothered them.

So Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptists. Here is a portion of that letter: "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."

Notice, the wall of separation that Jefferson is mentioning is to keep government from interfering with expressions of faith. He didn't want the state to influence the church or to tell the church what to do. That's the wall of separation. Those who cry the loudest about separation of church and state were some of the very ones that violated that under COVID, saying marijuana dispensaries are an essential business, liquor stores are an essential business, but churches, not so essential. They interfered with church business, violating the First Amendment. So I think we can all agree that when it comes to this issue, there is complexity.

The second word is policy. In verse 13, there are two groups that are mentioned: Pharisees and Herodians. They represent two very different positions, two very different sets of policies, even political policies. The Pharisees were strict Jews. They hated the Roman government because the Roman government subjected the Jews to them. The Jews were essentially a slave vassal nation to Rome, so the Pharisees hated them. They didn't hold political offices; however, they did hold great political influence because they were essentially a state-funded religion, like the Church of England.

Then there are the Herodians, the opposite end of the spectrum from the Pharisees. The Herodians were politically inclined Jews who believed in submitting to the Roman government through the reign of the Herod family, thus the name Herodians. They thought we should just submit to Rome, do what they say, and submit to the laws of the land for political expediency. These two groups hated each other.

It's funny, really, that they're together. They said, "Let's get together on this." Because though they hated each other, they hated Jesus more. That was their common bond: their hatred for Christ. So they get together and they come up with this policy concern about taxes. "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Shall we pay," verse 15, "or shall we not pay?"

I've discovered nobody likes taxes. Is that an understatement? Do you enjoy paying taxes? You do it, but do you enjoy it? No. But you know that it's necessary. They pay for roads. In those days, they paid for aqueducts. They pay for military. They pay for police and all sorts of services that we enjoy. But in funding Rome with their taxes, and the Pharisees knew this especially, they are funding their own oppression. They are paying for Rome to oppress them. So many of them refused to pay their taxes.

They knew it was a controversial policy issue, so they bring it to Jesus. "Okay, Jesus, what do you say? Taxes or no taxes?" No matter how He answers this, there's going to be problems if it's a binary answer. If Jesus were to say, "Yes, pay your taxes," that's going to anger the Pharisees and they're going to call Him a Roman sympathizer. If Jesus says, "No, you shall not pay taxes," the Herodians are going to charge Him with treason. It's a catch-22. It's a "heads I win, tails you lose" kind of a question.

John Moore: Voter involvement is at an all-time low. One half of Christians say they will not vote. When asked why they won't vote, 68% will just simply say, "I don't like politics." 57% will say it's because "I dislike both presidential candidates."

Skip Heitzig: Me too. So what do you do if you don't like either candidate? Here's what you do: don't vote personality, vote policy.

Guest (Female): You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Every day, the generosity of friends like you helps reach more people with God's word, changing lives through clear, practical Bible teaching.

Skip Heitzig: This month, we want to thank you with a powerful and inspiring resource from my wife, Lenya Heitzig. It's her book, Reload Love: Transforming Bullets to Beauty and Battlegrounds to Playgrounds. This remarkable book tells the true story of how God took Lenya's heartbreak over suffering children in war-torn regions and turned it into a global movement of compassion, melting down bullets to build playgrounds and bring hope where it's needed most.

Guest (Female): Request your copy of Reload Love when you give 50 dollars or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com/offer. Now, let's return to today's teaching.

Skip Heitzig: Vote your platform. We have two very different candidates for president, but they're not the only ones on the ballot. There are many other issues. But two completely different personalities. I've discovered people say, "I don't like his personality," or "I don't like her personality." Listen, I'm not looking for a messiah. I have one, thank you. I'm not looking for a savior. I have one. I'm not looking for a pastor-in-chief. I'm looking for a commander-in-chief.

When you go into the voting booth, you are not just voting for one person. Thousands of people are going to go to Washington and implement an agenda of some kind, policies of some kind. So that's why the second word is policy. Vote not personality, vote policy.

So we have two words: complexity, policy. I'll give you a third word for this, and that is responsibility. That comes from the last two verses in the paragraph. They brought the coin and Jesus said, "Whose image is on this? Whose mug is on this coin?" And they said, "It's Caesar's mug." Jesus answered and said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."

Please notice that Jesus did not say, "Okay, here you have a coin that represents the government. Be disengaged completely and do nothing." He did not say that. He gave a command, and the positive command is to render. It's a very simple, pithy statement that is so profound. There's more than meets the eye. It is a foundational statement. I would even say it's a one-sentence biblical view on the relationship between God and government, religion and politics, church and state.

There are two parts to the statement. Part number one: man has an earthly responsibility. Part number two: man has a heavenly responsibility. Look at the word "render." If I were to ask you, "What do you think the word render means?" many of you would say it means "give." Give to Caesar. That's how even some translations will say "give to Caesar." That's not what it means. It actually means "give back." It implies debt, that you owe something. Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Give back to God what belongs to God.

So, yes, in effect, it's right to pay taxes to Caesar because taxes belong to Caesar's domain. Give them back. But render to God what belongs to God. Caesar has right to collect taxes, certainly. But Caesar has no right to collect worship. Caesar has no right to regulate or demand worship. Only God is worthy of that high and lofty command. We give allegiance, total allegiance to Him, and only God can regulate our worship. In that, that kind of separation is good.

