1950 This Means Everlasting Life - A2Z.org

202 "THIS MEANS EVERLASTING LIFE"
15 Jehovah God is the Supreme Authority. Jesus
Christ is a Superior Authority and said his followers
must pay God what belongs to God. This
comes before paying back Caesar Caesar's things .
So a believer dedicated to God through Christ
conscientiously asks : "If I pay back Caesar more
than belongs to him just because he demands it,
and if I surrender my life in unquestioning obedience
to Caesar and lay down my life for him,
what life will I have left to pay to God, who bought
me with the ransom price of his Son's blood?
How, then, could I live my life in full devotion to
God by following Christ's steps? The Scriptures
tell me, That one surrendered his soul for us ; and
we are under obligation to surrender our souls for
our brothers.' 1 John 3 :16, NW How could laying
down my life for Christian brothers for whom
Jesus died agree with my using carnal weapons
for Caesar and hating and killing my brothers in
lands against which Caesar wages untheocratic
warfare?" This Scriptural position may not be understood
or appreciated by modern worldly authorities,
but neither was that of the Bible Christians
of the first century, concerning whom we read :
Early Christianity was little understood and was regarded
with little favor by those who ruled the pagan
world . Pagan writers referred to it as "a new and
vicious superstition," and to Christians as "misguided
creatures" practicing "moral enormities," creatures
guilty of "hatred of the human race," "criminals who
deserved the most severe punishment ." . . . Christians
refused to share certain duties of Roman citizens . The
15 . As to rendering our lives, who has rightful claim?
Why?