Yes—the Bible teaches that believers are to pay taxes because civil government is ordained by God and serves as His minister for good.
Romans 13 says there is no power but of God, and rulers are God's ministers. Paul directly connects this to tribute: 'For for this cause pay ye tribute also' and 'Render therefore to all their dues.' Les Feldick emphasizes that government's authority is a divine appointment, so submission to that authority is part of the believer's responsibility.
Romans 13:1 — Establishes that all civil government is ordained by God, the foundation for paying taxes.
Romans 13:6-7 — Explicitly instructs believers to pay tribute because rulers are God's ministers.
Paul writes in Romans 13:1, 'Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.' The same passage says that resisting the power is resisting the ordinance of God (Romans 13:2). Rulers are 'not a terror to good works, but to the evil,' and they 'bear not the sword in vain,' being 'the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil' (Romans 13:3-4). Paul then connects this directly to taxes: 'For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour' (Romans 13:6-7).
Les teaches that Romans 13 is Paul's clearest statement on the role of government. Every civil authority—from the policeman to the president—is there by God's sovereign divine appointment. Even leaders like Hitler, or an American president we may not be proud of, are in office because God has allowed it. Rulers are not to be a terror to those who do good, but to the evil; they are God's ministers to execute wrath on lawbreakers. Because government is ordained, resisting it is resisting the ordinance of God. Les does not directly quote the tax verses in these clips, but his teaching establishes the biblical foundation for paying tribute: the government to which tribute is due is God's appointed minister.
Yes. Romans 13:6-7 says, 'For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.' The same passage that teaches that rulers are God's ministers connects their ministry to the payment of tribute. Taxes are part of the believer's practical support of the government God has ordained.
Les points to Romans 13:1, where Paul says there is no power but of God. He then applies that to history: Hitler was in power by God's sovereign divine appointment, and any American president, even one we may not be proud of, is also there by that same appointment. Les says God has given individuals and nations free choice, and yet certain things had to happen and have happened because God has ordained them. This is why believers should not treat civil authority as if it had no divine connection.
Les teaches that rulers are not to be a terror to good works, but to the evil. A law-abiding citizen should have nothing to fear from a policeman; a lawbreaker should have his heart skip a beat because the government 'beareth not the sword in vain.' Government is the minister of God to the citizen for good, and its purpose is to execute wrath on those who do evil. Les also says Americans have the best government the world has ever known and should recognize it as a blessing rather than take advantage of it.
Government Is Divinely Appointed
Les teaches that God has appointed every civil ruler—including Hitler and presidents we may not admire—and Romans 13 calls every soul to be subject to that authority.
Resisting Government Is Resisting God
Les explains that resisting the government is resisting God's ordinance, and that rulers are meant to be a terror to evil, not to good works.
Government Is God's Minister
Les shows from Romans 13 that government bears the sword as God's minister, executing wrath on evildoers—which is why lawbreakers should be afraid.
Good Government Is a Blessing
Les says Romans 13 clearly lays out the role of government, and Americans should recognize that good government is a blessing not to be taken advantage of.
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Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Okay, what's Paul going to start driving at? Well he's going to start showing from the Scriptures, the Old Testament as well as the New, that a servant of God, whether it's a pastor, or a teacher, or an evangelist, is worthy of his labor. And he's using this language right here.
Why the Rapture Is a Secret Most Christians Miss - Romans 16:25 Explained
And I dare say that if we could ask some of our Jewish friends whether they teach tithing today, I�d be very surprised if they would say yes, because they too do not know who the Levites are, and so I just have to doubt that good Jewish people still tithe. Now Paul doesn�t use the word tithe, because that was part of the Law, but that doesn�t say God doesn�t expect you to give.
Why the Gospel Is Hidden From Some People — 2 Corinthians 4:1-4
Every human being that has ever lived has now been reconciled to God by virtue of the work of the cross. But, and I had to think half the night how I could clarify this. Congress, all those guys who hold the money bags, and they can just hand it out by the billions. Okay, so Congress appropriates so many billion dollars for a particular program. And there it is.
Ungodly Rulers Are Ordained by God
Les reinforces that no government exists unless God has ordained it, and even ungodly rulers and events fit into God's sovereign plan.
Romans 13:1: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
This is the foundation: all civil authority comes from God, so paying taxes is part of submitting to God's ordinance.
Romans 13:2: Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Resisting government is treated as resisting God's own arrangement.
Romans 13:3-4: For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
This explains the government's God-given purpose: protecting good and punishing evil, the very work that taxes support.
Romans 13:6-7: For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
This is the Bible's direct command to pay taxes: tribute is due to the rulers who serve as God's ministers.
Yes. Romans 13:6-7 says, 'For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.' Paying tribute is part of the submission to higher powers that God has ordained.
Les Feldick teaches that no ruler comes to power apart from God's sovereign appointment. He points to Hitler and to presidents Americans may not be proud of as examples. The government's authority is God's ordinance, so resisting it is resisting God (Romans 13:1-2).
According to Romans 13 and Les Feldick's teaching, government is God's minister for good. It is not supposed to terrorize those who do right, but to punish those who do evil. The ruler bears the sword as a revenger to execute wrath upon evildoers.
Watch the Teaching: What Does the Bible Really Say About Obeying Government?