Render to All Their Due
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
The Bible is focused on the Kingdom of God—the perfect future government that Christians pray and long for. But it also teaches us how we should live in this world under the imperfect governments of man.
Since God is the ultimate authority and Paul tells us “the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13:1), we should obey the civil laws of our countries. God expects us to pay our taxes, meet our civic duties and obey the laws of the land unless they conflict with His laws (Acts 5:29). Through obedience to the duly constituted authorities, we can grow in patience, humility and character.
For more about government, and especially God’s soon-coming perfect government, see our section on the “Kingdom of God.”
