Why We Must Pay Our Taxes

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J. D. Walt opens with a prayer of surrender and then turns to Romans 13:1–3, under the title "Why We Must Pay Our Taxes." He acknowledges that it feels like a hard turn from the Jesus Manifesto. He uses Nero, the emperor who persecuted and killed Christians, to show how hard the passage is. He stresses that Paul is not laying out a theology of church and state. Paul is telling Christians to be subject to governing authorities, which means paying taxes. It does not mean obeying the government in everything. Christians obey Jesus alone, and if they choose to disobey unjust laws, they must accept the penalties, as Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and the martyrs did. Governments also answer to God.

JD explains that Paul is addressing the problems of first-century churches. Interpreting Scripture means asking what it meant in its original context, not starting from today's politics. He says he is not afraid of politics and calls Jesus fiercely political but never partisan, and he looks for theology rather than ideology. He then hands off to his father, David Walt, for the closing hymn.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Introduction and Morning Prayer
01:09 Understanding Romans 13: Authority and Submission
07:25 The Role of Government and Christian Responsibility
10:19 Interpreting Scripture in Contemporary Context
12:24 Politics, Theology, and Partisan Ideologies
14:07 Singing Together: A Family Tradition
17:02 Reflections on Age and Legacy
19:02 The Meaning Behind the Song

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