Today, we return to our study of Romans. In Romans 12-16 the Apostle gives us a portrait of what it looks like to be the servant of the Lord. In Romans 13 he gives us a series of imperatives which guide us in how to relate to other humans. In today's passage, the Apostle continues to give us instruction with reference to the human authority in our lives.
In v.6 of today's passage we read, "For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing."
Yet again, God refers to the government as His servants. Whereas the Greek word that he used for these "servants" in v.4 is "deacons," here in v.6, he uses the Greek word for our English word "priests." The reason Paul uses a different word here is due to the fact that the government not only provides for our
defense and security, but it also helps us in our
infrastructural needs, like water, sewage, and the building of our roads. Paul is saying, since the government provides these things, we should pay taxes to those who go between us and our societal infrastructural needs.
In v.7 of today's passage we read, "Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."
In Mark 12:17 the Lord Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God, the things that are God's." Now, that's a crucial distinction. The Lord Jesus had been asked the question about the payment of taxes and in response He asked for a coin. So, as He said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God’s," He then pointed to the coin which had Caesar's image on it. Then He said, "Render unto God the things that are God’s." Understood with that statement is the fact that upon man is the image of God. So, just as we have the responsibility to pay taxes to Caesar, we have the responsibility to obey God.
In Mark 12:17 the Lord Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God, the things that are God's." Now, that's a crucial distinction. The Lord Jesus had been asked the question about the payment of taxes and in response He asked for a coin. So, as He said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God’s," He then pointed to the coin which had Caesar's image on it. Then He said, "Render unto God the things that are God’s." Understood with that statement is the fact that upon man is the image of God. So, just as we have the responsibility to pay taxes to Caesar, we have the responsibility to obey God.
The word "render" here means to give back something that you owe. It means to pay back that which we owe due to the services rendered to us. As much as we hate taxes, and as much as any tax system can be corrupt and unfair, and as much as we believe there are far better things our money could go toward, God still commands us to pay our taxes. And, if we do not pay our taxes, we will be guilty of disobeying God. And, when we deliberately ignore God on a certain subject, we deliberately allow destruction of some form into our lives. The one who sows to the flesh ends up with corruption which is literally illustrated in Galatians 5 as the decomposition of a putrid corpse.
The more we feed the flesh, the stronger the flesh becomes and the more profound its damage. When we disobey God or we choose not to be defined by Him, we allow the introduction of various forms of death into our lives. In addition to this, according to Hebrews 2-5, we invite the dulling of our hearts toward God. And, this is not good because rarely do we take a giant step away from God. No, we take a series of small steps away from Him when we allow the flesh to have a field day in our souls. And, this could get to the point where our hearts have been numbed to God.
Of course, the answer to all of this is that we obey God. In so doing, we ward off the flesh and the destruction that it brings to our existence. The Bible describes our obedience to God in Galatians 5 as "Feeding the Spirit" who has made our spirit alive to God. "Feeding the Spirit" or "Walking in the Spirit" renders the result of us experiencing the fruit of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits describe the life of the Lord Jesus. And, when we feed the Spirit we invite the intimacy with God that we all long for, we just have a hard time seeing it for what it is. And, the more we experience this intimacy with God, the more we will not only recognize it for what it is but the more we will want it. This is eternal life!
