Weekly Devotional - August 24th

Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the

same;  for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it

does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath

on the one who practices evil. Therefore, it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because

of wrath, but also for the sake of conscience.  For because of this, you also pay taxes,

for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.  Pay to all what is due

them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; respect to whom respect; honor to

whom honor.

Romans 13:3-7

Many people harbor a disdain for paying taxes for various reasons that need not be explored

here. Nevertheless, we must appreciate the Apostle Paul for his candor in addressing the often-uncomfortable topic of a Christian’s duty to submit to civil authorities. It is no surprise that the practice of taxing citizens has been a hallmark of every civil society since its inception.

However, the Bible makes it clear that God frowns upon this practice when it is applied unjustly, as illustrated by King Ahab in 1 Kings 21. Despite this, God has established that civil authorities possess the right to impose taxes for the effective governance of society. Therefore, by paying taxes when they are due, we not only demonstrate our obedience to the law but also honor what God has deemed acceptable.