Not only that, a person is sinning by breaking the law to do that.
And which "law" would that be?
Aside from the diversions in this thread toward assassinating the character of Hovind the truth bringer, rather than determining the validity of his information, there is a larger unaddressed issue at hand. In other words, it's pointless swatting flies in the kitchen when we've left the back screen open.
How was the world able to acquire jurisdiction over Hovind such that he was eventually and legally incarcerated by the world?
The question is, to what authority have you voluntarily submitted yourself (remembering, of course, that there is a form of obedience which leads to death)? Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:16
Again, to what "laws" did they choose to voluntarily subject themselves to? because it is those "laws" to which they will indeed render...
Compromising with temporal powers can never lead to redemption. Most "Christians" have accepted the unrighteous code of the State, instead of insisting that the State follow the Laws of Almighty God. There is a difference between the two. Between Law and force. The kingdoms of this world use force, for there is no love in what they do. Whereas the kingdom of God uses Law, for love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:8).
There is only one lawgiver (James 4:12). This one lawgiver is the Lord (Isaiah 33:22). Man does not have authority to make laws, but only the authority to make ordinances which enforce Laws already in existence, which are the Laws of God. To obey the so-called laws conjured up by the worldly governing authorities is to set aside the gospel of our Lord, and place oneself under a separate government, other than his.
Bondmen of Christ are not citizens of any country on this earth, our citizenship is in heaven, and so our first loyalty is to God, not "our" country (Ephesians 2:19, Philippians 3:20). Ours is a better, heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16).
Throughout the scripture,
governments have always been the leader in bringing people to sin (Daniel 3:4-6, 1 Kings 12:25:33; 14:21-24, 2 Kings 13:2; 17:21; 21:11,16, 2 Chronicles 21:6,11-13, Isaiah 9:16). God condemned Israel for wanting to be ruled like other nations, by a human king (1 Samuel 8:4-5,20). When they chose to be ruled by a human leader, our Father considered that to be a rejection of himself because he would not then reign over them (1 Samuel 8:7; 10:19). The people later realized their sin against God when they asked to be ruled by a human government (1 Samuel 12:19). Notice their kings never had any power to make new laws; nor did their best and wisest of kings make any, as in the cases of David and Solomon. And when a return to the ways of the Lord was made among them, as by Hezekiah and Josiah, it was not by making any new regulations, but by putting the original Law into execution; and by directing and requiring of the judges, and other officers, to act according to that Law.
To serve an earthly king, or his government, is to serve other gods (1 Samuel 8:8-9), which is violating the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3). It is wickedness and a sin to ask to be ruled by a human government instead of God (1 Samuel 12:17-19). Our Father condemned Israel for following the statutes of their disobedient government (2 Kings 17:7-8). He rejected those who followed the statutes of governments instead of his Commandments (2 Kings 17:19-20). He specifically said not to follow the ordinances of earthly governments, but to follow his laws, ordinances, and statutes instead (Leviticus 18:1-5). Throughout the history of Israel, the majority of the kings of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord (1 Kings 11:4-9, 2 Kings 8:18), which shows that most rulers and governments are corrupt because of their carnal nature (Romans 8:7). The Jews eventually chose king Caesar over King Jesus (John 19:15). Those who do the same are just like them.
The whole duty of man is to live by God's commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13), not man's commandments which turn from the Truth (Mark 7:7, Colossians 2:20-22, Titus 1:14). What duty is there to a servant of Christ except to fulfill God's Law (Romans 13:8)? When we pray, we pray to do our Fathers Will, not mans will (Matthew 6:10, Luke 11:2). God rewards those who place his Laws above man-made laws (Exodus 1:17,20). We are even instructed to avoid going to courts of law before the unjust and unbelievers (1 Corinthians 6:1-8). How incredible that the just would go before the unjust for justice! Therein no blessings are found:
Psalms 1:1, "Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly."
The kings and rulers of the earth are against the Lord, and against his anointed (Psalm 2:2). Governments frame mischief and sin through their laws:
Psalms 94:20, "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth
mischief by a law?"
Isaiah 10:1-2, "Woe unto them that prescribe
grievous laws and take away the right from the poor."
