It's tax time again!

What about you? Do you cheat on your taxes? Do you think its O.K. to lie about income and expenses – when you might not lie about other things in life? You say you don't agree with the way your tax dollars are being spent? What would Jesus have to say about having to support a government with programs He might not agree with? Should we willingly pay our taxes?

Some of the Pharisees and supporters of the collaborationist government of King Herod, tried to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to the hated occupying Romans, "Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth…what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way" (Matthew 22:15-22). Even though Caesar's government was despised, Christ said to pay the tax. By law it belonged to Caesar.

On another occasion, Christ's disciple Peter was asked if his master would also pay the temple tax. Knowing Jesus' feeling about paying taxes, he immediately answered, "Yes." (Matthew 17:24-27). Later, Peter, under inspiration of God, even advised Christians to "submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors … Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Peter 2:13-17). These verses take on a more profound meaning when we realize that the ruler at that time was the evil emperor, Nero, who was an enemy of the church and persecuted Christians unmercifully. Christians are to submit to the governments they live under, including whatever taxation is lawfully required of us.

Why would Christ and His apostles give such advice? Paul made it clear, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves…For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor" (Romans 13:1-7).

Yes, kings, emperors, presidents, prime ministers, senators, congressmen, parliamentarians, judges – rulers of this world's governments – may not behave in godly ways or use righteously the tax money they acquire, but we must support whom God has allowed to rule over us, even if we don't like their policies and actions. True Christians pay their lawful taxes!

For more of what the Bible says God requires of us, read our online article, Must We Obey God To Be Saved? and order or download our free booklet, The Ten Commandments.