Do We Have To Pay Our Taxes? [Luke 20]

19The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and they feared the people; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them. 20So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor.

  21They questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. 22"Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
23But He detected their trickery and said to them, 24"Show Me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's. 25And He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
26
And they were unable to catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people; and being amazed at His answer, they became silent.


Almost 2000 years later, His words are still true for me. Like most people, I would like to avoid paying taxes.  However, it is clear that He does not exempt me from supporting whatever government with which I happen to be associated. But there was a more important question I have to deal with in deciding what belongs to God because He did not just address the tax issue when He said to give back Caesar what belongs to him and give back to God what belongs to Him, but also the non-tax assets I have in my possession. Apparently, after taxes, there are things that belong to God.

What belongs to God? I can start with the most obvious things I have. For example, this computer upon which I am typing belongs to God because it was purchased by funds given to the ministry.  What does it mean to give it back to Him? I am fairly sure that it means that I use it for furthering His Kingdom work. Because it is His, I need to keep asking Him what He wants to do with it and then do what He directs me to do.

In the end, I concluded that everything I have, including myself - all belongs to Him.  Nothing I have came from myself - my husband, my children, my house, my car, my things.  And then I realized I should be saying, His children, His house, His car, His dogs- they all belong to Him. All of "my" possessions are mine for building up of His Kingdom on this earth. And again I need to keep asking Him how He wants His resources to be used.

I praise you God that you are the real owner of everything I own and I pray that  by your grace, you will direct me to look to you in how to use these things to build Your Kingdom on earth.
Verna McCrillis and Beth Warlick, 3/16/2009