by Rehema Jonathan | 8 January 2023 08:46 pm01
We know from Scripture that what belongs to Caesar like taxes should be given to Caesar. But what about what belongs to God? How do we properly give to God what is His, according to Luke 20:25?
Let’s read Luke 20:21–26 from the English Standard Version (ESV) to understand this better:
Luke 20:21-26 (ESV):
21 Then they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and you do not show partiality, but teach the way of God truthfully.
22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
23 But he perceived their craftiness and said to them,
24 “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?”
They said, “Caesar’s.”
25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
26 And they were not able in any way to catch him in a speech before the people. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
Jesus uses a powerful theological principle here—recognizing ownership by the image and inscription on the coin. Since the coin bears Caesar’s image, it rightfully belongs to Caesar.
This raises a deeper spiritual truth: just as the coin bears Caesar’s image, we bear God’s image. The Bible teaches this clearly:
Genesis 1:27 (ESV):
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Being created in God’s image (imago Dei) means that our very essence body, soul, and spirit reflects God’s character and belongs to Him. This theological truth has profound implications for how we live and honor God.
The Apostle Paul expands on this in his letter to the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV):
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Here Paul reminds us that our bodies are not just biological entities; they are temples of the Holy Spirit. Because God’s Spirit dwells within believers, our bodies and lives are sacred, purchased by Christ’s sacrifice.
Furthermore:
1 Corinthians 6:13 (ESV):
“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”
This teaches that our bodies are meant for God’s purposes, not for sin or immorality. To sin against our bodies is to dishonor God, whose image we bear.
1. BY BEING SAVED
Salvation is the starting point. It means surrendering our spirit to Jesus through repentance and baptism both water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit as Jesus commanded (Mark 16:16, ESV: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved”). When we believe in Christ and give Him our lives, we return to God what is rightfully His.
2. BY TURNING AWAY FROM SIN
Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 6:13 reminds us that living in purity honors God. Sexual immorality, substance abuse, immodest dressing, or any sin that harms our bodies is an affront to God’s ownership of us. Since we bear God’s image, our bodies should be treated with reverence and holiness (Romans 12:1, ESV: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God”).
Just as the coin with Caesar’s image belongs to Caesar, we belong to God because we are made in His image. Therefore, our souls and bodies belong to God and must be given to Him fully—through salvation, holiness, and faithful living.
May the Lord bless you richly as you honor Him with all that you are.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2023/01/08/give-to-god-what-belongs-to-god/
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