" Render unto Caesar..... Mark 12:17 "

Then JESUS answered and said to them, " Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to GOD the things that are GOD's." And they marveled at HIM.  Mark 12:17
In Matthew 22: 17 thru 21 the religious leaders were testing JESUS and hoped to " entangle HIM in HIS talk " in vs.15 so they did a question and answer session with HIM about taxes. Vs.17 starts - " Tell us, therefore, what do YOU think ? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not ? " But JESUS perceived their wickedness and said, " Why do you test ME, you hypocrites ? Show ME the tax money." So they brought HIM a denarius. And HE said to them, " Whose image and inscription is this ? " They said to HIM, " Caesar's." And HE said to them, " Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to GOD the things that are GOD's."

TAXES and TITHING are both touchy subjects when brought up in either our churches and in normal conversation. As a True Christian, you should do both, pay taxes required by government and give your tithes and offerings onto the LORD per the verses listed above. In the book of Malachi 3:8 thru 10 it states - Will a man rob GOD ? Yet you have robbed ME ! But you say, in what way have we robbed YOU ? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed ME, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in MY house, and prove ME now in this, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

If in this life we go to jail for not paying taxes to a government that, let's face it, doesn't know a thing about budgets, spending within their means, nor the evil ways in which they use our hard earned taxes ???  Shouldn't we give out of love our tithe to a GOD that loves us, died for us, will provide for our needs and even some of our desires if they are within HIS will for us !!! Can you imagine what the true Church could do if its parishioners would truly tithe and give offerings over and above their tithe !!!  But some say that they can't give, they can barely pay their bills and keep food on the table !!! Why is that do you think, remember the verses above from Malachi ???
JESUS gave another example of giving in Luke 21:1 thru 4 which states -  Then HE looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and HE saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So HE said, " Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for GOD, but she out of her poverty has put in all the livelihood that she had."

Now JESUS was not saying that HE is only happy with those who give everything that they have, which is what the poor widow did, but HE is saying that the attitude of the rich that gave was, " I have this extra money and I am so rich that I won't miss it, so let me make a big show of all this money that I am giving."   The tithe is to be the first cut from all that we make or receive. There is not to be a big show of what we have given. It is no ones business except between you and GOD. HE says in another scripture " Let not the right hand know what the left hand is doing ".  It is to be taken before the rent, groceries, parties, clothing etc.  It is not to be from our leftovers,  GOD will take care of you !!!  2nd Cor.9:6 thru 8 states about giving -  But this I say; He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for GOD loves a cheerful giver. And GOD is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Now I have a personal peeve about giving, whether to claim giving on your taxes or not. I look at it the same way that David did when he was going to sacrifice to GOD in 1st.Chron.21: 23 thru 24 - And Ornan said to David, " Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. Look, I also give you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all."   Then King David said to Ornan, " No but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing."    If we use it as a tax write off, we have given to the LORD that which costs us nothing, but that is my thoughts on giving and tithing, you and GOD have to work out your giving and remember GOD loves a cheerfull giver !!!!  Attitude is everything when you give !!!!
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie