Musings – Are Payroll Deductions Biblical?

Hebraic Musings – Are Payroll Deductions Biblical?

In Biblical agricultural times, the fruit of their labor was the proceeds from the crops they produced.  And today we are encouraged by the Lord to share the fruit of our labor, or our “funds”, as “freewill offerings” to various causes – Welfare, Defense, Infrastructure, Care for the elderly, etc. 

However, today our labor is rewarded with paychecks with MANDATORY DEDUCTIONS taken out.  The government gets the “deductions” from our money by law, not by choice.  Is this Biblical? 

God tells us to “Give”; but our government “Takes”.  To what extent has the government usurped a relationship that God wants with His people.  Biblically, His people were required to invest the fruit of their labor by free will choices; then God saw their hearts and rewarded them according to their faith.  Today, the reward for freely giving is usurped by the government; and resentment replaces the spirit of freewill gifting.  Can we ever start viewing taxes as “Free Will Offerings”?   Let’s look at some specific examples:

Charitable contributions: (A.K.A. “Freewill Offerings”):  As a Christian I’ve learned to love and to freely give to those in need.  “If a man's gift is… contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously;” Rom 12:8   When I pay the taxes for welfare taken out of my paycheck, I am not a cheerful giver!  Portions of my tax money support welfare organization, programs, food stamps, etc.; and to top it off, some of those causes I do not approve of.  Didn’t God try to tell us it is our responsibility to care for those needs ourselves, directly?  “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.  But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.”  1 Tim 5:3-4     Family responsibilities came first.  Gleaning was a classic form of sharing willingly from our abundance.  "'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  Leave them for the poor and the alien.”  Lev. 23:22    How can this apply in our daily walk?

Retirement benefits:  Care and respect for the elderly was foundational. "'Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.“  Lev. 19:32    Biblical custom entitled the “Firstborn” to receive a double portion of the inheritance for a reason; the Firstborn was the one expected to care for the aging parents.  So the family, firstborn specifically, was responsible for the care of the elderly parents.  “He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has.” Deut. 21:17   And I suspect Biblical retirement had more to do with daily food and lodging rather than retirement to a cloistered “Old age community” away from the family.

Education:   God told the fathers “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deut. 6:6-7   So, Education was clearly the responsibility of the Father, shared with Mother.     Yes, I favor homeschooling and/or school choice with tuition paid directly.

Infrastructure & Defense:  Nearby roads were provided by the land owners and bigger projects by a local co-op arrangement.  Defense was provided for by the 2^nd amendment in our Constitution.  I concede that some infrastructure and National Defense can be a justified reason for Federal taxation.

Summary – Are we counting on the governments to be our provider, instead of relying love for our neighbor and on Jehovah Jireh?

 Points to ponder

How has reliance on the government led to the “entitlement” attitude?

Do you miss the joy of giving voluntarily with good cheer?
Or, can we learn to pay our taxes cheerfully? 

Are families today living up to their responsibilities to care for one another?

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” 

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                           August 29, 2017
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”  Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com