From the desk of Pastor Ben

A Lesson on Government and Taxes – Part 2

“Go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”         (Matthew 17:27b)

God has chosen Christians to be citizens of His kingdom, His priests specially called to minister to the unsaved world around them (1 Peter 2:9). Before we believed, we were outside of the divine mercy, but now we receive it in abundance (1 Peter 2:10). That’s why Peter exhorts us: “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11-12).

Concerning the matter of the Christian and government, and despite the godlessness of Rome, Paul wrote: “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. . . . For because of this you also pat taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them; tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:1, 6-7).

Most human laws are not godly or just, but God has ordained government for social and civil order, thus His people must respect and obey its laws, even though they’re imperfect.

Ask Yourself:
What are some of the matters that concern you the most in today’s legislative and judicial debates? What are believers to do in regard to those issues that contradict the clear teaching of Scripture?