Be irreprehensible. Christian overseers must be “irreprehensible” in order to qualify for their office. Similarly, the whole congregation should be irreprehensible in God’s sight. (1 Timothy 3:2; compare Ephesians 5:27.) They therefore strive to maintain a good reputation in the community, even when it comes to paying taxes. Jesus Christ himself set the example in this regard. His disciple Peter was asked if Jesus paid the temple tax, a small matter of two drachmas. Really, Jesus was exempt from this tax, since the temple was his Father’s house and no king imposes a tax on his own son. Jesus said as much; yet he paid that tax. In fact, he even used a miracle to produce the needed money! Why pay a tax from which he was properly exempt? As Jesus himself said, it was “that we do not cause them to stumble.”​—Matthew 17:24-27.b

Maintain a God-Honoring Reputation

Jehovah’s Witnesses today are likewise concerned that they do not stumble others. Not surprisingly, then, as a whole, they enjoy a good reputation worldwide as being honest, taxpaying citizens. For instance, the Spanish newspaper El Diario Vasco commented on widespread tax evasion in Spain, but noted: “The only exception [is] Jehovah’s Witnesses. When they buy or sell, the [property] value they declare is the absolute truth.” Similarly, the U.S. newspaper San Francisco Examiner remarked some years ago: “You might regard [Jehovah’s Witnesses] as model citizens. They pay taxes diligently, tend the sick, battle illiteracy.”

No true Christian would want to do anything that might taint this hard-won reputation. If faced with a choice, would you risk being known as a tax cheat for the sake of saving some money? No. Surely you would rather lose money than sully your good name and cast your values and even your worship of Jehovah in a bad light.

In truth, maintaining a reputation as a just, honest person may well cost you money at times. As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato noted some 24 centuries ago: “When there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the same amount of income.” He might have added that the just man never regrets paying the price for being just. Even having such a reputation is worth the cost. This is certainly true of Christians. Their good reputation is precious to them because it honors their heavenly Father and can help to draw others to their way of life and to their God, Jehovah.​—Proverbs 11:30; 1 Peter 3:1.

Most of all, though, true Christians value their own relationship with Jehovah. God sees everything that they do, and they desire to please him. (Hebrews 4:13) Therefore, they reject the temptation to try to cheat the government. They recognize that God takes delight in honest, upright conduct. (Psalm 15:1-3) And since they want to make Jehovah’s heart rejoice, they pay all the taxes they owe.​—Proverbs 27:11; Romans 13:7.