THEN GIVE TO CAESAR / LUKE 20:25

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Luke 20:25

And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.

Beyond the Coins: What It Really Means to “Give to Caesar”

We’ve all seen the tension play out in real-time. How do we balance our deep, unshakeable faith in God with our daily obligations to the country we live in? It’s a question as old as the church itself, and it is exactly the trap a group of religious leaders tried to spring on Jesus in Luke 20:25.

Hoping to catch Him in a political snare, they asked if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus, seeing right through their trickery, asked for a denarius and asked whose likeness was stamped on it. When they replied, “Caesar’s,” Jesus delivered one of the most brilliant, revolutionary statements in history:

“Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

The Dual Citizenship of a Christian

Under normal circumstances, Christians must pay taxes and submit to governmental authority, a principle later echoed powerfully by the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:1-7. Even though our highest loyalty is to God, we are called to be model citizens. We obey traffic laws, pay our dues, and contribute positively to our communities. Why? Because God has established human government to maintain order in a fractured world.

When we give Caesar his coin, we aren’t compromising our faith; we are simply returning a piece of metal to the earthly system that minted it.

The Boundary of Earthly Power

However, Jesus’ command has a crucial second half: “…and to God the things that are God’s.”

While Caesar’s image is stamped on silver coins, God’s image is stamped on you. Your mind, your soul, your conscience, and your ultimate allegiance do not belong to any government, political party, or earthly ruler. They belong solely to the Creator.

This sets a strict boundary line for human authority. We all must obey secular government except when it conflicts directly with God’s law. If a worldly regulation demands that we violate the clear commands of Jesus, our choice is already made. As the apostles boldly declared in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than men.” We must never disobey Jesus’ commands to conform to worldly regulations.

Walking the Tightrope

Living out Luke 20:25 requires daily wisdom. It means we don’t become lawless rebels, nor do we become blind followers of culture. We pray for our leaders, pay our taxes, and respect authority—but we reserve our worship, our final obedience, and our deepest love for the King of Kings.

Let’s hold our earthly coins loosely, and hold our heavenly calling fiercely.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We recognize that You are the ultimate authority over all the earth, and that every ruler and nation answers to You. Give us the wisdom to navigate our days as citizens of earth and citizens of Your heavenly Kingdom. Help us to obey our leaders, pay our taxes, and live peaceably with honor and integrity.

