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Pastor Lud Golz
Pastor Lud Golz

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  Home | Transcript Archive | October | October 08, 2020

Thursday, October 08, 2020

If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.  (Romans 13:7)

Paul emphasized in Romans 13:5 that we should live in the world with a clear conscience. 

One specific area regarding our civil duty where many have a seared conscience is in the matter of paying taxes.  Few rejoice over the instructions given in verses 6-7: “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.  Give everyone what you owe him; If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” 

People are involved in the process of governing a city, state or country.  They need to be paid in order to fulfill their tasks.  Yes, even the tax collector needs to be paid.  When the tax bill is delivered to you, pay it.  If there is a tax or custom charge on a purchased item, pay it.  Those who require and those who administer the tax should be respected as they carry out their task. 

And they should be honored as God’s servants.  It was Tertullian who wrote about the early Christians, “That which the Romans lost by the Christians refusing to bestow gifts on their temples, they gained by their conscientious payment of taxes.” 

Though your government might not be fiscally responsible you are to pay your taxes as unto God.  If there is a way to encourage or require greater fiscal responsibility it would be right to do so.  But failure on the part of government is not an excuse to be used to not pay your taxes. 

Remember this when your taxes come due, and ask God to give you a clear conscience and grace to respect and honor those imposing and collecting the taxes.

 

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