Pay Taxes

Pay Taxes                                                                                                         Romans 13:1-7                                                                         

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. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will [a]bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 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. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

• Paul is speaking to the early believers who were excusing themselves from the synagogue, discarding Judaism and establishing something new. In Rome, Gentile believers wanted to cut themselves from their Judean roots and do a new thing
• They were refusing to pay temples taxes as well
• He is also speaking to the Jews who only recognized God’s Authority and didn’t pay taxes except to the church
• Paul is asking the believers in Rome to obey the God ordained authority
• He is also asking them not to stop there but to obey civil authorities as well
• Let’s every person be loyal subject to the civil authority
  • Civil authorities meaning those who have authority under State or Federal law to respond, or to authorize or order a response, to the situation presented
  • Paul is writing this during the reign on Roman empire – much like today
• This was an interesting passage to research – Those who agree that Paul spoke of civil authority or just Synagogue leaders
• Romans 13:1(Nkjv) 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
• Why? Because – But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases – Psalm 115:3 (Nkjv)
• Romans 11:33 ( Esv) Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable (impossible to understand or interpret) his ways!
• It’s very clear that those in authority do so by God’s appointment
• Therefore, he who resists and set himself up against these authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged in divine order – Romans 13:2 (Nkjv)
• Those that refuse to obey this order bring down Judgements on themselves
• Remember that God is Supreme, and there is no authority above Him. His Word/Law is Final
• We are not required to obey anyone or anything that contradict God’s law
• Civil authority is not a terror to people of good conduct
• Then do what is right and stay right!
  • Without civil authority it would be really bad out there
  • If there were no policemen, would we be here today in church?
• If you do bad, be afraid and dread him, be afraid for he bears a sword (Consequences)
• Government authorities are instituted by God
  • Sometime God gives authority as a blessing – Like King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29)
    • Turned people’s hearts back to God and caused them to worship God the right way
• Other times He institutes civil authority as a means of trail and Judgement
• Book of Jeremiah, King after King they did what was not pleasing to God
• King of Judah, Zedekiah didn’t not listen to the word on Jeremiah the prophet. And so, God calls Judgement on Israel
  • Jeremiah 37:6-10(Nkjv) – And the Chaldeans shall come back and fight against this city, and take it and burn it with fire.” ’ 9 Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely depart from us,” for they will not depart. 10 For though you had defeated the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only wounded men among them, they would rise up, every man in his tent, and burn the city with fire.’
• But even then, He does not keep His Hand off them – He still protects them
  • Jeremiah 50:33-35 (Esv) Thus says the Lord of hosts: The people of Israel are oppressed, and the people of Judah with them. All who took them captive have held them fast; they refuse to let them go. 34 Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon. “A sword against the Chaldeans, declares the Lord, and against the inhabitants of Babylon, and against her officials and her wise men!
• Paul continues to write that it’s also a matter of principle and for the sake of moral consciousness
• Obey not just to stay out of trouble but for Moral purpose ( Don’t check the box)
• Do good and you will receive his approval (Romans 13:3)
• Christians should not avoid taxes just because they think it’s used unjustly     
  • We should be the first to do good
• Pastor Matt spoke about how Jesus didn’t have to pay the church tax but still did – Humbleness
• Believers are to honor their leaders even when they are not too admirable
• Render all men, their dues
• Pay taxes to whom taxes are due
• Customs to whom customs
• Respect to whom respect is due
• Honor to whom honor is due
• One discipline translates to another
• I believe that Paul is speaking of a bigger picture
• If we start by not obeying our earthly authority, how are we going to obey Gods authority
• How are we going to obey Gods given leaders?
• If we don’t respect those that require respect – where do, we draw the line
  • James 1:13-15(Nkjv) Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
• If we don’t pay taxes to the government, how are we going to pay our tithes
• If we ignore the hierarchy and structure of leadership that God has put in place? How are we going to respect and obey God?
• Paul knew that one discipline translates to another
• If I curse at work, it’s just a matter of time before I forget the line – Not to mention the hypocrisy
• Husbands, if we don’t love our wives like Christ loves the Church, how are we going to love the church
• Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord: If you can’t obey and respect your husband, how can you obey and respect God
• We end up treating God and the Church the way we treat our spouses instead of the other way round
• But you don’t understand
  • This is a bad government, I should not obey them
  • You don’t know my spouse
• Wrong!
• Our story in 2018 – Example
• Paul is teaching his people to obey no matter what’s going on around them – as long as it’s not leading us to sin- or against God command
• But am sure that most of the things we justify are not leading us to sin, It’s because of disobedience
• Other people’s behaviors are not an excuse for us to sin
• Parents teach our kids obedience at a very early age- If they don’t respect you, they will not respect their siblings, their friends, their teachers, grown-ups, their leaders, their Pastor and lastly God
  • Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.
• Don’t make it more than its ought to be
• Take the Word of God for face value
• Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
• Stop looking for ways to justify sins- If it says STOP, just STOP. If the Word of God says Go, then GO
• Romans 2:25 (Nkjv) For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 
• Paul is speaking to the Jews that believed that Circumcision guaranteed them of salvation.
• Just like the Jews we take things that are simple, and we change them to say what we want
• Don’t make it more that it ought to be
• Submit to God in all areas of our lives
• Story of Joseph – Starting in Genesis 37
  • Sold as slave at 17 years old
  • At 28 years old interprets dream for Pharaoh’s butler and Baker
  • 30 Years old – interprets dream for Pharaoh
  • 13 Years of not so good authority -Yet He still did what was right!
• Joseph is such a great example of how keep honoring God
• Sold to slavery, everywhere he went, he was still a leader
•  What’s our excuse? I understand today’s politics and all this woke policies but those should have no bearing on whether or not we obey God’s order of things
• We have to decree to submit to God in all areas of our lives
• Or do we want to be like Samson, a man with so much blessing yet blamed everyone else of his bad attitude and lack of dedication to what he was called to do
• Matthew 6:33-34 Nkjv  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble

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