Pay tribute

Snared and Hooked

Some people believe that this one verse Romans 13:1 in the Bible sentences all men to the arbitrary authority of rulers and governments as if all "Governments" as institutions of power and force are of God and that they can do no wrong. Nothing could be farther from the truth nor more opposed to God's plan and His Kingdom of righteousness. God does not want man snared under benefactors who exercise authority, those kings that serve deceitful dainties, but would rather you put a knife to your own throat than eat of their table.

“Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.” Proverbs 6:2

Many have gone under exercising authority by taking an oath, applying for benefits and participating in some social welfare system involving our submission and waiving of a right to choose. Jesus clearly advises against these practices with his stand on oaths, Corban and the giving of alms.

The warning about not taking oaths is clear in Matthew 5:34 and again emphasized in James 5:12:

• “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and [your] nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.”

Beginning in Mark 7:11-13, Jesus condemns a social entitlement program called Corban when He accuses the Pharisees of "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."

The word paradosis, translated tradition, is a legal term and is also translated ordinance. The word means "giving up, giving over; the act of giving up; the surrender of cities: a giving over which is done by word of mouth or in writing." By applying to these schemes of social benefit one is often "expanding the written law" through this thing called paradosis.

The word 'fall' is from pipto meaning "to descend from a higher place to a lower" and is often used as a "metaphor to fall under judgment, came under condemnation" as a matter of rank. If we do not go under additional authorities by participation, application or overt binding commitments, such as oaths and pledges of allegiance and loyalty, we remain free to serve God in a clear unrestricted state of God-given rights and due conscience.

This is one of the reasons John the Baptist was so adamant about living by charity and love rather than getting the Baptism of Herod. And why everyone who got the Baptism of Christ was cast out of the temple welfare system Herod had created.

It is very clear that authority, whether governmental or otherwise, is granted by consent. It is our consent through covetousness and according to the Law of God that such authority is often ordained even though God and Christ told us repeatedly not to do so. We have been told to “Thou shalt not consent unto him.”

• “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

Peter certainly continued to contradict the idea of automatic submission to men (or at least absolute submission) in Acts 5:29 “Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, 'We ought to obey God rather than men.'"

The word swear is from omnuo and means "to affirm, promise". To add to a word to your 'yes' or 'no' is so dangerous in the area of agreements, authority or jurisdiction Jesus said no matter "… whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." These warnings are clearly a continuation of the Old Testament precepts, which stated this over and over. Abraham left Ur, Israel was brought out of Egypt and learned to live without a king or a ruling body consisting of men who were exercising authority over other men and demanding allegiance.

“When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.” Proverbs 23

In Psalms 69:22 David says, "Let their table become a snare before them: and [that which should have been] for [their] welfare, [let it become] a trap." We find this repeated in Romans 11 concerning the Gentiles, again by Paul, the author of Romans 13.

These constant prohibitions in the Old Testament, repeated in the New, to not make covenants or applications with strangers and heathens or anyone not having the same values and ways of God are still viable today to those who seek the kingdom.

The Fishy Tax Story

Jesus again amplifies this idea of tempering the words of your mouth to prevent going under tribute. It was the Slothful who go under Tribute. If anyone is under tribute it is usually because they or their parents have been slothful in The Way of God. In the episode where Peter suggested that Jesus and His disciples were subject to the tribute tax Jesus rebuked Peter..

“And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” Matthew 17:24, 27

Jesus clearly disagreed with Peter's rash statement but required him to obtain the coins because Peter said that they paid the tax and Jesus knew they should not give offense once they said something. The offense would be to do contrary to what Peter had said.

Peter had to make his yes, yes... Jesus himself would not touch the coins, nor did they take them from their purse or give coins for the other members who were with Jesus but not of the world. They did not speak out of turn so there is no reference to paying the tax for them.

Jesus preached that the God of heaven was a God of contract but advised against making such contracts when he said thou should make no covenants with them nor with their gods which was the word for "ruling judges".

He knew that making these contracts would enslave the people. This is also why he warned them so dramatically against taking oaths and swearing.

Once you are bound by contract of course you should pay Caesar and even be friends of the unrighteous mammon. But it is also made abundantly clear that you are snared and curse your children in the same snare through your covetous practices and become a surety for debt until you are little more than Merchandise in Bondage to rulers.

Many great historians and philosophers like Plutarch and Polybius have told the same story.

The only hope for the liberty of man kind is to start to attend to the Weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith which include caring for the needs of our neighbors and the widows and orphans of our society through Pure Religion in matters of health, education, and welfare. We are NOT to provide for the needy of society through the Covetous Practices and the men who call themselves benefactors but who exercise authority one over the other like the socialists do.

The Way of Christ was like neither the way of the world of Rome nor the governments of the gentiles who depend on those fathers of the earth through force, fear and fealty who deliver the people back in bondage again like they were in Egypt. Christ's ministers and true Christians do not depend upon systems of social welfare that force the contributions of the people like the corban of the Pharisees which made the word of God to none effect. Many people have been deceived to go the way of Balaam and the Nicolaitan and out of The Way of Christ and have become workers of iniquity.

The Christian conflict with Rome in the first century Church appointed by Christ was because they would not apply to the fathers of the earth for their free bread but instead relied upon a voluntary network providing a daily ministration to the needy of society through Faith, Hope, and Charity by way of freewill offerings of the people, for the people, and by the people through the perfect law of liberty in Free Assemblies according to the ancient pattern of Tuns or Tens as He commanded.

The modern Christians are in need of repentance.

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"Follow me!" —Jesus the Christ.

• One of the most important things to do is to become involved in a network of Charitable Practices. Everyone should want to join a Living Network of Love and Charity.

• If you think you have a calling to be a Minister of God or you might want to dedicate your life to Christ as an Ordained Minister of His Holy Church, contact us to start the process of discipleship and become the benefactors who exercise only love, NOT authority.

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The Liberty to Tax
A Patrimonial Right of the Father
http://www.hisholychurch.org/news/articles/libertytax.php

The Corban of the Pharisees
It made the word of God to none effect.
Is our Corban making the word of God to none effect today?
http://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/corban.php

Pure Religion
What is it and who does it?
http://www.hisholychurch.org/news/articles/religion.php

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