Chapter 2: Taxes and The Economy

Everyone hates taxes.

If you don't, well, I feel you should see a doctor.  Someone who can help you.  Because no one likes to have money taken away from them and used for all manner of things they have little to no say in.

It's also why a lot of Christians have trouble tithing.

Really, the two are similar, if you think about it.  A certain percentage of whatever you make is to be given to God/the government, and though you have a basic idea that it will be used for, there is tons you have no idea about.  The difference is that while everyone hates taxes- some people actually enjoy giving their offering to God.  Because offerings are given in worship to God, in reverence to Him.

But then, so are taxes.

I mentioned in the opening chapter that there is that command of Jesus to "give to Caesar what is Caesars."  But the Bible is not silent after that on our role in and with the government.  We find this in Romans 13:1-8:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.The authorities that exist have been established by God.² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ 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 you will be commended. ⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

⁶ This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

⁸ Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

I post this in it's entirety here for context, but I want to focus mainly on verses 6-8 (in bold) for this chapter.  (The rest we will deal with in a later chapter on when and if we are able to actively rebel against a government- aka was the American Revolution in violation of God's command.  Hint:  It is not an easy black and white answer.)


TAXES
We owe taxes.  Now, full disclosure, because of my relatively low paying job the last few years, and my ministry work before that and the deductions available to me- I usually got lots of tax returns.  Technically, I probably paid little to no taxes in income tax.  Many of you will dismiss me now because of that, but I also point out that I have not in any way attempted to not pay what was owed.  I still pay taxes on my home, my car, and my purchases.  Back then, deductions didn't exist.  Back then, tax collectors were corrupt.  It is why it was astonishing that Matthew, a disciple of Christ, was a tax collector.  Yet Jesus never said don't pay your taxes, he told the tax collectors to stop being corrupt.  If after you have taken your lawful deductions and you still owe taxes- Biblically speaking, you need to pay them.

Now, can we gripe about them?  Absolutely.  In a democracy/republic like ours, we are lawfully allowed to express our frustration when we feel we are over-taxed.  I do not believe this leads into conflict with the above passage because in the context we are told to honor the authorities over us- and the law is one of them.  And the law says we have free speech.

But, what if you feel that your taxes are being used to pay for things you feel are sinful, are wrong?  Say you oppose abortion or war, and there government agencies that get tax dollars to perform those actions.  Do you have a right to not pay them?  Isn't it morally compromising you?

When the taxes Jesus and later Paul (Romans, above) told us to pay went to governments that actively enslaved and killed Christians, was that not morally compromising?  I say no.  Because your money was given to the authority, the one set up by God, not those actions directly.  And yes, God does set up the corrupt and evil governments.  He set up Egypt.  He empowered and equipped and enriched Egypt.  Then He killed Egypt with ten plagues and a parted sea to demonstrate His glory.

There are things I don't want tax dollars to pay for.  But I can't stop them being funded by the government.  I can write a congressman, I talk to individuals who are directly involved- I could even run for office and try to change it if I was so called.  I cannot shirk my responsibility to pay taxes.  I shouldn't want to.  Because when I pay taxes, even if it is a little bit, I am honoring God by submitting to Caesar what is Caesar's.  I also don't vilify people who work and have taxes deducted from their paycheck and later get it all back from deductions.  I shouldn't vilify people who don't pay as much taxes as others because they are too poor or because they are rich enough to find the legal loopholes.  I shouldn't even vilify those who cheat on their taxes- I'm not a judge.  And that is between them and God.

I will add this aside.  I've heard some rich folks and celebrities saying they are wanting to be taxed more to help cut the deficit.  If they are being honest, I challenge them in this:  write the government a check for the amount you feel you owe, otherwise, please don't grandstand.

ECONOMY
As I write this, a new jobs report came out stating that unemployment is at 7.8%, the lowest in 44 months.  While this appears to be an improving sign, there are countless other issues that say the economy is still in the tank.  Gas prices are hitting near $6 in parts of California (and the National average is a little under $4) at the same time this report comes out.  Corn and grain prices are forecasted to skyrocket due to the Midwest drought this summer.  Milk is expensive.  Those same three things happened in 2008 to put us in the hole we are climbing (slowly) out of.  If this continues, we'll be right back in the hole.

And there is the $16 trillion dollar deficit elephant in the room.

How should a Christian deal with this?  Well, look at Romans 13:8 again:

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Yeah, we should be against debt.  But, just to cover our bases, lets look at this:

Proverbs 22:26
Saying "Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts;"

Deuteronomy 15:1:At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.  (This was the year of Jubilee- slaves were freed and all debts were erased.  Supposedly.)

So, the Bible says avoid debt.  Our nation is in TREMENDOUS debt, and that cannot be denied by any party.  Christians are livid at this lack of stewardship by the government, to go into debt like that.

The same Christians that owe on their car, their home, their credit card, their boat, their...you get the picture. I'm guilty, too.  Except the credit card and boat thing.  My point is, we cannot be hypocritical.  Yeah, the level of debt the government is in (and by extension, we are in) is astronomically greater than most of our personal debt, but debt is debt.  Nowhere in the Bible does it say you can be in a little debt for a long time, just not a lot of debt.  Now, those readings, and a few others in Deuteronomy  15, 24, and 31 seem to acknowledge that debt happens, and the sin is in not paying it back.  And debts entered into with a plan to pay back seem acceptable in these verses.  But unhealthy, unrestrained piling up of debt is bad.  Bad for the Christian, bad for the government.

Because it is not good stewardship, not good management of resources.  Back then, too much debt would get you into slavery to someone who managed their money better.  Today, our government is doing this with China.

A good, sound, non-religious principle my parents applied to me:  don't spend money you don't have.  It is near impossible these days to not go into debt for a house, and often a car.  And college.  And mattresses.  And computers.  You know what, our governments continued debt growth is simply a reflection of our culture-at-large's motto:

Put it on my tab.

We should expect fiscal responsibility from our leaders- as long as we expect it from ourselves, first.  I'm not advocating you go out and buy every Dave Ramsey book you can- I've not read any in full because some of what I've read I disagree with.  But I am advocating that we take a good long look at our finances while we are scrutinizing the governments.

And I do think spending is out of control for them and us.

*****I'm not going to touch on government job creation here.  The reason being, I think it is a far too deep conversation to get into- regulations and whether more government or more private sector or blah, blah, blah- it's all technical.  Also, Biblically speaking, there just isn't much on that.  I will say to Christian entrepreneurs who can hire people- the above principle on debt applies:  don't hire people you can't afford.  You do them and yourselves a disservice.  Hiring is stewardship as well.******