But Lord, keep our hearts fiercely loyal to You above all else. When the world pressures us to compromise Your truth, give us the courage to stand firm. Remind us daily that we bear Your image, and that our lives belong entirely to You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. THAT STONE / LUKE 20:17-18
2. GIVE THE VINEYARD TO OTHERS / LUKE 20:16
3. THE PARABLE OF THE TENANTS / LUKE 20:9-16
4. BY WHAT AUTHORITY? / LUKE 20:2
5. DRIVING OUT THOSE WHO WERE SELLING / LUKE 19:45
6. YOUR ENEMIES … ENCIRCLE YOU / LUKE 19:43
7. SAW THE CITY HE WEPT / LUKE 19:41
8. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY / LUKE 19:28-44
9. WHAT HE HAS WILL BE TAKEN AWAY / LUKE 19:26
10. YOU HAVE BEEN TRUSTWORTHY / LUKE 19:17
11. UNTIL I COME BACK / LUKE 19:13
12. THOUGHT THE KINGDOM WAS GOING TO APPEAR / LUKE 19:11
13. SEEK AND TO SAVE / LUKE 19:10
14. I GIVE TO THE POOR / LUKE 19:8
15. SPIRITUAL CONVERSION OF ZACHAEUS / LUKE 19:1-10
16. SON OF DAVID / LUKE 18:38-39
17. RECEIVE MANY TIMES AS MUCH / LUKE 18:30
18. A RICH MAN … THE KINGDOM / LUKE 18:24-25
19. SELL EVERYTHING YOU HAVE / LUKE 18:22
20. LIKE A LITTLE CHILD / LUKE 18:16
21. THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR / LUKE 18:9-14
22. HE WILL SEE THAT THEY GET JUSTICE – WILL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH? / LUKE 18:8
23. CHOSEN ONES WHO CRY OUT … DAY AND NIGHT / LUKE 18:7
24. THEY SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY / LUKE 18:1
25. A DEAD BODY … THE VULTURES / LUKE 17:37
26. REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE! / LUKE 17:32
27. ON THAT DAY / LUKE 17:31
28. THE DAYS OF NOAH / LUKE 17:26
29. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU / LUKE 17:20-21
30. THANKED HIM / LUKE 17:16
31. FAITH / LUKE 17:6
32. IF HE REPENTS FORGIVE / LUKE 17:3
33. MILLSTONE TIED AROUND HIS NECK / LUKE 17:2
34. THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS / LUKE 16:19-31
35. COMMITS ADULTERY / LUKE 16:18
36. PHARISEES … LOVED MONEY / LUKE 16:14
37. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MONEY / LUKE 16:13
38. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TRUSTWORTHY / LUKE 16:11
39. WORLDLY WEALTH / LUKE 16:9
40. COMMENDED THE DISHONEST MANAGER / LUKE 16:8
41. BECAME ANGRY / LUKE 15:28
42. THIS SON OF MINE … WAS LOST / LUKE 15:24
43. WHILE HE WAS STILL A LONG WAY OFF – HIS FATHER SAW HIM AND WAS FILLED WITH COMPASSION / LUKE 15:20
44. HE CAME TO HIS SENSES / LUKE 15:17
45. SET OFF FOR A DISTANT COUNTRY / LUKE 15:13
46. SEARCH CAREFULLY UNTIL SHE FINDS / LUKE 15:8
47. REJOICING IN HEAVEN / LUKE 15:7
48. THE LOST SHEEP / LUKE 15:4
49. THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP / LUKE 14:28-33
50. CARRY HIS CROSS / Luke 14:27
51. DOES NOT HATE HIS FATHER / LUKE 14:26-27
52. THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT BANQUET / LUKE 14:15-24
53. EXALTS HIMSELF … HUMBLED / LUKE 14:11
54. SUFFERING FROM DROPSY / LUKE 14:2
55. THE LORD’S GREAT SORROW / LUKE 13:34
56. LAST WILL BE FIRST / LUKE 13:30
57. THE NARROW DOOR / LUKE 13:24
58. THE YEAST / LUKE 13:21
59. MUSTARD SEED / LUKE 13:19
60. THIS WOMAN … SATAN HAS KEPT BOUND / LUKE 13:16
61. CRIPPLED BY A SPIRIT / LUKE 13:10-11
62. FIG TREE CUT IT DOWN / LUKE 13:6-9
63. I HAVE CAME TO CAST FIRE … DIVISION / LUKE 12:49-51
64. BEATEN WITH FEW BLOWS / LUKE 12:47-48
65. MY MASTER IS DELAYED / LUKE 12:45
66. FAITHFUL AND UNFAITHFUL MANAGER – SERVANT / LUKE 12:42-48
67. WHEN YOU DO NOT EXPECT HIM / LUKE 12:40
68. IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THOSE SERVANTS / LUKE 12:38
69. WAITING FOR THEIR MASTER /LUKE 12:36
70. DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE / LUKE 12:35-40
71. YOUR TREASURE … YOUR HEART / LUKE 12:34
72. SELL YOUR POSSESSIONS / LUKE 12:33
73. SEEK HIS KINGDOM / LUKE 12:31
74. HOW MUCH MORE VALUABLE / LUKE 12:24
75. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE / LUKE 12:22
76. GUARD AGAINST GREED / LUKE 12:15
77. BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 12:10
78. HE WHO DISOWNS ME / LUKE 12:9
79. ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN / LUKE 12:8
80. FEAR HIM / LUKE 12:5
81. HYPOCRISY / LUKE 12:1
82. WOE TO YOU / LUKE 11:42
83. YOUR EYE IS THE LAMP OF YOUR BODY / LUKE 11:34
84. SEVEN OTHER SPIRITS … LIVE THERE / LUKE 11:26
85. WHO IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME / LUKE 11:23
86. DEMONS … THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 11:20
87. GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK / LUKE 11:13
88. GIVE HIM A SNAKE / LUKE 11:11
89. ASK … SEEK … KNOCK / LUKE 11:9
90. OUR DAILY BREAD / LUKE 11:3
91. THE LORD’S PRAYER / LUKE 11:1-4
92. ONE THING IS NEEDED / LUKE 10:41-42
93. THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN / LUKE 10:30
94. LOVE THE LORD AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR / LUKE 10:27
95. THE WISE … LITTLE CHILDREN / LUKE 10:21
96. DO NOT REJOICE / LUKE 10:20
97. SNAKES AND SCORPIONS / LUKE 10:19
98. I SAW SATAN FALL / LUKE 10:18
