Give to God what is God's

Went for a talk last Thursday. It was titled "When life has lost its focus" and the speaker was Ravi Zacharias.

He pointed to a famous passage in the Bible--the issue of paying taxes to Caesar found in Mark 12:13-17 (ESV)

Here, one can see that the focus of the Pharisees & Herodians was to trap Jesus (v.13) and not to sincerely inquire of the issue of taxes. And after this plan was orchestrared... oh the flattery! "you are true... not swayed by appearances... teach the way of God" (v.14) This wasn't praise at all! The hideousity of hypocrisy reared its ugly head.

And here, Ravi highlighted to us the profoundness of Jesus' response...

Christ asked the rhetorical question of who's likeness/portrait was on the coin? The wisdom of Jesus came in his next statement, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (v.17 NIV)

One wonders why the Pharisees didn't follow up with the question of "What is God's?" till I understood what Jesus really meant. Give to Caesar what is Caesar's. The denarius reflected the likeness of Caesar; and to God what is God's. So on a similar note, what in this world reflects the likeness of God? When Ravi posed that question, he paused and there was silence all around the hall. The answer to that was understood.

Man reflects the likeness of God.

"...Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." Gen 1:26

When I understood what Jesus was implying in his reply to the Pharisees' question, I knew why they were left speechless. It was a perfect 1-2 knockout punch.

And yet, their hearts were hardened. They suffered from a symptom that our society today suffers from as well--self-centredness. Man's value has clouded what is of real value--God's value. Jesus doesn't need us; we as sinners need Him! Caesar needed the money, the taxes, but God doesn't need us. In fact, he's estranged from us cos of all our sins! Then why did he mention "... to God what is God's"?

Grace.

"Grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God."

John Piper (The Pleasures of God)

Jesus Christ brought divine grace into this world of sinners through the gospel. For He is the centre of this gospel and the exaltation of His glory is its driving force.

So, give to God what is God's... not because He needs it, but because glorifying Him is our privilege.

Hallelujah :)