CAESAR'S TRIBUTE
Let's begin this message with a brief review of regular individual and family activities. We'll assume you have a job (housekeeping counts) attend church, and lead an average citizen's life. There are many things we take for granted without considering how we receive them. We start with transportation. You may use your own car or truck, take a bus, plane or train. In any case, you will have to use a thoroughfare: road, air space or railroad. The roads and railroads are built and maintained to a large degree by various levels of government. Air space is free, but airports are subsidized by the government. Without taxes, our travel will be severely
limited. The use of tax money for roads goes way back to Rome and their marvelous system. Why talk about taxes and roads in a scriptural message? Because Christians gripe about taxes so much and don't understand the reasons and need for taxes.
Before going further, you need to refer to Christ's directions to His disciple, Simon Peter, in Matt. 17:24-27. "When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, 'Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?' He said,Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "what do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?" Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a 'piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you." This was a tax for the Jewish people levied on them separate from Rome. It was part of the Jewish system to support their religion. It was, in effect, their
religious government tax. Christians give tithes and offerings instead of a church tax.
Now go to Matt. 22:15-21. Here we find the secular government tax. "then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do you care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
This tax was for the secular government. This money provided for the roads, the army, the police, the court, and all the other provisions of the secular government. Christ was pointing out that every person benefited from the infrastructure and the protection of the military. It was everybody's civic duty to provide the tax income to carry out this work. Christians should understand that the burden of necessities and compassion rests on every citizen. Obviously money is wasted and poor decisions are made. There is no perfect solution because we're all sinners and far from perfect. We do need to understand how it is determined and the reasons before griping. Christ taught us the example, but are you paying attention?
This may be a boring message up to this point, but here is where you need to give taxes and money consideration. If you are a Christian, you probably pay taxes AND support a church or ministry. Virtually no one wants to pay the government, and there even may be resentment about tithing. The government's needs are partially listed above, and you should understand the church's needs. Both the government and church should address the needs of compassion, a form of alms. The government has agencies, while the church has programs. God blesses people through
their actions, tithes and alms. Still bored? An examination of your reasons for giving to the church may trigger your anger.
In preparing taxes, every effort is made to find all the legal deductions. At least twice a year, pastors, church leaders, and financial experts offer ways to lower income taxes by taking religious contribution deductions. The two times represent one funding drive in December, and the other in April, just before income taxes must be paid. Neither has a Christian connection. The one in December is a way to reduce your government
responsibility, just the same as the one in April. Both benefit the church, and you are permitted to take your donations as a nice deduction, within certain guidelines. There are TWO reasons this is wrong. God blesses people according to the condition of their heart, which means He knows your purpose.
God blesses you according to your purpose. Shifting your money from the government to the church means you place the burden of the government agencies on other people. That may even include yourself. If your decision is because you'd rather have the church receive your money than the government, it is wrong. You are making a personal choice because it is money you have to pay to someone. It is not from the heart. God's blessings are based on your heartfelt giving. It is money given with a grudge. This is not to say it is wrong to list the church as a beneficiary of your estate. Your tithe should also be from your heart. Matt. 6:24 tells
us "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." God does not give a special blessing for a spite donation. What about taxes?
Tax levies vary from state to state, but the impact that usually brings gripes is income tax. This is unfortunate, because it is probably the fairest system of all. Other taxes such as the sales tax, place a burden on families because they must buy to sustain all family members. The poorest families frequently have the most children or family members. The most damaging tax is a local tax collected for the school district. This is levied by the local school board---a body elected by local voters. This tax is borne by property owners. In New York State, if you don't pay this tax for three years, the county sells your property at tax sale. Any change in income or hardship doesn't matter. You lose your home and whatever other property you failed to satisfy in the tax bill. Three strikes
and you're out. Local people elect the school directors who set a budget and levy taxes. Renters pay no property tax, so schooling their children is a free ride. Owners must set rental rates to try and cover the schooling costs. For property owners, this is a must pay or you could wind up homeless.
Griping is heavy on federal income tax, and less so on state income taxes. In both cases, the money you owe us determined by your income. No income, no tax. Your tax rate is based solely on your earnings. This is about as fair as it can be. It seems the more a person earns, the less he wants to pay. That's not just a personal problem, but a problem with companies and corporations. There is a gigantic greed problem that includes many Christians. The name of the game is to find loopholes in the tax laws. Unfortunately, only positions of wealth---businessmen, professionals, families with inherited wealth---can afford tax experts to find these excuses. This is not really good, smart business. It is greed. All these people and organizations use and benefit from the infrastructure---roads, police, armed forces, communications, etc. By severely reducing their tax payments, the burden falls on people with less income and we create a deficit. There's nothing wrong with people or corporations making a profit, but scripture teaches us to have compassion and to share
our blessings.
The belief that many people---those on welfare, fast food workers, and others on low wage jobs--don't pay taxes is completely false. Even welfare recipients pay sales taxes. Any worker who receives a paycheck pays appropriate federal withholding taxes. People who have large incomes can afford to pay more taxes, not less. Our tax laws have been corrupted to enable corporations who make huge profits to actually receive refund checks. Wealthy people who have invested inheritance funds in the stock market make large profits because of rigged trading regulations. It's legal, but grossly wrong. Rules, regulations and tax rates are set by Congress (federal) and State Legislatures. These elected officials are mostly quite wealthy, and look out for Number One.
Since churches, congregations and pastors use roads, police and fire protection, armed services protection and other improvements, they should not be tax exempt. Few Christians will agree with this, but Christ pointed out clearly in Matt. 17 and 22 (as quoted above), that He paid both the synagogue and secular tax. Christians should follow Christ's example, which eliminates possible service to mammon.
Rev. Walbear
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