Taxation Talk – audio

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As a number of seats were determined yesterday in the House and Senate, a few items on some ballots involved taxes. Some taxes were accepted; others were rejected. Voters want to know how much of a tax they are paying and what the tax goes toward. Some people want to know where every penny spent goes.

Paul had a little to tell the Romans concerning the government and taxes (Romans 13:1-7). The government has a role to use taxes in the proper way, and Christians must render taxes to whom taxes are due.

This was the concern of the Pharisees as they sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They wanted to know if it was lawful to pay taxes unto Caesar. Jesus told them to “render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s (Matthew 22:15-22).”

Some even questioned Peter about Jesus paying the temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27). Jesus explained to him that although the sons of the king are free from paying taxes, they would pay in order to avoid offending them. Interestingly, money was provided to pay for them that did not belong to them.

Just as it is good to pay taxes, one must be careful about collecting them. Zacchaeus was a tax collector that was seen as a sinner in the public eye, but was brought salvation by Jesus; Matthew was a tax collector that left all in order to follow Jesus, becoming His disciple (Matthew 9).

As Christians, it is our primary to serve God (Matthew 6:33; Acts 5:29). When paying our taxes, we are supporting the good and combating the evil. It is what Jesus would have us to do. He taught what He learned from His parents as they paid their taxes (Luke 2:1-5).