Life as a Christian involves being thoughtful and purposeful about your possessions, reputation, actions, and money. The Bible states that no corrupt being shall enter the gates of heaven while worthy ones will be allowed passage. Using false information to file your taxes is the equivalent of cheating, lying, and stealing from God Himself, as He ultimately has authority over finances and shall not be mocked. Even though this world is full of corruption, Christians must submit to God’s will by being honest and forthcoming about their money, finances, and taxes.
The Bible holds many words of wisdom and advice on finances and taxes for anyone looking to follow Christ. The New Living Translation study Bible speaks about being truthful and fearless in Romans 13:1-7, of respecting authorities in 1 Peter 2:13-16, and of paying taxes rightfully to your government in Luke 20:19-26. It contains many more verses that involve different areas in life where taxes and finances are applicable.
Table of Contents
Here’s some advice from the Bible regarding taxes and finances.
Managing Finances
When it comes to managing your finances, the Bible has plenty of content you can look into. For example, in Luke 3:11-16, we are taught about the importance of knowing how much we have to pay in taxes when the time comes. Many times, we tend to fall behind on paying our taxes because we’re not sure of how much we owe the IRS or when our taxes are due because of the rest of the things happening in our lives. We may forget to even pay taxes on time, which may bring us many difficulties later in life. This verse also speaks about being true to ourselves regarding our finances and to never get money through violence or false accusations.
Tax Collectors
The Bible also talks about the people who collect and manage our taxes in these same verses (Luke 3:11-16). It warns against false and corrupt tax collectors whose wickedness will not allow them to be saved unless they become baptized with the Holy Spirit and live a moral life. If you’re a professional tax collector or certified public accountant (CPA), then you know the importance of keeping an ethical and sharp image for your business. Having the right documentation in the right tax folders will help keep your business afloat when others fail due to corruption. You can emboss your tax return folders or add your logo and information to empower your clients with confidence in your expertise and professionalism.
Paying Taxes
Additionally, the Bible speaks directly about how we should pay our taxes. For instance, Mark 12:14-17 talks about paying our due diligence despite others’ corruption. Likewise, Proverbs 3:27 speaks about not paying the right amount in taxes. In other words, we should pay our taxes as the IRS demands to properly comply with the law. Withholding information from the authorities is frowned upon by God and should be avoided at all costs by being open about our finances. If we have nothing to hide, then we have nothing to fear.
Working for Money
Lastly, we are taught to work diligently and steadily for our money rather than hurriedly, as stated in Proverbs 13:11. This is why it’s important to continuously build our fortunes and live a content life with what we have (Hebrews 13:5). Many people will become saddened with their societal status working a job they hate while others are content with a minimalist lifestyle—the Bible suggests the latter mentality to live a happy life.
Keep these words of wisdom close at heart to manage your money in a prosperous yet diligent manner.