Why Pay Taxes?

Question: Why should a Christian have to pay taxes? Jesus Kingdom is not of this world. We are citizens of Heaven. Why do I have pay taxes to a corrupt worldly government?

Answer: We pay taxes because the government is God's servant. The government workers perform a service to us and therefore we owe some compensation to them.

Romans 13:1-7 teaches, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 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."

Our kingdom is not of this world. The kingdom (the church) will outlive this world. However, we are still in this world though not of the world. We are God's family as the church, but that does not negate our responsibility to our human family (blood relatives). Likewise, we are of a non-worldly kingdom (the church), but that does not negate our responsibilities to the government. God gave first the family (to Adam & Eve), then government (The Law of Moses) and finally the church (Christianity). These three institutions are of divine origin and we must submit to the authorities in all three.

God established the government. To rebel against it would be to rebel against what God has instituted. Government's role is to punish wrongdoers and commend those who do right. Government is God's servant to do us good. Therefore we must support their leadership, not just because we might go to jail but because it is a sin to rebel against paying taxes. The Bible teaches us that we "owe" taxes because the government provides these services.

Now having said that let me admit, I believe our government is foolishly over taxing us. I believe that social services, welfare, and many other government programs are not the role of the government but the family and church. I believe our tax dollars are not spent wisely. Does that give me the right to not pay taxes? NO!

When Romans 13:1-7 was written the government was the Roman Empire. It was far more corrupt, wasteful, and evil than our modern government. Yet, God commanded those in Rome to submit and pay taxes. If early Christians had to pay taxes to that evil government which persecuted believers and tyrannically ruled over the people by violating their basic human rights, how much more we should submit to our government. We are far from a perfect government in America. We have lost a lot of our greatness due to forgetting the wisdom of our founders. Yet still, I would rather live in America than any other country in the world. We should be thankful as we pay our taxes that we are the richest people in the history of the world.

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