Paying Your Taxes, Part 1

The Jews, of course, hated Roman taxation. They resisted it. Should they pay taxes pay your taxes to Caesar and give your worship to God is with Jesus. Pay your taxes. That is the principal firm throughout nothing is certain except death and taxes well with taxes in mind. If your government uses tax money for things you disagree with.

As a Christian, what should you do, what does Scripture say find out as John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary continues his series titled the Christian and government but John before we get to the lesson I want to ask you to talk directly to the men and women who support grace to you with their finances. Maybe you could give a snapshot of where that partnership stands and how God continues to use it to transform lives worldwide, though I think one way to kind of jump into that as I think at our last board meeting. The figure was something like 80% of this ministry. Support comes from donations and we have books and Bibles of people order and we give away far more than our purchased, but the vast amount of resources that this ministry depends on and uses to proclaim the word around the world comes from donations, then that's the marvelous thing I that that is a blessing to my own soul, to be supported by God's people because they believe in the ministry that we are carrying out. That means that we are dependent on people that we really don't control me and where were dependent on people who just say look, the Holy Spirit is laid on my heart I believe in this ministry.

I'm going to give. We understand that those people are under the direction of the Lord, and he moves on their hearts to make possible their giving and motivator giving. But this ministry is completely dependent on how people who believe in the teaching of the Word of God respond to the prompting of the spirit of God and so we just pray that the Lord will move on the hearts of folks that they'll see this as a viable investment for the sake of Christ and his kingdom, and were dependent on an since were dependent on it.

We are thankful for it beyond what we can express this ministry touches really hundreds of thousands of people. This is amazing. We were talking about the fact that a grace to you broadcast goes out in the City of London, and there about 110,000 people listening to that single broadcast in one city well and were spread across the globe. That's the spread that this radio ministry gets and then you add all the other elements to our ministry with CDs and downloaded sermons in books and blog articles and everything else that we make available it's an amazing global outreach and now with translating sermons into multiple languages.

It's an amazing amount of ministry that is carried by these faithful folks and by you who are listening to us. So whether you're giving us support in prayer or financial donations. We are dependent on that to keep preaching God's transformative truth. We want to say a big thank you to you. Yes, friend. Thank you for all that you do for this ministry. You are a blessing to all the people you help reach with verse by verse Bible teaching that transforms lives and your blessing to all of us. And speaking of verse by verse teaching hears John to continue his series, the Christian and government Romans chapter 13 going to be talking about biblical instruction to pay your taxes. That's where we find ourselves in our continuing study of this great epistle of Romans for just a moment I want to develop this theme biblically for you and pull back some things restarted in the past, and maybe some new things so you get a perspective on this taxation is not a new idea to Romans 13. It is a very, very old biblical truth from all the way back to Genesis, we find systems of personal tax being levied against individuals within a given nation. Taxation is a major theme.

Now, when God established the nation Israel. Did he have a taxation system. Did he ever. The first 10 footage you paid of tax went to support the national government to pay the salaries if you will provide the food and the resources needed by the people around the nation second tent went to cultivate the culture and the national life. Not unlike our taxes and the third one took care of the poor, the orphans, the widows, it was the welfare time that I wasn't all it was prescribed also in the law of God that there were some other provisions to be made to share so that the nation could enjoy its life together and the resources could be matched with the needs for example in Leviticus 19 Nine when you reap the harvest of your land that says you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. In other words, when your goals are your field. Don't try to get every piece out of every corner and whatever you might leave or miss or drop don't go back and collect don't gather that you will not glean your vineyard, nor gather every grape of your vineyard.

You shall leave them for the poor and the sojourner I am the Lord your God, so they really had a kind of a profit sharing plan would harvest time came they took all that they could take in the normal process of harvesting and anything was left they couldn't go back and get that was left for folks who had very little and they could enjoy the bounty of someone else's crop in the provision of the Mosaic law.

