Skip to main content

Romans 13:6: For Because Of This You Also Pay Taxes


Romans 13:6
[6] For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. (ESV)

One of the least favorite topics one can talk about is taxes. The saying goes that the only thing certain in life are death and taxes. How should the Christian view the paying of taxes? After all, the government is a man-made thing, isn't it? If government is man-made then why should we be obligated to pay taxes to it? We belong to God, not man.

As we have already discovered, the government gets its authority from God ultimately. The very concept of having authority over others for the purpose of caring for their peace and prosperity is something that comes from God himself. When we obey the government we are also giving glory to God by honoring the authority he has allowed to be in our place.

Do we pay taxes? Yes we do. If you decide not to pay your taxes you will find that there are consequences. The government will find a way to either get a hold of your tax money or they will get a hold of you and put you into jail. You will also have the situation of your relationship with Christ being in a bad place because of your disobedience to his command to obey government authority.

If we were to question how God views governmental authority Paul tells us that the authorities are ministers of God. That is very difficult for us to hear. We know that many who work in the government are corrupt. How can they be ministers of God? It is because all authority comes from God. God wants to teach us submission and humility. Government authority is a good teacher.

Pay your taxes. I know it is not easy. God said to do it. Ultimately, you will be honoring the Lord by paying your taxes. Hopefully that will make the pill of tax paying a little easier to swallow.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

James 2:18: I Will Show You My Faith By My Works

James 2:18 [18] But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (ESV) There are certain things in life that go together. Peanut butter and jelly. Double stuff Oreo cookies and milk. Faith and works. James raises the point that someone might argue that faith and works can be separated. "One will say, "You have faith and I have works." Is it ok for works to be separated from faith? James is making the argument that faith and works are not to be separated. James is saying to the one who has faith only, with no works, that he wants them to see his faith by his works. In other words, if you are going to claim to have faith, but have no works, you have no evidence of faith. If I am to believe that a person has genuine faith I can only see that by their works. Faith brings action. There are so many people to claim to have some kind of faith, yet when it comes down to it, their