The verse is Mark 12:17:
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.This verse clearly teaches we must pay our lawful taxes.
But why is it that Caesar demands so much more of our earnings than God does?
3 comments:
Because "Ceasar" doesn't live by or operate the government by Bible standards and principles. So does that mean we fall into the Bible's definition of "the persecuted?" If so, then what is our correct response?
Ceasar certainly operate by biblical principles in Christ's day, either. The Bible also teaches that persecutions are inevitable for practicing, faith-filled believers while we are in this world; history teaches us that governments are sometimes, but not always, the persecutors.
Our response is to obey the government, including the payment of taxes (which I was focusing on when discussing the verse), until and unless the government mandates we do something that contradicts the Word of God. Whether we view it as persecution or not really doesn't impact our response...at least, it shouldn't.
I think Ken has a point. Unless the government is asking something immoral or unethical of its citizens, the citizens should pay their taxes because it is their obligation as a part of that nation.
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