As a Christian theologian and a citizen of a state, the United States of America, I find myself subject to the rule of God and to the rule of the state. I face a call for allegiance and commitment to a political entity or terrestrial kingdom, while at the same time I am called to serve the kingdom of God and follow Jesus as Lord. Mandates and calls to action and devotion press in on the disciple of Christ from a number of directions and sources. Many voices, ideas, personages, and organizations vie for our allegiance and commitment. Being under a number of mandates is not in itself a bad thing, and these mandates don't necessarily have to be in conflict. What is terribly important is that they be distinguished, evaluated, and rightly ordered. Above all, we must ever keep in mind that Caesar is not God and God is not Caesar. Caesar and all the citizenry should know this, but the person who claims to be a disciple of Christ must know and remember this.
A. A multitude of mandates
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