LCG: Why Do We Pay Taxes?

Why do we pay taxes? Here is some of what today’s commentary by Roger Meyer of the Living Church of God says:

Most of us get a little anxious and complain about tax time each year. How much will our taxes be? How much must we “render unto Caesar”? Why do we have to pay taxes?

In America, one of the biggest tax bites on our income is the federal income tax, though state and local taxes also take a substantial bite. There are property and sales taxes. Every time we fill up the gas tank we are paying a tax. We pay so much in taxes that some have calculated a “tax freedom day,” as the day during the year when our nation has theoretically earned the income necessary to have paid our taxes for the year. This date usually occurs in April. One hundred years ago it would have been in January.

Why do we pay taxes? Most would answer it’s to pay for government services including national defense, roads and bridges, fire and police protection, etc. Of course, taxes are also used to pay for things with which we might not personally agree, such as wars and abortions, or on unnecessary things that many consider to be a complete waste of taxpayer dollars. Most recently, complaints and arguments were against bank and corporate bailouts…

Christians know that Jesus Christ, when asked if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, said to “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).

There is another reason we pay taxes. It goes back to a time, long ago in the Garden of Eden, when man rejected the Almighty God from ruling over him. This rejection was repeated many times. One significant rejection took place during the days of Samuel, the judge over the nation of Israel. Samuel was getting old, and he made his sons judges. His sons were dishonest, took bribes and perverted justice. So all the elders of Israel came to Samuel and demanded, “Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5). Samuel was displeased, so he prayed to the Lord. “And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them’” (v. 7).

God went on to tell Samuel to forewarn them and show them the consequences. He warned that the king would take their sons to serve him in his army, and take their daughters for servants. He would take their fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants. He would take a tenth of their grain and their vintage, their donkeys and sheep and give it to his officers and servants. This obviously shows the king – the government – would tax them. In spite of this warning, the people refused the voice of Samuel and said, “No, but we will have a king over us” (v. 19). They opted for a corruptible human government.

History documents taxation occurring in ancient Egypt, as well as Persia, Greece and Rome. The famous Rosetta Stone mentions taxes on grain and wine. Mankind has suffered taxation throughout history as a consequence of his rejection of God’s government…

But the good news is that a restoration of the government of God on this earth is coming to restore peace and righteousness. Go online at tomorrowsworld.org, or write today for your free copy of The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?

Those living in the United States may wish to consider that I saw a news item yesterday that USA President Obama is considering raising taxes further. Yet raising taxes is not the solution to the financial problems within the USA. Repentance, which the USA President has not proposed, as well as substantial positive changes in policies towards businesses, could solve the financial problems. Yet, these solutions apparently will not be seriously considered. And if they ever are, it appears that they will be too little, too late, for the USA.

In the mean time, if you live in the USA and have not filed your federal tax return, you have less than one week before various penalties apply.

To learn more, please check out the following articles:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? This is a lengthy article with many prophecies that Barack Obama may end up fulfilling.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled by him?
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it. Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2018 or 2019?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.