Give What is Owed

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

GIVE WHAT IS OWED

Rom 13:6-7

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

NIV

It is interesting that we should come to this portion of this letter dealing with paying our taxes, as it is tax season in our country. We pay federal, state, and local taxes to support those who govern as well as for all the programs that are implemented by them. Nevertheless, it is the Christian duty to pay our fair share of taxes based on our level of income because, once again, Paul makes it clear those who govern or the authorities are God’s servants, keeping watch over our society so that it does not become lawless. However, these instructions go beyond just paying our taxes. We recall the trap the Pharisees attempted to catch Jesus in regarding taxes and he asked them whose inscription was on the coin. It was much different in those days under the Romans’ governance than how we live under the authority of those who govern our country. The people had to pay a tax period, no matter their income, and if they could not pay, they were deeply in trouble. Today we must pay according to our income after the government gives us a certain amount of deductions so that in some cases where the deductions are more significant than the income, no tax is due. But now we are to consider paying someone respect if that is what we owe them and honor if that is what we owe them. Both these Greek words that are translated as respect and honor deal with persons of rank, that is those who govern. For the Jews and Gentiles who first received this letter, that meant because they were the image bearers of God, as we are today, it was their duty as well as ours, not to rebel against those who govern over us, for their positions are of authority which has been given to them by God. The wholeness of all this is in those words of giving everyone what is owed them because they are servants of God, even if they do not honor God, as the Romans surely did not, and as many who govern us do not. Paul has more to say about this, especially about not leaving any debt unpaid. But for now, let us simply see that as Christians it is our duty to live faithfully in accordance with God’s instructions about living within the law of the land.