Caesar’s Laws

As believers we are told to render onto Caesar what is Caesars. Well, what about his laws? I am thinking the same logic applies to the laws of your local jurisdiction and country. We are supposed to obey them regardless of how we feel or if we think they should apply to us. That goes for speed limits, road closed except for local traffic signs, stop signs, open burning under certain conditions, no street parking in the winter (to allow for snow removal), obtaining a building permit and following building codes and the like.

I will admit that I don’t always follow all of the laws – I drive faster than the posted speed limit sometimes, I have been known to roll through a stop sign…I know I am not above the law. If I get pulled over by the police, I take whatever he/she gives me without getting irate.

I do know, however, that some people think they are above the law. They think that rules apply to everyone else but them and they get angry when they are caught. I saw a woman argue with the policeman who was putting a ticket on her car because she was not authorized to park in a handicapped spot. Her excuse: I was only going to be in the store a minute. Really??!!

I will say that if you have kids in the car with you, you should feel morally obligated to obey all laws. You are modeling the correct behavior for those young and impressionable minds. If you, as their parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle display a cavalier attitude to laws, don’t expect them to obey them as they are growing up. :cool:
 
As long as the laws do not contradict the Word of God, truth and Gospel, we are supposed to obey them.. because authorities are established only because God permitted them.. Even if the tax is so high and we know it, we are to pay them..
 
As believers we are told to render onto Caesar what is Caesars. Well, what about his laws? I am thinking the same logic applies to the laws of your local jurisdiction and country. We are supposed to obey them regardless of how we feel or if we think they should apply to us. That goes for speed limits, road closed except for local traffic signs, stop signs, open burning under certain conditions, no street parking in the winter (to allow for snow removal), obtaining a building permit and following building codes and the like.

I will admit that I don’t always follow all of the laws – I drive faster than the posted speed limit sometimes, I have been known to roll through a stop sign…I know I am not above the law. If I get pulled over by the police, I take whatever he/she gives me without getting irate.

I do know, however, that some people think they are above the law. They think that rules apply to everyone else but them and they get angry when they are caught. I saw a woman argue with the policeman who was putting a ticket on her car because she was not authorized to park in a handicapped spot. Her excuse: I was only going to be in the store a minute. Really??!!

I will say that if you have kids in the car with you, you should feel morally obligated to obey all laws. You are modeling the correct behavior for those young and impressionable minds. If you, as their parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle display a cavalier attitude to laws, don’t expect them to obey them as they are growing up. :cool:

Yes. For example, I have pirate software in my PC and now I have decided to uninstall it. I also have pirate movies that I downloaded for free from peer-to-peer programs. I have decided not to watch them :cry: .
 
Yes. For example, I have pirate software in my PC and now I have decided to uninstall it. I also have pirate movies that I downloaded for free from peer-to-peer programs. I have decided not to watch them :cry: .
It took a long for me to get into the head! I was giving so many excuses to myself.. Then I stopped and thought about it.. There can be no excuses for using pirate software or watching downloaded movies!
 
With regard to downloaded movies, do you also intend movies saved, by using a DVR, to watch later? I didn't know that is wrong. I do that all the time.
 
With regard to downloaded movies, do you also intend movies saved, by using a DVR, to watch later? I didn't know that is wrong. I do that all the time.

No, those movies that are being shown in the TV are legal. I was thinking about movies that you download from Bitorrent.
 
Okay. Thank you. That's what I thought. And I think that in the US, it is also all right to download, for personal use, copies of things provided on the Internet? I do that also -- in fact just yesterday, I did at my office, paying the church for the copies. I had always thought that was all right. Right or wrong? Admittedly, it's usually parts of old, unavailable books but not always. I've copied lots of old teachings by Pink and such. This is my opportunity to ask . . . .
 
When I was in the old church, there were several pastors who exceeded the speed limit and thought it was a game. There were also pastors who were hunters and fishers who also did not follow gaming laws and thought of it as a sort of game of cat and mouse. It always amazed me.

Then there are those who walk off with bank or work pens, those who make copies and don't pay for them, etc. Since I work for the church, I buy the staples, tape, and paper clips myself, so that I can be free to take them, because I know it is too easy to unthinkingly take things from one's office.
 
I never met Caesar and I'm pretty sure he is dead so I can't render anything to him.

Taxation that I don't agree with is theft.
 
When I was in the old church, there were several pastors who exceeded the speed limit and thought it was a game. There were also pastors who were hunters and fishers who also did not follow gaming laws and thought of it as a sort of game of cat and mouse. It always amazed me.

Then there are those who walk off with bank or work pens, those who make copies and don't pay for them, etc. Since I work for the church, I buy the staples, tape, and paper clips myself, so that I can be free to take them, because I know it is too easy to unthinkingly take things from one's office.

Killing animals for sport is also not good in my opinion. I stopped fishing because of that.
 
I never met Caesar and I'm pretty sure he is dead so I can't render anything to him.

Taxation that I don't agree with is theft.
Courageously and strongly worded :)

Was the first sentence a quip or can I take it to mean you postulate that Christ's mention of Caesar is to be kept in the context of the culture of the time and has no application to any other government?
 
Governments tend to be corrupt. Jesus was in a pinch at the time he said that. I don't see how it totally applies to every government in every time period.

And I do stand behind the statement that taxation that I don't agree with is theft. If I don't pay it they will put me in jail and take everything I have.
 
I never met Caesar and I'm pretty sure he is dead so I can't render anything to him.

Taxation that I don't agree with is theft.
No! A party is setup in power when people elect the person.. He is not sitting only because people wanted him to.. They are sort of getting into a covenant with the president or prime minister that they are electing him to be their leader.. As part of that, they are agreeing that the leaders will be given the authority to setup rules to govern the society.. When taxes are made high, we cannot call it as theft.. Us not paying what is due is what is theft..
 
Killing animals for sport is also not good in my opinion. I stopped fishing because of that.
I don't have a problem with that.. Many people think these animals have a special purpose and we are no one to kill them.. but Bible clearly states man has dominion over everything else.. Animals were not created to be equals to mankind.. Does not mean we can be cruel to them.. That is not mind of Christ.. We are called (or commanded) to have mind of Christ.. So I won't be hypocritical about eating meat..
 
Okay. Thank you. That's what I thought. And I think that in the US, it is also all right to download, for personal use, copies of things provided on the Internet? I do that also -- in fact just yesterday, I did at my office, paying the church for the copies. I had always thought that was all right. Right or wrong? Admittedly, it's usually parts of old, unavailable books but not always. I've copied lots of old teachings by Pink and such. This is my opportunity to ask . . . .
I think it depends on the material and the copyright.. People would clearly put in the books that copyrighting is not allowed.. Most of the Christian books would allow copyrighting to preach or teach in Sunday classes.. They explicitly mention that.. There is absolutely nothing wrong in doing when they say it is allowed..
 
No! A party is setup in power when people elect the person.. He is not sitting only because people wanted him to.. They are sort of getting into a covenant with the president or prime minister that they are electing him to be their leader.. As part of that, they are agreeing that the leaders will be given the authority to setup rules to govern the society.. When taxes are made high, we cannot call it as theft.. Us not paying what is due is what is theft..
When both candidates that are up for election are corrupt people then I don't enter a covenant with them.

Maybe I shouldn't call it theft. Armed robbery is more descriptive.
 
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