Tax cuts

This was a letter to the editor of 'Evangelicals Now' back in 1994,


Dear John,

So you feel sick of tax cuts and are keen to be a supporter of God's servant the civil government.

This might sound commendable to some, but do you not have a responsibility to consider in the light of Holy Scripture the purpose of civil government and therefore the limitations as to the areas for which it should demand taxes?

To my limited knowledge there seems to be a dearth of contemporary literature on this subject apart from that of the reconstructionists which seems simplistic.

Today the state has taken over and secularised provisions originally initiated on the basis of Christian charity. This is the case in health, education and social security. What was originally given graciously by Christians is now demanded as a human right which the state should provide. But should it?

Today the state is idolised in the place of God as the provider of the peoples' needs.
It refuses to make moral judgments to discern between worthy and unworthy recipients of benefits. It has consistently moved away from giving fiscal advantage to those who live according to God's standards, e.g. in matrimony.

Christians have historically taken action against unjust taxation. Ship money for Charles I and George III's demands upon his transatlantic subjects were resisted and the course of history changed.

We have a duty to pay taxes but also a responsibility to speak prophetically concerning the limitations of civil governmental responsibilities. If the government gets it hands out of our pockets we would be free to use more of our money to the glory of God . But perhaps too many Christians would rather continue to turn over responsibility, and money to the state.

Yours in the service of the King,

Graham J Weeks