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What type of "Tax System" does the Bible outline?
As you are most likely aware, there is a lot of conversation, ideas and
general discussions going on regarding the revamping of our current tax system. There are
proponents of a flat tax system and others feel that a national sales tax would be the way
to go. Still others feel the current system should be either revamped or eliminated
altogether.
To enter into one of these exchanges really stirs up a lot of emotion.
I'm not interested in an emotional discussion. If I as a Christian, am supposed to turn to
the Bible as my "Operator's Handbook" and it is to be the source of guiding
principles (allowing us to work out the details) I'd like to ask...
1. "If we just had only the Bible as our guide, what type of tax
system (if any) would it outline for us regarding how we, as Christians, are to support
our government?"
You have asked a very good question. To answer your question, we first
need a little history lesson. Remember what has been wisely said, "Those who
fail to remember the past, are condemned to repeat it" (Author Unknown). That
is especially true of Biblical history. If we fail to remember it, then we will be
judged just like those people were. "For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning..." (Romans 15:4).
Remember that it was not God's original design for man to rule over
man. It could have even been different for women, if Eve had not been deceived to
sin by the serpent. As part of her judgment, God told her, "And thy desire
shall be to THY HUSBAND, AND HE SHALL RULE OVER THEE" (Genesis 3:16).
As man became more and more wicked, other men would be in charge over
them. When the first murder happened, God handled the matter. "And the
Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's
keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth
unto me from the ground. And NOW ART THOU CURSED FROM THE EARTH, which hath opened
her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; WHEN THOU TILLEST THE GROUND, IT
SHALL NOT HENCEFORTH YIELD UNTO THEE HER STRENGTH; A FUGITIVE AND A VAGABOND SHALT THOU BE
IN THE EARTH" (Genesis 4:9-12). But after the flood, God put men over men,
because they were so bent upon wickedness. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, BY MAN
shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man" (Genesis 9:6).
Big government, and thus, big taxes, is a direct result of increased
sin in a land. "FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF A LAND MANY ARE THE PRINCES THEREOF:
but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged"
(Proverbs 28:2). The more that man sins, the more that government has to grow to
control his sin, and the more that taxes will thus have to be raised.
Remember what God told Israel when they asked for a king to rule over
them? The Israelites said to Samuel, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk
not in thy ways: NOW MAKE US A KING TO JUDGE US LIKE ALL THE NATIONS". But the
thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel
prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the
people in all that they say unto thee: FOR THEY HAVE NOT REJECTED THEE, BUT THEY HAVE
REJECTED ME, THAT I SHOULD NOT REIGN OVER THEM" (I Samuel 8:5-7).
While God would give them what they wanted, please notice how He warned
them what it would be like to have a man be their king (a man-made government over
them). "Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly
unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them...He will take
your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen...and
will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest...And he will take your daughters
to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your
fields...even the best of them...AND HE WILL TAKE THE TENTH OF YOUR SEED...HE WILL TAKE
THE TENTH OF YOUR SHEEP...AND YE SHALL CRY OUT IN THAT DAY BECAUSE OF YOUR KING WHICH YE
HAVE CHOSEN" (I Samuel 8:9-18).
Please notice what the payment would be - one tenth. God was
their King, and He asked for His people to give Him one-tenth. "Thou shalt
truly tithe all the increase of thy seed" (Deuteronomy 14:22). Now they had
chosen a man to rule over them, but that did not diminish their responsibility to still
give a tenth to God. In Jesus' day, He was asked the question about taxes.
"Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto
Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye
hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a
penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They
say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, RENDER THEREFORE UNTO CAESAR THE
THINGS WHICH ARE CAESAR'S; AND UNTO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S" (Matthew
22:17-21). Man could have gotten by with giving one-tenth of his income to God, but
because of his sin, he would now have to give ONE-TENTH TO GOD, and ONE-TENTH TO MAN (and
more than a tenth as sin increased - remember Proverbs 28:2 - "For the transgression
of a land many are the princes thereof."). Truly SIN IS VERY COSTLY.
So to answer your question, God set the precedent that the one ruling
over man would be WORTHY OF ONE-TENTH of his income. But God warned man that that
amount would increase as his sin increased.
How far is the Christian to go in paying taxes before he says, "No
more!"? As Christians, we can never come to that point. "RENDER
THEREFORE TO ALL THEIR DUES: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear
to whom fear; honour to whom honour" (Romans 13:7). We have to do what is
right, and trust God to meet our needs - even our needs of paying the taxes required of
us. "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by
Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
But is there nothing that we can do about high taxes? Write
letters to your congressmen and senators? Write letters to the President? Vote
for men who support tax cuts? As United States citizens, we can use these privileges
given to us, but remember what is the true cause of big government - Proverbs 28:2 -
increased SIN among the people of a land.
I have a question for you now. Do you really want to see some tax
cuts? Then what you need to see is some SIN CUTS in America. That means we
need to see sinners repenting of their sin and coming to Jesus Christ for salvation.
And that means that we need to see Christians repenting of their sin and getting right
with God. Are you out soulwinning with your church to see people saved? Are
you witnessing on the job? Are you giving out Gospel Tracts where ever you go?
Are you spending time reading God's Holy Word (the King James Bible) each day, so that you
are right with God? "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking
heed thereto according to thy word" (Psalm 119:11).
It is rightly said, "Every vote counts." We are in
trouble when people stay home thinking, "I only have one vote - it will not make a
difference." What we need in our country is Christians who will see that one
person doing right DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Will you be that one in your
family? Will you be that one on your job? That is the only true
and lasting answer for lower taxes.
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