“Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honour to those who are in authority.”
Romans 13:6-7 NLT
Well, here are an unpopular couple of verses. The civil authorities have the right to impose taxes on their citizens, and these can be a constant source of tension between the governments and the people. Paul wrote that “government workers need to be paid” but things have gone a lot further than that, with taxes extending into supporting welfare payments, health, defence and so on. In the UK tax year just finished, over £1000 billion was raised across every tax source, an extraordinary amount I think we can agree. But Paul’s writings were clear – pay your taxes. And the reason he gave was that the “government workers” are “serving God in what they do”.
We pilgrims, living in a 21st Century society, can get caught up with the perceived injustices of a system that has gone far beyond what Paul ever considered. I wonder what he would have written today? But, then, I think his letter wouldn’t have changed one jot. In John 17 we can read Jesus’ prayer for His disciples and in it He made it clear that we are part of the world, the societies, where we live. In John 17:15 Jesus said in a prayer to His Father about His disciples, “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one”. To me, Jesus was saying that we are entrenched within the world system, with all its implications, including the need to pay our taxes. Earlier in His prayer, Jesus said, “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are” (John 17:11). To Jesus the important principle for His disciples was unity and love for each other, joy, righteousness and holiness, all principles of the Kingdom of God but considered less important in the secular societies in which we live. God knows that we are obliged to pay our taxes, and that is part of what constitutes our “needs”, something that Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:19, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus”.
Over and above our obligation to pay taxes, we are encouraged to present our offerings to God. This usually means giving money so that our spiritual leaders can be supported and encouraged as they devote their lives to caring for their flock, their congregations of God-followers. Our money also supports the buildings and other necessities that go to form our churches (though, sadly, in some denominations the buildings and infrastructure seem to have become more important than the people). But our offerings to God can also include our time and possessions. We hold all that we have in open hands, making what we have available to God.
Father God. Everything that we have belongs to You. Please help us to be good stewards. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 