Unrighteous Taxation

CHAPTER 75

Yeshua speaks to the Children of Light about taxation, explaining that the ways of the world are not the ways of God. He clarifies when taxes are righteous and when they are not and does the same thing for moneylending and credit.

Confrontation with the Pharisees and Herodians about Taxes

 1 Following the Sabbath that week, a contingent of Pharisees and Herodians came to Capernaum and sought out Yeshua that they might question him, concerning the law, but he was with his family and refused to take the time to see them.

 2 The Pharisees were somewhat incensed at what they perceived to be an affront by Yeshua, for they had journeyed from Jerusalem. They tried to come to him when he was sitting with his family and friends by the lake, but they were blocked in their approach by Cephas and Yohhanan and politely asked to return the following day.

 3 The next day when the Pharisees and the Herodians approached Yeshua’s house, they saw all the Apostles gathered there and a Roman tax collector just storming away in anger. He turned as he parted and yelled at Yeshua, “This was your last opportunity! Rome will not suffer your refusal with impunity; the price you will pay for your folly will be more dear than what you were asked to pay today!”

 4 Seeing this, the Pharisees counseled among themselves how they might ensnare Yeshua in his words, and they sent their disciples to question him along with the Herodians.

 5 They crafted a trap for him, asking, “Rabbi, we know that you are true and teach the way of Elohim in truth and that you bow before no man of authority, for you regard only the man, not his position.

 6 Tell us, therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?”

 7 But Yeshua perceived the wicked intentions of the Pharisees and the servile desires of the Herodians and said unto them, “Why do you attempt to thwart me, you hypocrites?”

 8 Beckoning unto them, he said, “Show me the tribute money.” And they brought unto him a small coin.

 9 And he said unto them, “Whose is this image and superscription?”

 10 They said unto him, “Caesar’s.” Then Yeshua said unto them, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.”

 11 When they heard these words, they were confounded. And they left him and went their way when they saw that he was not going to speak to them further.

Yeshua Speaks about Overcoming Sexual Lust and Unrighteous Desires for Money and Power

 12 Then Yeshua turned to his disciples and said, “The Pharisees squander their lives pondering upon emptiness, but I ask you to understand the fullness of my words. Therefore, what is Caesar’s? What is worthy of tribute?”

 13 And a lively contention of opinion arose among the Apostles, with the Zealots saying nothing was Caesar’s, because all the land had been seized by force of arms.

 14 Others argued that for all the evil the Romans brought upon the people, they also provided works of engineering, defense against invading armies, coin and peace for commerce, and enforcement of civil order, all for which taxes were necessary.

 15 To this, Shim’on the Zealot replied, “When the land is ruled by a king of our people, ruling in righteousness before God, such tribute is worthy of the sacrifice, but every coin that goes today to Caesar is merely used to forge another link in our chain of slavery to a foreign master.”

 16 Then Yeshua raised his hand slightly, and all became quiet, waiting to hear his words. And he said unto them, “Children of Light, you each have caught a sunbeam of truth, but your lights have been shaded by the ways of the world.

 17 The ways of God are not the ways of men and never will they be. But the Children of Light must stand firm upon the truth and should live by the teachings of Elohim, even when an ungodly world teaches otherwise.

 18 Thus, it is given to you to comprehend the justness and fullness of God that your lives may be fulfilled; that you will shine in the darkness and all the world may see the Celestine Light of truth.

 19 If it then be that those of the world who see your light choose to live in darkness, they cannot say on the Day of the Judgment of Resonance that they never saw the path of truth and light.

 20 Verily, I say unto you that unrighteous lusts of the flesh and the wicked desire and use of money and power are the three greatest tools of darkness against the children of men.

 21 With your sins, be not fooled, nor try to lay blame upon something or someone apart from yourself.

 22 There is a shadow of darkness in all men, and even the righteous can be lured away from the light by the persuasive calls of lust, money, and power.

 23 Therefore, be vigilant and alert to your own weaknesses, for from the poison of these three great temptations do lives and kingdoms fall.

 24 Concerning lust, each man is the master of himself. Despite all that may be around him, enticing him to sin, in the moment of decision, it is the man who chooses between sin or virtue, the man who chooses to follow the darkness inside him or the light, and the man who will reap that which he has sowed, be it good or bad.

 25 With money, the darkness that dwells in all men ever entices them to be selfish and  gluttonous to gather more than they need for simple comfort, to build spacious homes and palaces far in excess of their necessity, to eat and drink more than they should with great dishonoring to the temple of their body.

