Is Taxation Theft?

When Christians ask this question, it's very telling. It's an immediate indicator that they've strayed far from what the Bible teaches regarding the government and how we're to think about it.

Around this time of year there are numerous arguments made by Christians (and Secular Right-Libertarians) that taxation is de facto a form of theft.

These are Christians that have confused Neoliberal Economics, actually rooted in the Enlightenment with what the Scriptures teach. That's for another time, but since it is tax season, we should consider their arguments about taxation.

Is it theft? Is it immoral?

Some are against it in principle... well, maybe certain types of taxation. Some are against Income Tax, others are against Property Tax and some are virtually against all forms of taxation.

But is it immoral?

The argument for this is usually rooted in the idea of re-distribution being theft.

For it must be remembered that those who argue against re-distribution ultimately must face this question. For all taxation is ultimately a form of re-distribution.

Most will argue there are 'some' legitimate forms of re-distribution.

But if re-distribution is accepted as legitimate, then we need not argue the principle, simply the application.

Those who reject it entirely are consistent, but it doesn't mean they're right.

As a Christian I'm not terribly concerned with Capitalist or Socialist orthodoxies... I'm concerned with what the Bible says.

At this point, the anti-tax people have a problem.

Romans 13 tells us to pay our taxes. There's no qualifier.

Jesus said to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. This verse has generated some pretty astounding exegetical gymnastics but based on this passage and the miracle concerning the fish with coin in its mouth, it's pretty clear Jesus had no problem (in an earthly sense) with paying taxes to the authorities.

Some will argue he would have been for the Temple tax and wasn't endorsing Roman taxation.

But that's not what he said.

Their problem stems from a misunderstanding of government's role vis-a'-vis the Kingdom of God and in a rather misguided expectation as to what government should or shouldn't do for us.

The government is just a Common Grace institution. It's not Holy. It's providing order and little more. It's not governing and enforcing law to glorify God but despite that reality, it serves His purposes. Governments seek their own glory and often are engaged in wickedness. But for all that, it serves a purpose. It's simply an imperfect restraint on sin. It doesn't eliminate it, it engages in plenty of it, but most of the time it keeps things from completely devolving into chaos.

How does it operate? It taxes its citizens. Since its motives are hardly moral, then we shouldn't expect its revenue collection to be particularly virtuous either.

This is especially hard for some who have embraced rather romantic notions about history and patriotic narratives.

Since we're not after power or respectability, we as Christians certainly shouldn't really care a great deal about money. For these ideas (money and power) go together and work symbiotically.

Paul contrasts the Church with those who are without. Those who are without own the courts. The government is part of what Paul is describing as the realm outside of his immediate concern.

Some governments are better than others and generally they're not going to go after people who aren't making trouble. We should to the best of our ability obey the laws and pay the taxes.

Those who dispute this are committed to 'other' ideas and worldviews and can't seem to accept the simple teaching of Scripture.

But what about when those tax dollars fund immorality?

What about it?

Again, since they're thinking wrongly about government, they are asking the wrong questions.

Sure, government money funds wicked things. These same people have little problem with the money being used to build nuclear bombs and wage war. I certainly do. They have little problem with it being used to manipulate other countries and protect corporations. I do.

I also don't like it to fund abortion, wicked scientific research and a lot of things. But that doesn't really matter.

The thing is the New Testament context tells us all we need to know.

Rome used the revenue to wage wars of conquest, build temples to pagan gods, and fund a great deal of wickedness both within and without the empire.

The tax moneys were certainly used for immoral causes.

Of course they were! That's not the point. We should expect that from governments. That's what they do. After all Nero was the emperor when Paul wrote Romans! I know some think Obama is worse, but they're only flaunting their ignorance.

We're not trying to reform the government or make them act Christian (i.e. Redeemed)... they aren't capable of that. If governments acted as Christian institutions they would quickly collapse or be conquered.

Am I saying Christian's can't really function within government? A Christian couldn't be president?

That's what I'm saying.

I don't expect them to help in the building of God's Kingdom. I expect them to keep the streets from degenerating into violence and chaos and not much else.

How they do this, what economic model they use, how they distribute the money, what programmes they come up with... in a sense, it doesn't really matter that much.

I would rather see them aid the poor and do things to help people rather than prosecute war and line the pockets of the wealthy class.

But again, that's what governments do. A quick read of history will tell you that.

So why focus so much on these issues?

I wouldn't, except that in the 4^th century a vast segment of the Church rejected the Kingdom of Christ and embraced the world. It turned from the cross and embraced prestige, power, legitimacy and respectability.

The next several centuries were effectively a social project which systematically re-cast the whole of Christian doctrine and in seeking to build Heaven on Earth in the form of Christendom established a parallel and ultimately false expression of Christianity.

These issues have not gone away. If anything they've only been further complicated by the rending asunder of that false polity (and the apostate 'Church' that governed it) into a more complex and confusing structure that is our modern Western Civilization.

But despite all the arguments, all the theories and all the orthodoxies, the simple answer for us can be found in the Scripture.

We're not trying to Christianize the government, that's not what it's for. It serves a purpose which despite all its wickedness, inefficiency and waste... we can (on one level) be thankful for.

If you want to see the alternative, go and visit the Central African Republic, Eastern Congo or the Southern Philippines.

This does not morally vindicate our government. Far from it. But we must remember ultimately what it's for.

We must speak out against those who are teaching falsely about government and proclaiming their views represent Biblical doctrine.

This is true both in terms of the Constantinian or Sacralist vision and in terms of those who argue we shouldn't pay taxes at all.

The former is one of the chief heresies in the history of the Church. The latter is a related but more radical (or perhaps reactionary) response to the disintegration of Christendom.

I'm sorry they've lost their False Zion, but their views are wrong and when they encourage Christians to refuse to pay taxes and stir up civil strife... they are in sin and ultimately dishonour God and harm His people... and certainly the cause of the Kingdom.

But more than that, I pity them because they have put their hopes in this age rather than the age to come.