Sunday 29 April 2012

Should Christians pay taxes?

Listened to a really good talk at church this morning



Sunday 28th April - should we pay taxes?

Mark 12:13-17 (NIV)
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. [14] They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? [15] Should we pay or shouldn't we?" But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." [16] They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. [17] Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him.

What are the marks of a spiritually transformed life.

Mark 12:13 (NIV)
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.

They are trying to catch Jesus out.

They come with some description about Jesus.

Mark 12:14 (NIV)
They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth....

Would we agree with what they say about Jesus and the place we out Him in how we shape our thinking and our life?

They have come to Jesus with their question to hear the answer. The question is put very carefully.

....... Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

This is  currently a live question and we think of tax avoidance or the rate of taxation or how much tax we pay.

Roman taxation on wealth was1% with local taxations.

This question would have got people's interest.

Jesus had a great answer which He gives.

Mark 12:15-17 (NIV)
Should we pay or shouldn't we?" But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." [16] They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. [17] Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him.

Pay your Tax in the Roman empire and give to God what His is. Was Jesus also saying pay the temple tax.

Mark 12:17 (NIV)
........ and they were amazed at him.

This is more than just about Tax but about a new future for the people of God with the living God.

Mark 12:13 (NIV)
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.

They have understood that Jesus is about a whole new revival which may may not include them.

They are trying to undermine Jesus' place with the Romans and the crowd.

If He says as  a Jew don't pay the tax he will upset the Romand and if He says pay he will be out of favour with the crowd.

We may also ask question of God which hopefully might diminish God's place in our lives so we can live our own way.

The world I live in doesn't work like that anymore.

Everyone is doing it.

Jesus says don't do that, don't displace God from our lives.

Mark 12:17 (NIV)
Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him.

How different should we be from others?

Should the Jews be separate from the Roman empire and us separate from the world around us?

Mark 12:16-17 (NIV) ......"Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. [17] Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." .......

God created man in his own image and although the coin bears the image of Caesar who's image do we bear?


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