I felt led to write a little about the constant complaining about taxes that I hear. I know many people who spend much time discussing the unjust tax system. While I agree with them that it is unjust, I still hold to the Scriptural mandate to pay the taxes. There are those who think it is alright with God to cheat on their taxes or refuse to pay them when they are unjust. Here's what God says in reference to paying taxes;
Mark 12:17 "And Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at Him.:
As long as we avoid the taxes legally, there is no problem to pay as few as the law allows through deductions. However if our focus is on money to such a degree that we are engaging in illegal activity to keep or gain money, we are materialistic and it has become our idol.
The next thing we can throw in this mix is the lack of faith, thinking we have to wheel and deal illegally for monetary gain. We can obey God in paying taxes, while trusting that He will provide our needs.
It has been my experience that those who continually whine about taxes not only have the money to pay them but also everything else they need. These people have food, clothing, a place to live and much more, even while they are paying their taxes. Let's not forget they also have a job or they wouldn't be paying any taxes. The focus on taxes to the extreme tells me there is a greedy element that lacks gratefulness for all the other things we have been provided.
While it is true that taxes are not fair, we can agree that this world is not fair on many fronts, not just taxes. Everything is handled in this world in an unfair manner. If our mantra is going to be "unfair" then we will have to whine and cry about everything.
When we focus on one aspect of the culture that is unfair, we miss the bigger picture of God's provision every day. Gratefulness is accepting what God has given us, enjoying it and willingly paying our taxes knowing it will not thwart God's provision no matter how unfair those taxes may be.
The media leans continually on the side of sin, refusing to give righteousness equal time. Those who trust Christ, are generally maligned, ignored or mocked on a regular basis, it is not fair, but it is our world, we should come to expect it knowing that we will be delivered from it all in the end, while admitting it will get worse.
Personally I accept all this injustice as being a part of end times prophesy. I stand against it legally when God calls me to it, but am never driven to rise up against it in an illegal way, nor should any believer!
James 13:1-4 "13 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
We are free to call things what they are, there is no sin in that, however if we find ourselves cogitating on the injustice far too often, then we move from honesty into the realm of defiance.
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