#taxthechurches?

In Acts 10, we find that Peter is preaching about the identity and power of Christ, recognizing the work of Christ in His earthly ministry. He declared:
35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--
37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

That gives insight into the work we are called to do - to proclaim the truth of God and to perform good works. That is done as the Spirit of God works through us.  We have been given power to be representatives of our Lord, to show the world His love and demonstrate that we know Him. The Church has an enormous responsibility, but we are certainly up to the task, because we can be confident that Jesus is with us. 

+++++

The Church has a unique purpose in this world: to carry out the work of the Lord, which involves proclaiming salvation and demonstrating His love. In 1st Thessalonians 5, we can read these words:
8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

I started seeing a hashtag on Twitter around two weeks ago, and even earlier this week, it's still appearing.  It's a response to the work and witness of the Church, as well as some of the missteps that Christian people have made.  But, there is a familiar narrative that churches should not be involved in public policy, even to the extent that Christians should not be attempting to save the lives of unborn children.  

Couple these waves of opinion with the fact that churches do not pay taxes and should be categorized as a business and you have the hostility that is expressed through the hashtag, #taxthechurches.  Certainly, there are excesses, and there are some churches and their leaders which have shown a propensity for selfishly acquiring and misappropriating financial resources.  But, that's not Biblical Christianity, and those who diss the Church ignore the incredible force for good that believers in Christ represent today.

We do have to make sure that we are not our own worst enemy and engage in unforced errors regarding our witness to the world.  We please the Lord first and foremost, and in seeking to please Him, we show the world our devotion to His Word and walk in love toward others.

But, you may ask: why do churches not pay taxes? Almost two years ago, Focus on the Family Judicial Analyst Bruce Hausknecht wrote a piece at the Focus website, The Daily Citizen, about that topic. Bruce has been a guest on my program multiple times, and wrote this:

Federal tax exemptions for religious donations date back to the First World War. To fund the war, the federal income tax top rate was raised significantly, but to ease fears that charitable giving would dry up because of the higher taxes, Congress added the exemption. 

He adds: "Churches and religious organizations, like other charities, provide a social benefit to society. They minister to the needy and poor in their communities, and they provide an influence on society that helps to reduce crime and encourage good citizenship."

Bruce notes that, "Making churches and other religious organizations tax exempt is the cleanest way to avoid government entanglement with (and exercising undue influence over) religion," and adds, "Keeping churches tax exempt removes the temptation from government to interfere with the free exercise of religion, also guaranteed by the First Amendment."  Hausknecht also states:

By the time of the American Revolution, nine of the original thirteen colonies were giving some kind of tax relief to churches. The idea can be traced back to Roman times when Emperor Constantine granted the Christian church a complete exemption from all forms of taxation.

Tax-exempt status for churches and religious organizations serves a continuing social benefit to American society and is consistent with our country’s commitment to keep the government from unnecessary entanglements with religion. It is a policy that is in keeping with the best social and constitutional traditions of this nation. 

And, in the past, taxpayer funding was used for religious purposes. The First Amendment Encyclopedia from Middle Tennessee State University states:

The Congress that wrote the First Amendment also set aside in the Northwest Ordinance public land for churches. Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson funded Christian missions for Indian tribes. Government programs for newly emancipated African Americans funneled much of their money through religious schools and social agencies. Local and state governments supported hospitals, medical clinics, orphanages, and homes for the aged operated by religious groups. Both state and federal governments have long granted tax breaks to religious institutions.

Governmental agencies have long recognized the unique positioning of faith-based organizations.  This is certainly seen in the case of disaster relief and other areas.  So, it is counterproductive for progressive citizens to advocate for a reduction or elimination of the influence of faith in general and the Christian faith specifically. 

Even though our stories will be twisted, dismissed, or corrupted, we have to continue to tell what God has done in our lives and show the world that we love others. It can certainly be discouraging when we find ourselves disparaged, but we can continue to be faithful to do what God directs.  We also have to recognize that perhaps the margin for error is smaller than ever - but He doesn't call us to be perfect, because we never can achieve that lofty goal, but He does want us to be faithful. Through our faithfulness, we release the power of the Spirit to do His work through us. We can be diligent to keep focused on our mission.

Finally, even though you have those who want to tax churches, which will lessen their effectiveness, we recognize that we can continue to be involved in supporting the work of the local church and ministries that are devoted to serving Christ.  Instead of the resources of parishoners being confiscated through taxation, we can be involved in using the resources that God is provided to enable the work of Christ to grow.