 26 Power over others is the most insidious of the three evils in man. If you are in a position of authority, whether it is over your children, your workers, or the citizens of a land you rule, you are meant to be a steward to watch over and protect them, to help them have peace and joy and growth in their lives.

 27 To betray this trust with unrighteous dominion is to give in to a great darkness because you are hurting others even more than yourself.

 28 But the unrighteous ever seek to be the masters of other men, and whosoever uses coin or debt or taxes or a position of authority to enslave or grievously burden others becomes consumed by darkness.

 29 Though coins of gold and silver are a great corrupter of men, they taint kings and the governments of men with a foul stench even more.

 30 Succumbed to the darkness within them, rulers unworthy of fidelity are intoxicated by the pleasure of spending the hard-toiled coins of others.

 31 It will ever be the dismal lot of the virtuous to be downtrodden by unrighteous kings and rulers unless they stand side by side, unmoving in their light, despite the consequences.

 32 And it is only this, an army without swords, of righteous men standing united in the light, willing to follow diverse nonviolent paths in protest that cause the Caesars to fear.

A Child of Light is Always a Child of Light Even When Living in the World

 33 “Verily, the Romans are content when the followers of various religions keep separate the practices of their faith and the actions of their life in the world.

 34 As long as you act the same as those who have no light while you are interacting in the world, they care not what the Children of Light practice in the privacy of their religion. In this, they see no threat.

 35 But for those of true faith, there can be no separation between their way of life in private and that in public.

 36 Verily, you cannot be both a man or woman of God and a man or woman of the world, for the ways of the world are darkness and the ways of faith are light.

 37 You may live in the world, but you do not have to live like it, nor should you if you are a Child of Light.

 38 Even as you are in the world but not of it, so be one in the Celestine Light of Elohim despite all the world may do.

 39 Desire and commit unfailing fidelity and support to one another, for a house divided cannot stand.

 40 Though you are not many, you are one in the Celestine Light of Elohim. And that is a very great and powerful unity.

 41 When one is hurt, all are hurt. When one has joy, all have joy, for you are the Family of Love and Light.

 42 Know your convictions well. Ask the Holy Spirit of Elohim to sear your heart with the light of truth that can never be denied or abandoned.

 43 For each day is a new dawn and brings new challenges and temptations.

 44 Each day, you must choose again whether to walk in the light or be lured into the shadows.

 45 As you must choose, please choose the Celestine Light, for in it, there are wonderful joys, both in this life and the next, while darkness brings only never-ending despair.

Life Was Meant to Be a Joy, not a Hardship

 46 “Verily, I say unto you: Elohim is the God of the living, not of the dead; therefore, know with a certainty that if man does not live by the principles Elohim has given to live in the life, then he will never find enduring happiness while he lives and will be dead to God in the world to come.

 47 But Elohim is not a hard taskmaster and gives no commandments to the children of men, save that their lives in the flesh may have greater fulfillment and that they may be better prepared to inherit glory in the world to come as worthy spirit children of God.

 48 I say unto you plainly that life is not meant to be a great hardship, but the rulers and taskmasters of men often make it so, with unnecessary wars, unjust laws and unrighteous taxation.

 49 Your life is meant to be a joy, a piece of Heaven on Earth, no matter the size of your abode or the weight of the coins in your purse.

 50 The principles and teachings of Celestine Light were not given simply to help a person be worthy for the world to come, but also as a code to live by, to enrich your life that you may have joy and fulfillment in every moment that you live in the flesh.

 51 Were it not for the sins of men and the evils of those who would rule over them, man would have great joy and satisfaction every day.

 52 Elohim has put everything upon the Earth that man needs to find contentment and fulfillment, and it is only because of a man’s own sins and the wickedness of those who rule that the children of men often live in misery and tribulation instead of joy.

Children of Light Must Stand for That Which is Right

 53 “Therefore, I say unto you: let the Children of Light be beacons of hope in the world of despair. Do not bow to the Romans or to the ways of the world of darkness.

 54 Live your lives true to the teachings of Celestine Light; live united in your truth, despite the adversity and scorn the world may bring upon you.

 55 Living in the Celestine Light of Elohim, you have a gentle peace and fulfillment in your heart that those of the world can never know.

 56 In your stance for that which is just and right, you give courage to the fearful and hope to the hopeless.

 57 Standing for light, uncowed before the darkness, you open the hearts of those that seek the light, and by the Celestine Light of your life, they will find it.