So, should Christians be involved in politics? Well, let me ask you a question if you're still wrestling with that. Should only atheists run this country? Should we let only secularists run this country? Should we just say, "Whatever happens, I'm not going to do anything and then just submit to the laws of the land"? I don't think that's a great tact, especially when you consider that 52 of the 55 founding fathers had some claim to being biblical Christians. George Washington, our first president, even said, "If anyone tries to keep religion and morality from public life, that man is not a patriot."

Let me ask you this: America aside, do you know any people in the Bible who were involved in the political process? I can think of a few. Joseph comes to mind first, second in command in Egypt eventually. I think of Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Queen Esther in Persia. How about John the Baptist in the New Testament who spoke truth to power? It cost him his head, but he didn't back down.

Listen, you are not loving your neighbor if you stay out of the process. You are not rendering to Caesar what belongs to Caesar if you stay out of the process. Some will just sort of resign and say, "Whoever gets in charge, I'm just going to submit to governing authorities." Yes, we should submit to governing authorities. I know Romans 13. But guess what? You live in America. You get to actually choose the governing authorities that you submit to.

If you don't think politics affects the gospel, go to North Korea. If you don't think politics affects the gospel, go to Saudi Arabia. I've been there. If you don't think politics affects the gospel, go to Iran. I haven't been there and have no real desire right now to go. Or places like Nigeria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Libya, Yemen, on and on. There is no First Baptist Church of Pyongyang. There is no Calvary Chapel of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There is no Presbyterian Church in Tehran, Iran. You know why? Because politically they've been ruled out.

You will say, "But we as Christians should just preach the gospel." Well, I agree with you and I disagree with you. I agree with you, we should preach the gospel. But we shouldn't just preach the gospel. That's not a minimal thing. If you are indeed preaching the gospel faithfully on a daily basis, I applaud you. But if you don't get involved, soon you will lose the very ability to preach the gospel, because that window is closing fast in the West.

Let me take you to something that happened just this week in England. This is the second time I've heard about it happening in the last couple of years. Adam Smith-Connor was arrested and convicted for a crime. Want to know what his crime was? He stood silently in front of an abortion clinic and bowed his head and prayed silently. He was arrested and convicted. What's his crime? A thought crime. You can now go to jail in England for thinking the wrong things. You don't think that kind of ideology is coming to this country? It's already here and it is growing.

Then there are also judges on the ballot, not just candidates but judges on the ballot. You should find out who they are and what they stand for and if you want to retain them or not. You don't think your vote matters for that? Shouldn't Christians care about people? Shouldn't Christians care about how they're treated by their government and how judges rule? Don't you think Christians should care about things that affect gender and marriage and how their children are being educated? We have a voice. We should use it.

So in closing, in the few minutes I have, there are several different juxtapositions or relationships that the cross can have to the flag. By the word "cross," I mean the church, and by the word "flag," I mean the state.

Some people put the flag above the cross. The flag is more important than the cross. What matters most is my political party. That's Nazi Germany. In Nazi Germany, Christianity really was obliterated. The gospel became politics. There were pastors who even said, "Why should we worry about the miracles of Christ? Let me tell you about the miracles of Hitler's Germany." That's putting the flag above the cross.

Then some will place the cross alone without the flag. That is, "I will not get involved in anything going on in this world, nothing political whatsoever." The Pietists tried that in Europe a few centuries ago. They wanted to completely disregard the secular world. In fact, there were European princes who paid Pietist preachers to educate their congregations to stay out of the princes' business. Well, our founding fathers thought you should be involved in the princes' business.

Number three: some will pit the cross against the flag. That is, "Whatever the government says, I'm going to be against, because the government's always wrong and always godless." Now, listen, there is a place for that. There was a place for that, for example, with Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany, who believed we cannot go along with a government or its policies; we have to oppose the state. There may come a time when we do that.

Number four: some people put the cross with the flag. You say, "Well, that sounds pretty good." But what I mean by this is these are genuine Christians, but they also identify as much with their political party as they do with Christ. Sometimes the issues get blurred and they combine Christianity and a political agenda and they shove it hard.

I think number five is the best recourse, and that is the cross above the flag. Certainly, the flag is there, but the cross is first. The gospel is always first. The answer is Christ, not a politician. There are problems in this country that no elected official can ever solve. Only a spiritual revival can solve. So I place the cross first, above the flag.

But though I don't think that America is the answer for the world, I do believe America is worth preserving. I'll tell you principally why. I've traveled the world and I've met missionaries, and I ask about their support. 99% of the time, it's from American Christians. American Christians are the most generous Christians on the planet and have the wherewithal to fund gospel work around the world. So I believe that America is worth preserving. I'm grieved when people trash our country. I'm grieved when people burn our flags and say disparaging things against our country.

So let me boil it down to a simple takeaway point. In the midst of the complexity, we have a responsibility to look past personality and vote for biblical policy. Biblical policy. Enter the voting booth with that in mind. In the midst of the complexity, I have a responsibility to look past personality and vote for policy. What are the policies? How do they line up with my biblical convictions?

Guest (Female): Thanks for joining us today on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we go, remember that your generosity helps share God's word around the world, bringing truth and hope to people who need Jesus. This month, we'll send you Lenya Heitzig's powerful book, Reload Love: Transforming Bullets to Beauty and Battlegrounds to Playgrounds, as our thanks for your gift. This inspiring story shows how God can turn bullets into beauty and how love can transform even the most broken places into beacons of hope. Give now at connectwithskip.com/offer or call 800-922-1888. We'll see you next time on Connect with Skip Heitzig.

Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.