99. HEAL THE SICK … THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 10:9
100. LAMBS AMONG WOLVES / LUKE 10:3
101. THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL
102. SENT THEM TWO BY TWO / LUKE 10:1
103. LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR OWN DEAD / LUKE 9:60
104. REBUKED THEM / LUKE 9:55-56
105. THE PEOPLE DID NOT WELCOME HIM / LUKE 9:52-53
106. UNBELIEVING GENERATION / LUKE 9:41
107. THE TRANSFIGURATION / LUKE 9:29
108. SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 9:27
109. ASHAMED OF ME / LUKE 9:26
110. WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE / LUKE 9:24
111. TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY / LUKE 9:23
112. WARNED THEM NOT TO TELL / LUKE 9:21
113. FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND / LUKE 9:12-17
114. HEROD THE TETRARCH / LUKE 9:7
115. PREACH THE KINGDOM … HEAL THE SICK / LUKE 9:2
116. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT ALL DEMONS / LUKE 9:1
117. DON’T BE AFRAID JUST BELIEVE / LUKE 8:50
118. TOUCHED HIS CLOAK / LUKE 8:44
119. A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN / LUKE 8:27-33
120. MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS / LUKE 8:21
121. WHOEVER HAS WILL BE GIVEN MORE / LUKE 8:18
122. CHOKED BY LIFE’S WORRIES / LUKE 8:14
123. BELIEVE FOR A WHILE … FALL AWAY / LUKE 8:13
124. TAKES AWAY THE WORD / LUKE 8:12
125. PARABLE OF THE SOWER / LUKE 8:5
126. PARABLE / LUKE 8:4
127. HELPING TO SUPPORT THEM / LUKE 8:3
128. SHE LOVED MUCH / LUKE 7:47
129. WEEPING / LUKE 7:37-38
130. WISDOM IS PROVED RIGHT BY ALL HER CHILDREN / LUKE 7:35
131. GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD / LUKE 7:34
132. JOHN / LUKE 7:28
133. A REED SWAYED / LUKE 7:24
134. HIS HEART WENT OUT TO HER / LUKE 7:13
135. SUCH GREAT FAITH / LUKE 7:9
136. DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY / LUKE 6:46
137. HIS HEART / LUKE 6:45
138. GIVE / LUKE 6:38
139. DO NOT JUDGE / LUKE 6:37
140. DO NOT STOP HIM FROM TAKING YOUR TUNIC / LUKE 6:29
141. LOVE YOUR ENEMIES / LUKE 6:27
142. WOE TO YOU WHEN ALL MEN SPEAK WELL / LUKE 6:26
143. WOE TO YOU WHO ARE RICH / LUKE 6:24
144. HOW THEIR FATHERS TREATED THE PROPHETS / LUKE 6:23
145. WHEN MEN HATE YOU / LUKE 6:22
146. YOU WHO WEEP / LUKE 6:21
147. BLESSED YOU WHO ARE POOR / LUKE 6:20
148. SERMON ON THE PLAIN / LUKE 6:17-19
149. SPENT THE NIGHT PRAYING / LUKE 6:12
150. JESUS AND THE SABBATH / LUKE 6:2-10
151. SABBATH / LUKE 6:1
152. ‘THE OLD IS BETTER’ / LUKE 5:39
153. NEW WINE INTO OLD WINESKINS / LUKE 5:37
154. IN THOSE DAYS THEY WILL FAST / LUKE 5:35
155. EAT AND DRINK WITH … ‘SINNERS’ / LUKE 5:30
156. SON OF MAN / LUKE 5:24
157. JESUS KNEW WHAT THEY WERE THINKING / LUKE 5:22
158. CARRYING A PARALYTIC / LUKE 5:18
159. THE POWER OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT / LUKE 5:17
160. PRAYERS OF JESUS / LUKE 5:16
161. YOU WILL CATCH MEN / LUKE 5:9-10
162. HEALED THEM / LUKE 4:40
163. AN EVIL SPIRIT / LUKE 4:33-35
164. HIS MESSAGE HAD AUTHORITY / LUKE 4:32
165. HE HAS ANOINTED ME / LUKE 4:18-19
166. THE SPIRIT ON ME / LUKE 4:18
167. SATAN’S USE OF SCRIPTURE / LUKE 4:10
168. THE DEVIL / LUKE 4:9
169. THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD / LUKE 4:5
170. DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE / LUKE 4:4
171. JESUS FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 4:1-2
172. JESUS’ GENEALOGY / LUKE 3:23
173. HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDED ON HIM / LUKE 3:22
174. HE WILL BURN UP THE CHAFF / LUKE 3:17
175. BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 3:16
176. FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE / LUKE 3:8
177. BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE /LUKE 3:3
178. CAESAR … PILATE … HEROD / LUKE 3:1-2
179. JESUS GREW IN WISDOM / LUKE 2:52
180. I HAD TO BE IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE / LUKE 2:49-51
181. THE CHILD GREW / LUKE 2:39-40
182. ANNA … WORHIPED / LUKE 2:36-38
183. A SWORD WILL PIERCE YOUR OWN SOUL / LUKE 2:33-35
184. RIGHTEOUS AND DEVOUT – WAITING FOR THE CONSOLATION / LUKE 2:25-32
185. A PAIR OF DOVES / LUKE 2:24
186. PRESENT HIM TO THE LORD / LUKE 2:22-23
187. THEY SPREAD THE WORD / LUKE 2:17-18
188. A SAVIOR … CHRIST THE LORD / LUKE 2:11
189. THE NATIONS YOUR INHERITANCE / PSALMS 2:8
190. A MANGER / LUKE 2:6-7
191. HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS / LUKE 1:68-75
192. GOD MY SAVIOR / LUKE 1:46-47
193. AS YOU HAVE SAID / LUKE 1:38
194. THE HOLY ONE / LUKE 1:34-35
195. HIS FATHER DAVID / LUKE 1:32-33
196. YOU WHO ARE HIGHLY FAVORED / LUKE 1:28
197. PLEDGED TO BE MARRIED / LUKE 1:26-27
198. SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH – THE FATHERS OF THEIR CLILDREN / LUKE 1:17
199. FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT – WINE FERMENTED DRINK / LUKE 1:15
200. UPRIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD / LUKE 1:6
201. DIVISION OF ABIJAH DESCENDANT OF AARON / LUKE 1:5
202. THEOPHILUS / LUKE 1:1-4
203. Crews N Away: Anchored in Grace

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace