Whom Do You Belong?

To whom do you belong?  The religious leaders came to Jesus to trip Him up over an iron clad question about taxes to Rome, which by the way, in the hearing of roman guards.  Jesus, no matter how He would answer, would cause great division, which was the purpose of their question.  Jesus, in His wisdom, simply asked for a coin and asked them a simple question.  Who's image in on that coin?  The answer obvious, Caesars!

Mark 12:17 "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.

Yes, God owns everything yet has placed man as stewards of all this material world.  What men do with it, he will be held to account.  Caesar of the hour would make coinage with their inscription which revealed who was in charge.  Its as if men think God needs or wants our flawed worthless material goods over something more valuable to Him?  As if God came all the way from heaven to rack in the money that will someday just burn?  As if His economy is run of our corrupt monetary systems!

No, what He takes most precious as a possession is His creation whom He would give His life for.  Mans greatest accomplishment is a tarnished image of himself whereas Gods is man, made in the image of Himself. Jesus clearly pointed out, men belong to me!

Now, I'm not saying we are all His children.  This only happens as we are born from above and adopted into His house through Jesus Christ.  Two ways to look at this word by Jesus:
1. Generically, all men have been created by God thus will be accountable to God for what they do with Jesus.  Thus far, only God has created, and set in motion to repopulate from His pattern, a living being that is tri-une in nature, spirit, soul, & body.  Now, before conversion, you are spiritually dead in sin, separated from a living fellowship with God.  You are more like the animal kingdom, living off your natural impulses and carnal desires.

2. Those who are regenerated and born again.  A Spiritual birth has taken place.  We are now the temple of the living God.  We have the indwelling Spirit of God.  We bear the image of Christ.  We are adopted in as sons and daughters.
In which way, does an unbeliever in the God whom made them, have a right to withhold anything that belongs to God?
In which way, do we ever think, as Christians, we have a right to live as we please contrary to Gods will for us?  I desire to give to God all of me, good & bad, for He commands this.  If I am to function correctly, as intended by my Maker, I am to be found in Him.  

Regardless of whether you fall into 1 or 2, you belong to God so I advise you to give your life to Him.  You will never be disappointed.  If you do, you will enjoy the rich depth of the 2nd declaration I just mentioned.  To be born again and a child of God.