How is that glorious liberty that our LORD instructs Peter that all the children possess obtained? Was it an arbitrary decree of GOD Almighty that declared His sons and daughters exempt from the taxes that all the people of the land must pay? Did He simply pick and choose and pronounce to some that you must pay and others not?

Oh No! By no means. Then wicked men and women who cast the charge that a sovereign predestinating and electing GOD must be unjust, would themselves be justified in their charge, GOD is not fair, He’s not just.

But the salvation of all GOD’S elect is indeed a just salvation, Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh to thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."

This freedom which we possess of GOD was established in righteousness. The grounds upon which it was obtained will one day cause all men to be astonished, Isaiah 52:14 "As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:".

When we preach to men and women everywhere the message of Liberty, it is not out of a spirit of mischief as if we desire to see them do greater harm and danger to their eternal soul than while they lived lives of unbridled wickedness.

Those who protest the high sounding proclamation of liberty as a dangerous message to sinners have no knowledge of the grace of GOD, are not confident in its efficacy, and have not realized that liberty is the first principle of the Gospel call. To deny men this call is to not proclaim the gospel.

You are a wicked man and son of the devil that wishes only to bind the conscience of men and women and make them servants of your system of religion and self righteousness, no matter how small an element you impose.

I understand that a criminal spirit needs to be placed in hold. And as sinners there is that tendency to use this privilege of freedom towards lasciviousness. And some men and women will profess to know him and yet by works deny him. These are not the children. They will soon pay taxes as strangers to the grace of GOD.

Matt. 17:27 “Not withstanding lest we should offend them, go down to the seas, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up;”. We who proclaim the Gospel must not only declare liberty to the captives. But we must also clearly and plainly set forth how that liberty was obtained, lest we offend. And here is where our LORD instructs Peter in the matter of the tribute money.

Our LORD had Peter to provide for the tributor that which was needed to satisfy his master that both Peter and Christ pay taxes. So we tell all men that we are to love GOD’S law and keep it. We pay taxes. Or rather we have already paid all the taxes do us. We have established the law. We have fulfilled its demands, and now stand owing no man, we are just persons. For Christ is the end of the law for everyone that believeth.

In Christ Jesus the children have both paid the tribute money and are free. We are at liberty in this world but we are ever mindful of its ordinances. We are freer than the heart of man can imagine and that freedom will come to full manifestation at our complete redemption from sin.

And yet we will follow every ordinance of man. We will render unto Caesar that which is his, in this life, and yet we boldly proclaim that we are NOT UNDER THE LAW.