Comments on: God’s Will for Your Taxes

By: Daryl

Daryl — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:25:17 +0000

I wonder how our thinking on this topic would change if we stopped thinking about “our hard-earned money” and thought (more biblically) about “the money with which God has entrusted us.”

By: Janie

Janie — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:44:20 +0000

This is a very interesting topic, thanks for posting about it. I have a question regarding specifically the income tax. I have Christian friends who are not liberal by any means, but question whether we should be paying an income tax. They have searched and searched and found no law or statute that requires a citizen to pay it. They have shown me a case in which a man was acquitted by a jury for income tax evasion because they could find no law that would convict him. They have many other compelling aruguments such as it being unconstitutional, and so on. If there is indeed no law requiring us to do so, does the government have a right to take our hard earned money? They argue. How to respond?
Thanks for any help.

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:46:49 +0000

Steve,

You said:

“Romans 13 only deals with criminal activity, and that as defined by God, not man. All other taxation is contrary to God’s word.”

I thought you said that the Roman poll tax was ok because it had Caesar’s image on it? But before you were saying it is contrary to God’s Word.

By the way, what about the dollar? It has Washington’s image on it. And it says United States of America. How about any other denomination you “own”? Someone elses image and the words “United States of America.”

Please don’t use “salt and light” out of context to back up this whole taxing issue. If you take it in context (which I know you like to do), it has nothing to do with taxes.

Another by the way… Who collected the poll tax from the Jews? It was Publicans. These went down in history books as notorious thieves, taking for themselves first and giving the overflow to the state. By your argument, the Jews should not have paid the poll tax, but that is the opposite of what Jesus said.

This is a really clear issue in Scripture. Let’s not muddy it up.

In Christ,

Keith

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:44:05 +0000

Theft by the state? I have never believed the money I have is my own; God entrusts me with His resources, as His steward. Anything the government decides to “steal” is actually being stolen from God. That is, if one is agile enough to perform the Biblical acrobatics it requires to bring themselves to the “theft” conclusion. Apparently, I am not.

By: Steve Scott

Steve Scott — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:11:48 +0000

Keith, if you look at the text, the poll tax is the only thing in view. Jesus asked to see the coin. The coin is the only thing that is taxed. Jesus did NOT answer with the typical evangelical interpretation, “Render to Caesar anything and everything that Caesar claims is Caesar’s”, but rather, “render to Caesar those things that ARE Caesar’s.” They have to be Caesar’s before Christ requires rendering. Jesus gave a test: He asked whose likeness and inscription was on the coin. What would His answer be if they brought Him a temple shekel?

Property taxes: whose likeness and inscription are on my house? My family’s. Caesar’s likeness isn’t in my house, therefore it isn’t required bu Jesus to be rendered to Caesar. Therefore it is theft by the state. If Christians realized what Jesus actually said and held the government accountable to it (being salt and light), we wouldn’t be living in such a country where we are taxed to death.

By: Brian Culver

Brian Culver — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:33:24 +0000

in Illinois we pay such a high rate of tax on everything, it is ridiculous. It is almost better for us to drive 45 miles into Iowa to get the cheaper gas on the other side of the mississippi river!

too often we worry so much about the money, we need to be careful not to fall into a worship of money. While we are to be good stewards of our money, how many people are being good stewards of their time? Are we out reaching the lost while there is still time? or are we staying home watching american idol?

what do you value? it is seen in the way you live your life!

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:38:27 +0000

Steve,

You said:

“All other taxation is contrary to God’s word. Since it is done by force, all other taxes would be armed robbery by the state, and thus should be vigorously opposed, exposed, and preached against by Christians. Should we wink at sin just because it is the state that commits it?”

God’s Word says:

“Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said.
And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?”
But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius.
And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”
They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”
And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.”(Matt. 22:15-22)

The same account is given in Mark 12 and Luke 20. The Lord was not talking about paying fines. He was talking about paying taxes. All our money has the country’s name on it anyways, right? Let’s not worry about that which will burn, but desire the treasure which is in heaven.

You need to rethink this one, brother. I’d hate for you to end up like our fellow saint, Dr. Dino.

In Christ,
Keith

By: David M.

David M. — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:16:48 +0000

Jesus paid the tax for Himself and Peter which ultimately went to idolatrous Rome. Seems pretty clear it doesn’t matter what they do with the money, we have to pay it anyway. I don’t think that qualifies as winking at sin or being partaker of the evil. That’s my opinion anyway.

By: Steve Scott

Steve Scott — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:00:19 +0000

David M, you left off the part of the passage that limits obedience to the punishment of evildoers; the next verse: “or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.” 1 Pet 2:14. The punishment of evildoers IS what it’s speaking about as “every ordinance of man.” If you commit a crime, submit to the punishment. But…it has to be a crime as defined by God.

By: David M.

David M. — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:48:22 +0000

1 Peter 2: 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
and later

well, the whole 1 Peter seems to leave little doubt. Obey and leave the results to God seems to be the overarching principle of scripture.