Among the many things Scripture teaches about money, these two are abundantly clear: We are to honor God by giving the first of our income back to Him, and we are to pay our taxes.
Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce. (Proverbs 3:9)
It is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. (Romans 13:5-6)
Scripture also says, in Proverbs 27:23, “Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds.” That, too, applies to finances. In a time when wealth commonly was measured in livestock, the proverb was an injunction to “keep track” and “be aware” of one’s financial position.
In our day, the best means of doing this is with some kind of money-management system or budget. But a secondary means — one that can help you get a “big picture” overview of your finances — involves reviewing your income-tax returns. By spending a few extra minutes with your completed 2017 returns and other documents, you can calculate (1) the percentage of your income you rendered to God, and (2) the percentage you rendered to government (Matthew 22:21).
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