From Kim Moreland at crosswalk.com
… Philip’s story is similar to the stories of other martyrs. Their “crime” was refusing to render to Caesar what was rightfully God’s. As the Apostle Paul instructed, they obeyed the law and paid their taxes. In fact, they often went beyond that: caring for those whom Roman society considered beneath even contempt.
They drew the line at suggesting that Caesar, not Jesus, was Lord: Philip refused to walk through a gate; other Christians refused to burn a pinch of incense. In every case, the message was, to paraphrase Thomas More, “we die the emperor’s good servant but God’s first.”
Thankfully, our situation cannot remotely be compared to that of the early church or that of our brothers and sisters in many parts of the world today. Our opposition to sinful men does not require the shedding of blood.
But it does require that we draw lines and endure criticism. It does require that we rejoice and be glad when people revile us because we insist on rendering God what is due Him.
It also requires that we stand by and support Christians who are making their stand. Several Catholic bishops announced they would not comply with the Department of Health and Human Services’ requirement to pay for abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives. It’s not yet clear how the president’s announcement on Friday changes the situation.
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