Dual Citizenship

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026

4:25 am

Good morning! Today I am in Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, and Luke 20:20-26. The Pharisees and supporters of Herod got together and plotted how to trap Jesus. When they saw an opportunity, they sent some of their spies to question Him. The men told Jesus that they knew that He was an honest man, teaching the way of God truthfully. And that He was impartial and doesn't play favorites, and was not influenced by what other people thought. So they asked Him if it was right to have to pay taxes to Caesar? Jesus called them hypocrites and asked them why they were trying to trap Him? Then He told them to show Him one of the coins they use to pay the taxes, and asked them whose picture and title was stamped on it? They told Him Caesar's. Jesus told them to give to Caesar what belongs to him and give to God what belongs to God. They failed to trap Him, and were instead amazed by what He said.

The Jews hated paying taxes to Caesar. And the leaders that were trying to trap Him, thought that if He said they shouldn't pay taxes to Caesar, then the officers had a reason to arrest Him. But if He told them yes they should pay their taxes, then the people would turn against Him because He would be supporting Rome. But Jesus shocked them with His answer by showing them who the money originally belonged to, Rome. He tells them to give to Rome what is Rome's and give God what's God's.

Wherever we live, we are a citizen of that place and must follow the government's rules in that area. But we are citizens of Heaven as well, and we must follow God's rules first. As children of God, we have dual citizenship. Obeying both God and the laws of the land, unless the rules of the land conflict with what God tells us to do. Many times in the Old Testament, and this happens today in certain areas, pagan rulers would come into power and declare a law that would force the people to bow down to other gods, worship other gods. Daniel is a good example of that. But when we stand firm in God, obeying what He commanded, that we must not have any other god and we must not bow down and worship any idols (Exodus 20:3-5), He will help us. When we place God at the center of our lives, and obey Him first, He will be with us to help us no matter what we face, even persecution. God is the one that created everything and He is the one that puts authorities into power. Roman 13:1-7 helps us understand this better. But ultimately, all power belongs to God. Obey Him first, and everything else will fall into place. Obey God first, and obey the laws of the land. God will help you when you do, and give you the strength to stand up for Him.