Give to God what is God’s

Article for September 6, 2026

Romans 13:1–2 1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

We have many authorities; some are good and some not so good.  It is the nature of mankind cursed with a sinful nature.  It may be difficult to understand why God would institute some governing authorities especially if they are bad.  But if we look at the history of the Jews, we might come to an understanding of God’s choices and why He might have made them. 

There were good times and bad times, good kings and bad kings.  We should look close to what was going on then and what is going on now.  Where were the beliefs of the people during the reign of these kings who also went against God?  Where are our beliefs during our lifetime as we too go against God.  We want to blame God, but what was the mindset of those who followed their kings, and what is our mindset?  The answer is plain and simple; their mindset and our mindset was not, and is not, always on God but on idles of the world.

Maybe God instituted the bad kings to those who go against Him or maybe instituted the good kings when He needed to reel in the bad mindsets.  Look at our world today and all of the various beliefs.  God has given the people what they deserve based on the way they treat Him.  We resist God and then blame it on Him rather than realizing we are to blame for all our misery that we cause. 

Romans 13:3–4 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

There are many bad rulers in the world and including here in our own country.  Should we blame God or should we hold ourselves accountable?   We voted for bad authority in time after time after time and then complained about them.  We can do something about it all.  We have the power to vote yet some vote for popularity or looks.  Some vote for political party, and some vote because someone told them who to vote for.  And some vote by not voting thinking they’re getting back at who knows who.

We are in a time where we need to acknowledge our accountability towards one another.  Truthfully those who are an honest authority want you to vote with your heart and mind for the good of all people.  However, we don’t know how to vote with our heart and our mind because we have allowed our politics to implant a prejudice in us that fogs our thoughts and controls our hearts.

We hate because someone is rich, owns a corporation, or has more than we do.  We hate, because of our misdirected loyalty to a political party.  We hate, because we make major decisions based on little or false information, and because we do not want to think for ourselves.  We hate because it seems more fun than loving one another.

Romans 13:5-7 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Believe in God and believe in God’s word or continue to feel the wrath of God.  It’s your choice if you believe in God than start walking with God instead of walking with the worldly ways.  Give to Cesar what is Cesar's and give to God what is God’s.  Trust me we should give everything to God.  In saying that, when we pay our taxes, pay our bills, pay our revenue, and pay our respect to our governments we are giving God what is God’s.

Romans 13:8-10 8Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

See this, “the one who loves another has fulfilled the law”, Jesus Christ fulfilled the law by loving us as He laid down His life for all of us.  Jesus gave all to us and therefore gave all to God.  Yes, Jesus is God, but He humbled Himself to become man and suffer pain, humility, and even death as any man would.  The love of Christ was to forgive all their sins so that we could gain passage to eternal life.  Not just life but life eternal with God.  This is a greater love that our God loves us to life everlasting.  Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis A. May