 58 In you, others will see the unwavering Celestine Light of Elohim; the light that allows you to be in the world but not of it; the light that is more powerful than all the compulsions of men and kings.

 59 And upon the day that you return from whence you came, our Father and Mother in Heaven will say, ‘Well done, good and faithful sons and daughters, enter now into your glory and inherit your kingdom.’

 60 But you should not have to wait for the world to come to have peace and joy and expansion in your life.

 61 Therefore, I say unto the Caesars of the world, both the petty and the mighty, those that exercise unrighteous dominion over they for whom they should be faithful stewards: beware.

 62 Separate not the sons and daughters of God from their lives of light; else, Elohim will separate your soul from the wonders of Heaven.

 63 And even as the chaff is winnowed from the wheat, so your eternity will blow away in a hot and scorching wind.

 64 Children of Light, remember who you are. Though you may be treated unjustly by others, remember to always treat those you deal with by choice, with fairness and honesty.

The Just Use of Moneylending

 65 “Consider the moneylender. You have heard it said by some that it is just for a lender to charge interest every moon for his service as incentive and reward for his risk.

 66 Verily, I say unto you that a fair exchange is due to the lender. But he should not charge interest every moon in the fortunes of his fellow men; else, he is stealing from his brothers and intruding upon the sanctity of their lives.

 67 In fairness and light, a fee may be charged when money is first lent, varying based upon the amount that was given. But let it not be in excess of 3 percent of all that was lent.

 68 If you seek a moneylender, you are obligated to him for up to 3 percent in total as a fee, for that is a fair and just exchange; but beyond that, you are being robbed and have no obligation to aid a thief in his theft.

 69 Therefore, do not barter with the darkness, lest you be overcome by it and consumed.”

 70 Then Mattayah, who had been a Publican, asked, “Lord of Light, if it is right for a merchant to buy an item for one shekel and sell it for two to the man who willingly buys it, why would it not be acceptable for the lender to loan a shekel for the price of another, or even for only a tenth, to a man who willingly accepts the bargain?”

 71 Yeshua answered him, saying, “Gold and silver were given by Elohim for the benefit of all men. In their rarity, they are precious.

 72 In the goods of the market, a man has a choice to buy or not to buy. If he does not wish to pay the price of the merchant’s dates, he can grow his own or seek out a better bargain with a different merchant.

 73 But gold and silver he cannot grow, neither can he make it from the dirt of the ground. Therefore, the moneylender has an advantage over the man that no common merchant can ever have.

 74 Where much has been given by Elohim, much is expected in stewardship. The righteous moneylender must therefore be a better steward than the merchant and a more faithful friend to his brothers.

 75 Nor should the moneylender be excluded from making greater profit, provided it is done in partnership with the man who seeks assistance.

 76 If the moneylender gives only money, he cares not whether the borrower succeeds or fails, for he has been paid in either instance.

 77 But if he desires greater profit, let him take greater risk and become a partner with the borrower in the venture to whatever degree they agree upon.

 78 Thus then they succeed or fail together. And the moneylender will only invest in that which he strongly feels will succeed, thereby acting as the wise brother to stay the hand of the man who might otherwise risk money foolishly.

Yeshua Speaks about Righteous and Unrighteous Taxation

 79 “Regarding taxes, as a man of God, you cannot say that you will not pay tribute to Caesar because the Romans are not the rulers of your choice.

 80 If that were so, no king, even one from your own tribe, could ever have sufficient fidelity to support the needs of the kingdom, for there will always be many standing in opposition with grievances real and perceived.

 81 But does that mean that you must simply give whatever tribute it is that the Romans demand? Nay, it absolutely does not.

 82 To pay an unjust tax is to demean yourself before the unworthy and to become a slave to that which is unrighteous.

 83 If Caesar builds a road and charges a toll to use the road, it is righteous and right for you to pay the tax when you use the road, for it is of benefit to you, and you can choose to not pay it by traveling a different way.

 84 If Caesar decrees a tax upon all cloth sold or jugs of wine or jars of dates to help support the government, you can deny this tribute by making your own wine, weaving your own fabrics, and growing your own dates.

 85 Therefore, these are not unjust taxes, for when you pay it, you have given your coin with a good heart of your own free will for something you choose to use rather than invest the effort to create your own or use an alternative.

 86 But I say unto you that any tax upon the coin or land or property held by a man is among the most evil of darkness.

 87 Children of Light that pay such a tax, even under coercion, bare their heart to a poisoned dagger that will prod them ever further into the dark ways of the world and away from the Celestine Light of Elohim.

