(1) What does the bible say about tax exemption such as 501(c)(3) for example?
(2) Is it proper to help build a place of worship by soliciting and accepting funds from non believers?
If so, it seems like it’s being said, “We (Christians) are on a different world order with a different King but we’ll use your (non Christian) money to further our cause”
Do the following two sections of verses speak to getting something for nothing or a tax break? To follow David’s example we should not do it?
(3) Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor
24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22 And 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, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. BC
Thanks for the questions BC.
- For a church to become a 501 (c) church as sanctioned by the government is wrong. (a) It places the church as a organization governed by the government. I’ve seen testimonials where IRS auditors have been perplexed why a church would want to apply to the government to be tax free, when by definition they already are. (b) Why would the church want to be an organization created by the government when the Lord Jesus Christ has already created and sanctioned the church. To me, this is just plumb foolish. More specifically, Christs example. Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (KJV) His church, by the way. Not the governments church.
- No, if you follow even just the new testament saints example, the funds for everything came from the redeemed and not from the world.
- And these two examples from David and Abraham prove the point that it should cost us to serve the Living God just for our testimonies sake.