When a government is ungodly, and people trust in that government, then God will punish those who trust in that government and obey their laws (Jeremiah 15:4; 46:25, 2 Kings 21:11-12, Isaiah 9:16, Ezekiel 11:10-12, Micah 6:13,16). The people will be cursed for trusting in man (Jeremiah 17:5, Hosea 10:13). It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man and governments (Psalm 118:8-9). We are told not to put our trust in human governments (Psalm 146:3). We are commanded to "turn away" from those with certain characteristics (2 Timothy 3:2-5), and governing authorities possess most of these said characteristics! Governing authorities are "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2 Timothy 3:5). So we are to turn away from governing authorities with these characteristics. They proclaim their own power (force), which becomes a 'law' unto itself. The law is made for evil-doers, not for the righteous (1 Timothy 1:9-10). Therefore, we are to obey God's Law, and whatever laws that man creates are irrelevant to us.
Esther 3:8, "And Haman (the highest prince in the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians) said unto king Ahasuerus (the king of the Medes and the Persians who reigned from India to Ethiopia), There is a certain people (people who were obedient to God's Laws) scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and
their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws..."
As we can see, God's children were following God's Law, which were diverse from the government's law, and his children did not keep the government's law! When one reads the book of Esther, one will see how God protected his children when they followed his law and disregarded the government's law. One cannot obey both laws, because one cannot serve two masters.
So, what about this taxation trap that Hovind became caught up in?
Hovind was legally targeted by the god of this world because he (like the majority reading this) is caught up in trying to serve two masters, ignorantly or otherwise.
We have been taught that we must obey even ungodly governments, and to help them by paying taxes, but Scripture says, "...Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD" (2 Chronicles 19:2).
The Scripture says it is evil in the sight of the Lord for governments to tax the land (2 Kings 23:35-37). The earth does not belong to the government, this earth belongs to God (Exodus 19:5, Psalm 24:1, Isaiah 44:24, 2 Corinthians 5:18). Land tax is claiming ownership over God's earth. It is literally a dethronement of God and an enthronement of the State. The State is claiming to be god by claiming control and ownership of land. The State is literally trying to be god walking the earth. God has never given his earth to the government to tax, pollute, or destroy (1 Kings 21:1-16).
The State's claim of "eminent domain" is in direct conflict with the Word of God:
Ezekiel 46:18, "Moreover the prince [government] shall not take of the people's inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession."
Scripture also says it is not lawful for governments to impose a tax upon the servants of God (Ezra 7:24). Thus, it is not lawful to impose tax upon the servants of Christ. But those servants must be true servants. If one seeks to make merchandise of His creation, they will be taxed. The slothful are under taxes (Proverbs 12:24). We also see that the Levites were not taxed or conscripted for military purpose (Numbers 1:45-54; Numbers 18. Note especially verse 24). The tithe was to go to the Levites (Deuteronomy 14:27-29; Joshua 21). God is sovereign; he cannot be taxed.
Abram paid tithes of all to Melchizdek, King of Salem, and refused the spoils he was offered from the King of Sodom. It is clear that it was the result of a solemn oath that Abram had made to God. "Abram said to the King of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldst say, I have made Abram rich" (Genesis 14:22,23).
Abram would not accept the commercial benefits of the heathen, because he knew the resulting duties attached thereto. Instead, he chose to honor the Lord. The people of God are not to finance the government (through heathentaxation); nor is the government to finance the people of God (through benefits such as social security, etc.). A State-financed church is a State-controlled church. He who accepts a benefit from the State accepts the sovereignty and authority of the State, and thus is subject to and will serve the State.
We should never enter into any agreements with Caesar, because that would cause joinder and give them jurisdiction over us to take away our physical liberty. This is what happened to Hovind, and also what happened to Paul in Acts 25 through 26. Paul's life was in danger, and he appealed to Caesar's courts (Acts 25:11-12,21,25; 28:19), and we see the possible outcome otherwise:
Acts 26:32, "Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar."
In other words, the king himself, Agrippa, wished the apostle's immediate liberation; but this was now rendered impracticable, because he had appealed to Caesar (similarly, as Peter had presumptuously spoken to the tax collector on Jesus' behalf). The appeal was no doubt registered, and the business must now proceed to a full hearing. If Festus had decided before Paul had made his appeal, he would have been released; but as the appeal had now been made, to Caesar he must go.
BTW, a license is just another form of taxation. By requiring a license, the State is claiming complete control and ownership over a disciple's life (and "church"). The term "license" is from the word "licentious", which means "morally unrestrained, disregarding rules, lascivious". These same words describe human governments today. In demanding licensure from true bondmen of Christ, the State is asking that we render to it the submission and tribute that Scripture requires us to give to God alone.
To partake of this kind of government and pay the taxes due therefrom is to support a government bent on destroying God's dominion, and this serving of two masters results in the destruction of God's people.