 88 When you give into darkness, you abandon the defense of light, and once abandoned, it becomes easier to do so again and again, until those who once were light become the darkness they once fought.

 89 But you are not accountable when that which you gave in light is used for darkness, unless you knew it would be used for evil.

 90 When the Publican says one man must pay more than another because of his greater wealth or property, the door is open to all manner of evil and corruption. No longer is a man his own master, but the slave to they who intrude upon his privacy and dictate what must be given from his purse and lands and property.

 91 Deceit and lies and much worse spring from this well of evil.

 92 Verily, Elohim does not grant any Caesar, great or small, be they governor or priest, the right to take from a man’s purse or lands or crops or flocks or property by compulsion.

 93 These are unholy acts against the sanctity of man and the very purpose of the Celestine Light of Elohim to help the Children of Light grow, expand, and have joy, because they take away the privacy and peace of the home and heart, which should be parts of Heaven on Earth inviolate, and steal the fruits of the labor of man.

 94 Taxes by compulsion upon a man’s wealth of coins, lands, or property rob him of the hours, days, and years of his life he has exchanged to acquire them and give those fruits to others, most often they who robbed the fruit and their supplicants, those miscreants who earned wealth not by the sweat of their brow and the keenness of their knowledge, but only by the unrighteous use of their positions of power to steal from those who did.

 95 If Caesar decrees that all men must pay ten percent of their coins or property or land or flocks as tribute, that is no different than telling a man he must spend one day out of every ten in prison. Because to earn his coin, property, land, and flocks, he traded hours of his life. He lost hours of his life, which can never be given back to him. Therefore, to take those things is to take away those hours of his life when he is given nothing in return.

 96 Taxes by compulsion upon a man’s wealth of coins, lands, or property makes him fearful and resentful of the rulers that should be frugal and wise stewards over the peace and welfare of his country, not intruders into the privacy and sanctity of his home and affairs.

 97 Intrusion into the sanctity of the family and privacy of a man and the forced removal of his wealth by those who rule invite even honest and righteous men to do evil to avoid evil.

 98 Be not deceived. The Children of Light who meekly give tribute to Caesar when their privacy is invaded and their wealth demanded are supporting darkness instead of light and are not worthy of me.

 99 Only to Elohim should a man tithe 10 percent of his annual increase, and this by choice and love for God, not by compulsion or fear of punishment.

 100 Increase is not a measure of a man’s wealth, but the amount that year that he gained above his basic needs to care for his family.

 101 Therefore, I say unto you: be not in doubt. If a Publican violates your privacy and tells you that you must pay to Caesar the amount he demands, he is a minion of darkness.

 102 Hold your light high and give nothing to darkness of your own free will.

 103 Be you rich or poor, do not give to Caesar that which you labored for, trading precious hours of your life because of love for your family and dignity for yourself, simply because Caesar so decrees.

 104 But neither deny paying any taxes at all, for regardless of which Caesar rules, you live in a community that is part of a still-larger community bound with common bonds.

 105 As part of a larger whole, benefiting from common association, you owe it to your neighbors to contribute to society in ways that benefit everyone.

 106 But let those ways be by your choice, not by theft of the privacy of your home and the sanctity of your property or by any form of coercion or compulsion by Caesar or his Publicans.

 107 If you let Caesar steal your wealth by compulsion, be it small or great, Caesar will think that he is the master and you are but a servant. A righteous king is a steward who governs with the consent of the governed to not rise up in rebellion, by providing a just government; else, even the dictator is overthrown.

 108 But if Caesar considers you to be a slave, you are without merit. Your treasure will be taken by force in any amount Caesar desires and will surely be perverted for purposes you know not and would not support.

 109 And once perverted, it will surely continue to be used not for the good of the governed, but to enrich the unrighteous and the thieves and for purposes in complete opposition to the teachings of the Celestine Light of Elohim.

 110 Therefore, do not let the coin earned by your worthy desires for good be given under coercion or compulsion to enrich the Caesars, big or small. Do not allow the coins you sacrificed hours of your life to obtain to be taken from benefit to your wife and your children, to instead build palaces for Caesars and soften the lives of their slothful supplicants. Do not acquiesce to government theft that leaves you with less that they may have more.

 111 That which is taken by Caesar in unrighteousness will surely be used for unrighteous purposes.

 112 The fruits of your labor, they will give to the wicked and lazy who whisper vanities unto them. They will stab you with your own dagger; they will use your money for great evils that you would countenance not at all.

