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Part Two continued


The Christian's duty of paying taxes even extends to 'de facto? rulers. If Hodge is correct Wholesale NBA T-Shirts , then the jurisdictional argument stands in direct conflict with Scripture at this point. Renowned commentator, John Murray, adds his substantial theological influence to the question concerning whom 'the powers that be? refer to:


The powers that be refer to the de facto magistrates.13


Christians especially should think twice before dismissing the insights of these exegetes whose reputations are well known and beyond dispute. If we are to pay taxes to de facto magistrates, how much more should we be careful to pay taxes to those representatives properly elected? ?De facto? rulers may even be those rulers who emerge after a revolution. As will be shown Wholesale NBA Jerseys , there has been a radical revolution from within in this country. In truth, failure to pay taxes is rebellion towards God which will result in His judgment (Romans 13:2). It also needs to be noted that the passages in Romans 13:1,2,5 control the proper interpretation and the recipients of taxes in Romans 13:7. There is not a hint anywhere in the writings of the apostle Paul Wholesale Hats , that believers were to resist Roman taxation.


In his commentary on the Westminster Confession Of Faith, G.I. Williamson makes the following observations:


But the Scripture teaches us that civil government comes from God, and that it has authority by the will of God with or without the consent of the governed. This clearly implies that the Christian is to regard the de facto government of any particular country in which he may reside as de jure.14


Does this mean that the Christian must submit to any command from government? Or course not! Williamson explains our duties and the biblical exemptions from unlawful commands:


(1) We ought always to obey the 'lawful commands? of our government. We are in any and every instance 'to be ready to every good work? (Titus 3:1). (2) We must always obey God rather than man when there is a conflict between the two (Acts 5:29). ?We must obey God rather than men.? (3) We may resist actively as well as passively if that be necessary to obedience to God. When a civil authority becomes a terror to good works rather than evil, we believe that Christians have the right of active self defense (of life and property) by sanction of law (Ps. 82:4 Wholesale Hoodie , Prov. 24:11,12 etc.). 15


A popular misinterpretation of Romans 13:1-7 says that if the government is not executing wrath against evildoers, (Romans 13:4) then the Christian is under no obligation to pay taxes to such a government. Proponents of this viewpoint seem to be implying that unless the standard of Romans 13:4 is met substantially, then the government in power has abrogated its authority and individuals are free to disobey laws of their choosing. Abortion is cited as proof that our government is not executing wrath against evildoers. In this case Wholesale T-Shirts , it is true. However, the government is largely still executing wrath against evildoers. For example, criminals are still being prosecuted for theft, public drunkenness Wholesale Jerseys Online , rape, perjury, and murder to name a few. The law system in America still, in many ways Wholesale Jerseys From China , reflects the influence of biblical teaching. Roman law did not reflect any biblical influence.


What about taxes that go for unjust expenditures? Some tax protestors have attempted to use a moral argument to justify not paying taxes. They say that some of the tax monies go for immoral purposes and they in good conscience cannot pay taxes of this nature. Is the Christian obligated to pay these types of taxes? Is this type of argument valid? Haldane addresses this question:


Some persons make a distinction between general and particular taxes, and refuse to pay taxes levied for particular purposes, when these purposes are believed to be bad. But there is nothing that will render it unlawful to pay a particular or specific tax, that will not equally apply to a general tax Wholesale Jerseys China , any part of which it is believed is to be applied to a bad use. Why are we not accountable for the application of every part of a general tax? Because we have no control over it, and our approbation of it when we pay it is not implied. The same consideration exempts us from any share of responsibility respecting the sinful application of a specific tax.16


If the moral argument were valid then Christians would never be able to pay any taxes. Haldane correctly points out that not paying specific taxes does not solve the problem. There is always a portion of general taxes that go for immoral purposes. How would the Christian ever decide how much of his general taxes to withhold? Withholding just some taxes is not the solution. Why? Because a portion of the remainder that was paid would still go to unjust expenditures. If you paid only one dollar a portion would still subsidize something evil. If this type of moral argument were valid no Christian could ever pay taxes. In addition, what is intolerable for one Christian would be tolerable to another. It would be difficult to escape subjectivism. And furthermore, placing veto power in the hands of the individual is a form of human autonomy. Would non-believers have this same right to determine which laws they will obey and the ones that will be ignored? If so Wholesale Jerseys , what are some of the implications for society? Societies built upon human autonomy are characterized by lawlessness or they become brutal tyrannies.


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