There’s an old saying that’s attributed to Benjamin Franklin at ang sabi niya, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Ang tanong: How do you feel about taxes? Do you think paying taxes honors God? Alamin natin ang pananaw at naging practice ni Jesus tungkol dito sa last part ng ating series na “Honor God with Your Money.”

“Kaninong larawan at pangalan ang nakaukit diyan?” tanong ni Jesus. “Sa Emperador po,” tugon nila. Kaya’t sinabi niya sa kanila, “Kung gayon, ibigay ninyo sa Emperador ang para sa kanya, at sa Diyos ang para sa Diyos.”

Mateo 22:20–21

“Bakit pa ako magbabayad ng tax? Hindi ko na lang ire-report ang mga kinikita ko.”

Ito ang sinabi ni Arthur, isang freelance artist na maraming kliyente mula sa abroad. Dahil hindi naman siya kunektado sa anumang kumpanya sa Pilipinas, nasa kanya na kung idi-declare niya ang kinikita niya kada taon.

Iba naman ang pananaw ni Jessie. Like Arthur, he is not employed full time, yet he files his own taxes every year. He takes note of every centavo that he earns para alam niya kung magkano ang babayarang buwis.

People might have different views on how to do things but in this case, only one view is correct: Tama si Jessie. Dapat na sundin ang gobyerno. At dapat na magbayad ng tax.

God wants us to recognize the authorities because He established them (Romans 13:1). Even Jesus, when asked about paying taxes, said that dapat na ibigay sa Emperador, representing the government, ang para sa kanya. There is even an account in the Bible about Jesus Himself paying taxes. In Matthew 17:27b,c (NIV) Jesus said to Peter, “Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” Hindi man conventional ang pinanggalingan ng ipinambayad Niya, pero ang importante, nagbayad Siya.

If the Son of God who created and owns everything paid taxes when He was here on Earth, why shouldn’t we? It’s time to obey God and the government by paying our taxes. Masakit man itong gawin sa bulsa, nakakalinis naman ito ng kunsensiya.

Thank you for joining us in our series “Honor God with Your Money.” May you spend this day, and the rest of the week, honoring God in all your ways.