So in a sense, that was another percent of your gain that you had to leave for someone else. Then in Exodus 2310 and 11. It tells every seventh year what you have to do you have to let your land rest and lie still, in order that the poor of your people might eat and what is left from them. The beasts of the field, Shelley Christina, a field that's been planted and planted and planted and planted and then one year. It is implanted what happens in that field will very often things come up. Anyway, here and there and everywhere, and if the field was making a poor man might come in and in a corner that field plan a little bit of something to survive and what the poor didn't glean the animals could have. And again it was another way of sharing the blessing of resources with those who are less privileged and then there was one other provision in Exodus chapter 30 verse 13 they were required to pay half shekel temple tax for the operating of the temple. It was very expensive to operate the temple everybody paid 1/2 shekel, so you have, then attend 1/10 every third year attempt, which is three or 3 1/3 then you have the corners of the field and you have what's left when the field is implanted in the seventh year and then you have the half shekel temple tax, and you're probably looking at 2324% maybe even 25% depending on how good you were harvesting your field. That's what you paid every year that was not free will giving that has absolutely no parallel to giving in the church that's taxation. It is not related to free will giving from the heart is not related to what it says in the Old Testament about let every man give willingly as he wants or wills in his heart. Like when they gave to the tabernacle when they gave to the temple is not talking about that.

It's not talking about the free and spontaneous sacrificial generous giving that is given to us. For example, in Proverbs 3 where it says honor the Lord with your substance in the firstfruits of all your increase and so shall your bars be filled with plenty in your presses burst out with new wine which is just saying give the Lord the best of what you have and give the Lord the top of what you take in and you will be blessed. That's free will giving that's just being generous in offering to God. Beyond this, but the prescription of the Old Testament was that they had to pay an income tax.

They had to pay and if they didn't, according to Malachi 3, 8 to 10 they robbed it God and were in line for judgment on the other hand, they painted they would be blessed by God. When you come into the New Testament we find that the Lord upholds the same standard. Look at Matthew 17, Matthew 17 very helpful. Jesus is in the process of instructing his disciples and they came while they were in Galilee, to the town of Capernaum, where Peter lived in a very familiar place. Our Lord himself was resident there for a time it came to Capernaum, which is in the very northernmost point of the Sea of Galilee at the foot of the sloping hills that sloped down from Lebanon to the north. They came to Capernaum and they that received taxes came to Peter and said that your master pay taxes on the background is essential. Jesus had told the disciples that he was going to die. In fact, he had just told him that look at verse 22. While he abode in Galilee.

Jesus said to them, the Son of Man shall be betrayed or the hands of men initial killing third day be raised again. They were exceedingly sorry just doesn't want to die. I'm going to die.

How is he going to die while he told him that back in chapter 16 verse 21. The elders and chief priests and scribes going to kill so they know now.

At least they've heard that Jesus is going to be killed by the Jewish leaders by the Jewish authorities, the chief priests they're going to have to face the fact that he has said he will die violently at the hands of Jewish authorities. Now, here come these very same authorities asking for money and this they ask for is the temple tax. They're not asking him to support the Roman government.

This is not the Roman taxation system. This is the temple tax we know later on that the coin was needed for that the coin was wonderfully provided. Does your master pay the tax. It's amazing to think about it, but here were men collecting money to put into the temple treasury 30 pieces of silver, of which would be paid to Judas to betray Christ himself.

So talk about giving your money to something you really wouldn't want to pay for here is Jesus putting money in a treasury where money will be extracted for his own execution. His own betrayal leading to death. Furthermore, Jesus had already once in his life taken a weapon cleaned out the whole temple and let everybody know what he thought about it. Furthermore, before he died he would do it again and he would predict its own devastation and destruction and call it a den of thieves, rather than a house of prayer. So now here is a Jewish priest or some ancillary character functioning in response to the mandates of those in authority at the temple coming along saying we need your money to support our temple. The temple which Christ himself and cleansed and cursed, which would ultimately be destroyed the temple treasury out of which the betrayer would be paid what's going to be as response.

Every Jewish male was required.

As I said to pay 1/2 shekel tax annually. It was called a double drachma tax. It was equal to two Greek drachma or about two days wages. The tax could be made obligatory by the authorities. They had the power to demand it, and if a man didn't pay it. They had the power to take compensation out of his personal goods for the amount the coin that they wanted was not in use at that day. Historians tell us all, it was common that two people went together.

It was only exacted upon males in the population. So two men would go together and pay the one coin on behalf of both of them. This was done before the Passover to provide for the special needs of getting the temple ready for the Passover season, it kind of fascinates me that even after 70 A.D. when Titus came in and destroyed the temple and wiped it out. He saw the tax is such a good thing that he made the Jews pay it anyway and it went into the temple of Jupiter capital Lena's Josephus so they were stuck with paying this tax even after their temple was destroyed. So, here come the temple tax collectors to Peter and they ask if Jesus paid the drachma does your master pay the tax.