 113 Verily, if you pay the Publican under coercion or compulsion from the fruits of your labors, you are helping to build the kingdom of darkness, not the kingdom of Celestine Light.

Taxes That Are Just

 114 “Nevertheless, if there are to be communities of men, there must always be taxes to support those things which are for the common good of all.

 115 But let these be just taxes, not given to excess beyond the need, not given to enrich the few upon the backs of the many, or forcing a man to contribute to something which his faith denies and decries.

 116 For this cause, only taxes upon use or consumption of items not your own can be justified before God. In this way, each person is free to choose whether to pay the tax or not, by choosing to consume or not.

 117 If Caesar wants more tribute, he may tax greater the items of luxury that only those who have more wealth can afford. But even in this, only by their choice to buy that which is so taxed, not by compulsion.

 118 And it is righteous that Caesar should tax, even great taxes, upon vanities such as expensive wines and carpets and spices and resins and gems, for these are luxuries that no man needs, but only desires. They are beyond the means of the poor who are therefore not taxed, and if a rich man does not wish to pay the tax, he merely does not buy the goods.

 119 As only goods of luxury are taxed greatly, the greater share of money for the king comes from those with the greatest wealth, but this is by their choice, which is pleasing unto God, and not by compulsion, which is pleasing only unto despots and devils.”

Importance of Standing Up for Truth and Righteousness

 120 Then spoke Abraham of Arimathea, one who had followed to hear him speak, saying, “It is a good thing that you say, Rabbi, and would that it was so that all men and kings would act this way. But I fear that if I refused the tax collectors when they demanded the fruits of my toil, then they would instead take the blood of my body.”

 121 Yeshua answered him, “Fear not those that can harm your body, only those that can injure your spirit.

 122 It is better to stand for right than to cower in wrong, and evil is defeated not by acquiescence, but by action founded upon conviction and anchored in faith.

Willingness to Move to another Country for Freedom and Justice

 123 “Verily, Rome is not all the world. If your burden is too great in this country to bear and the price you would pay for defiance too severe, then denounce the land of your birth and ask Elohim to guide you to a land of greater succor that knows not the yoke of Caesars who tax the people with unrighteousness.

 124 For Elohim hears the prayers of the virtuous and will ever bless the worthy who seek the help of Heaven.

 125 Verily, if must needs be, it is better to take your family and live in a tent in the wilderness than to live in a city in a land where you must exist under the yoke of unrighteous taxation or compulsion.

 126 And atop the mountains of the wilderness and the heights of the islands of the sea, the Children of Light will always find refuge from the world, protection from Caesar, and abundance from God.

 127 Open your ears and hear my words. Let them settle in your heart, never to be forgotten. What I speak of is no small matter, but of great importance to your spiritual well-being in this life and the next.

Make Peace and Pay Righteous Taxes

128 “Be wise, not foolish, in your dealings with Caesar.

 129 Remember the olive branch of peace. Speak with the Publicans if they will listen with an open heart.

 130 Let it be known that you are not opposed to taxes, even great taxes upon the goods that you might buy, but only upon intrusion into the sanctity and privacy of your home and personal life and taxes upon your coins or land or property by coercion or compulsion.

Stand Strong and Together for Light and Right When Persecuted

 131 “But do not fight Caesar to the death in rebellion of compulsive taxes, for where would your family be then?

 132 But neither simply give in to the unrighteous demands of Caesar and the Publicans. Be willing to suffer pain and even imprisonment for the Celestine Light of Elohim in your life.

 133 Stand ever together with your brothers in the light, for you are the Family of Light.

 134 If one is persecuted, let all others help him freely as they can, both openly and in secret. If one is imprisoned, let the others care for his family.

 135 Refuse to turn back upon that which you know to be right.

Refuge in a Land Far Away

 136 “If after all you can do, Caesar continues to intrude into your privacy and steal from your coins, your flocks, your lands or property or punish you for not obeying his dictates, then you must leave the land of your birth and seek one where you can live in the Celestine Light of Elohim that you have been given.

 137 Be that land a foreign one with customs strange or a Community of Light atop a mountain tall or a distant isle in the sea, it is better to live righteously, in the Celestine Light, apart from all you have known than under the evil cloak of darkness worn by the unrighteous.

 138 Know this with all of your heart and mind: If you walk in the Celestine Light, Elohim will always walk with you.”