Now you might think there might be a little bit of equivocation on the part of Peter and he might give them a speech about why Jesus doesn't put money into something he doesn't believe it but that is in his answer. Verse 25 it says Peter said what what he say yes unqualified. Yes, Jesus paid his taxes.

I may not in the we arguing right there. If there is an argument. Jesus paid his taxes and what he was coming to the house, Jesus spoke first to him and he said were you thinking, Simon.

You read his mind even say what Donnie just been accosted by the tax collector in the street becomes walking in the door and the Lord is what you thinking, Simon, of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute of their own sons or of strangers three reads Peter's thought Peter send himself the Lord does pay his taxes. But why does he do that so he says to them now. Peter think about it, of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute of their own sons or of strangers.

All the answers obvious the kings in this particular time of history and I'm sure in other places and times exacted taxes from everybody with their own family.

What's the point of taking taxes from their own family. That would be taxing themselves, to put it back in their own bank account so it's pointless. So Peter says of strangers. Verse 26, of strangers. Jesus said to him, then, are the sons what free, free from taxation.

Illustration is a perfect one because the issue is the temple tax and temple was supposed to be the house of God and Jesus was the son of God, so God wouldn't text Jesus nor would God tax any of his own children either. That's why, dear friends, there is no limit. There is no set amount on giving in the church. God doesn't tax his own family understand that we give what's in our heart to give. So Jesus is saying in the truest sense as children of God, where free wearing his family.

So we would really have to pay this tax, but notwithstanding, lest we should what offend them will pay. And Cindy says Peter Gordon throw a hook in the sea pull out a fish and you'll find the tax money in his mouth and then take it to them and give it to them for you and me. I mean that's that's not fair. That's the reason we would mind either. We could pull it out of the mouth of a fish. I guess what the Lord is demonstrating here is this like I'm not obligated to pay this tax. My father wouldn't text me, nor would he tax any of his own children, but I do it so that I don't offend them. I do it so I don't offend Lord think of it was actually giving his tax money to an apostate religion that ultimately would execute him a place that held public services that were a mockery to God. A place that was a den of thieves. But because taxation was designed by God and Jesus was not about to start a tax revolt and offend everybody and get the whole issue skewed off of the spiritual and onto some other thing he paid it understand that I mean it would be a horrible thing. If Christians ever got to the point where they started some kind of uprising over taxation and got all their focus off on something like that instead of what it really should be on which is the spiritual dimension. Jesus is luck, pay it so that we don't offend and it'll ever and always be clear what our poor purposes. What our focus is what our messages. I love the fact that he paid the tax to the temple when it was right and he took the weapon cleansed it when it was right and because we pay the tax doesn't mean we don't have a right to speak in holy indignation against the abuse of the tax we pay it and then we say what needs to be said in the right place at the right time when the issue is a moral and spiritual issue. I look at Matthew 22 verse 15 Matthew 22 verse 15. While the Pharisees come.

This is a Wednesday of passion week. You remember Jesus is in the temple and they're confronting him all these questions are coming up and so they try to entangle them in his talk to want to get away to trap him so they sent out under him their own disciples with the Herodian's on the Pharisees and the Herodian's hated each other with a passion Pharisees were anti-Herod. Herod was a vassal king. He wasn't even a Jew. He was given the right to rule by the Romans, the Herodian's were those who belong to the party of the Herod's. They wanted them in power. Therefore, they were those who patted the seat of the Romans.

They were those who played up to the Romans they were not at all anti-Roman. They were pro-Roman because they favored the remaining Herodian monarchy and therefore they had to do careful obeisance to the Romans and because they were so pro-Roman for their own political gain. They were very hated enemies of the Pharisees who were violently anti-Roman and even though the Pharisees and the Herodian's politically were miles apart. They got together on one thing, they both wanted Jesus out of the way they were enemies, but became strange bedfellows over the elimination of Jesus and the idea here was to bring the Herodian's into the issue because if they could get Jesus to affirm that he was protesting taxation that he didn't pay his taxes that he didn't believe Rome might be acknowledged if they can get that out of his mouth. Then the Herodian's would run to the Romans and reported if the Pharisees ran to the Romans and reported that the Romans would think it was some kind of a trick because the Pharisees wouldn't want to tell Rome anything that would help them, but the Herodian's word, and so they enlist the Herodian's to be those who will go to the Romans when they capture Jesus in his words, so they come up to him waste with a whole lot of flattery. We know your true when you teach the way of God in truth and you don't you're not respecting any particular individual is as you don't care for any man doesn't mean you're different. It just means you don't play any man's favoritism. You don't do something to gain an end with a certain individual you don't regard the person of men you don't care what rank they are what money they've got your just truth and honesty. They really lay it on him and flattery, since you're so wonderful tell us therefore what you think. Is it lawful to give tax to Caesar or not should repair taxes the wrong course. The Pharisees said absolutely not. Don't payroll your tax that's putting money into the Roman government. They say Caesar is a God. That's idolatry or supporting idolatrous pagan apostate religion.

By the way, the Roman Emperor even took the liberty to pronounce absolution overseeing these acting as some high priest and taking the title of high priest so they the Pharisees wouldn't think of doing that in their hearts to me they may have done it under constraint. I don't know but on some occasions. They may have had no choice but for sure they would have said to this question. It isn't right to pay tax to Caesar I don't know that they would've said it publicly, but that was there feeling they wanted Jesus to say that in the Herodian's would go and report him, should they pay taxes can sauce the personal tax they had money tax. The one delirious poll tax, that every one of them had to pay the Jews, of course, hated Roman taxation. They resisted it. If you study the history of of Israel from about six A.D. on you see a whole bunch of revolts against this taxation. I really believe the destruction of 70 A.D. came about in part as a result of a tax revolt in 66 A.D. when this sentiment of anti-Roman tax was revived in 66 and it ultimately led to the Romans is coming and slaughtering the people. Basically the revolutionaries who let it became known as zealots of your debtor zealots who did all kinds of terrorist activities against the Romans solely asking the question I wanted to say don't pay your taxes and the noble reporting to the Romans will treat you like an insurrectionist get rid of them. But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said why do you test me, you hypocrites, you phonies you really want an answer. Show me the tax money they brought a denarius because it was the scent the can sauce the poll tax. They did with the one delirious had texted everybody a debate show me that delirious that one day's wage and he said them when they brought it to him. In verse 19, who is the image in the superscription whose pictures on it and the picture was a picture of the Emperor and he was designated on the coin is the high priest, so it was religious Agusta's by the way, even called himself get this, the son of God want to be worshiped as deity, so is a serious issue of idolatry to the Jews was images on this, they said Caesar's and then he said this surrendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's naughty set pay your taxes to Caesar and give your worship to God. Pay your taxes give you worship to God.

That's what Jesus said, that is the principle affirmed throughout the Scripture pay your tax you say, but Caesar's apostate. But Caesar calls himself the son of God. Listen, Jesus was saying, give your taxes to this man who is my rival who is saying he's the son of God. He is the high priest was apostate. So when anybody comes at me and says why I like to pay my taxes because I use my taxation for abortion. You don't have a leg to stand on when I like that and that is it right and when to speak up every time we have opportunity against it and any other moral evil of our society, but that doesn't preclude the fact that we are obligated, so as not to offend the payer taxes even as Jesus paid taxes to apostate Roman government and encourage the people to do that because our government, any government, no matter how bad it is, is better than no government and is instituted by God for the protection and preservation of life and property. Jesus even paid a temple tax, which ultimately could have been used for his own destruction.

So the principle is very simple payer taxes and I believe we can claim the same promises that the Old Testament gave that when you pay your taxes, you can be sure God will what it will bless tell you one thing I pay my taxes as an act of obedience to God believing that in doing it. God will bless me.

I don't pay one penny more than than they say I have to pay but okay one penny less and get more careful time because I want more for the kingdom, but I think the principle is clear now. Next time were going to look at verses six and seven see the purpose and the particulars and this is a really interesting section as it unfolds the rest of Paul's word to obey your heavenly father. When you submit to the government you live under here on earth that may have surprised you. Hopefully it encouraged you as John MacArthur continued his current study called the Christian and government on grace to you to keep in mind you can own this series on six CDs.

It's great truth to share with loved ones who may be concerned about the direction the government is going just ask for John series titled the Christian and government get your copy today. Call 805 five grace or go to our website Jide TY.org again to get this six CD album put in someone's hands. Call 855 grace or go to Jide TY.org and remember you can also download John studied the Christian and government three. At our website.

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