Jerald Finney
December 17, 2019

The chickens are indeed coming home to roost in America not only for  the apostate Babylonian Protestant and Catholic churches, but also for those so-called Bible believing, Bible preaching churches who have willingly or ignorantly ignored  and/or perverted New Testament doctrine, and especially the doctrine of separation of church and state. Of course, Catholicism, in the name of Christianity, initiated of union of church and state in the early fourth century. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas were particularly important in developing and promoting the doctrine of union of church and state; and the Protestant churches followed suit and honored, among other false doctrines, the church/state doctrine of Augustine. Catholic and Protestant established churches accordingly imprisoned, tortured, and murdered fifty million or more so called “heretics” who refused to bow down to the Catholic and Protestant church state establishments. Thank the Lord that they lost their control over civil governments and cannot enforce that abominable doctrine in America and elsewhere, for the time being.

In America, union of church and state is voluntary. Churches choose to incorporate, to become charitable or business trusts, to obtain 501(c)(3) or 508 tax exemption, to become unincorporated associations, or to combine with civil government in some other way. This type of church/state union, unlike the establishments of old, gives civil government control of churches, but gives churches no control over civil government. This is not what Catholic/Protestant theology intended.

This article will first give, in red, a synopsis of a 2015 interview with a Catholic who summarized what is in store for “churches” who have submitted to civil government.

Then, I well quote individual portions of the synopsis in red followed by my comments, usually linking to essays, books, articles and so forth that comment on the portions of the interview being quoted. My position is that of a Bible (KJB) believing historic Baptist, not that of a heretical Baptist who has accepted and applied the doctrine of union of church and state by subjecting churches to the state through corporate, unincorporated association, charitable or business trust, 501(c)(3) or 508 tax exempt status, or through any other type of legal status.

Should you wish to discuss this matter further informtion contact this Churches Under Christ Ministry. This ministry helps churches who wish to honor the Lord and remain under Christ only outside the Babylonian system. We can answer any and all questions regarding the issues raised by the Youtube interview linked to below. Some of those questions are addressed in resources linked to in this article. God bless you as you seek to follow Him and love him be keeping His commandments. Get our contact information by clicking here. 

The Endnote  briefly addresses his statements concerning the promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Catholic Church.[i]

Synopsis of 2015 interview “Tax Exemption Will Destroy the Church”
The interview may be seen online at at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqC1JloCw78&feature=youtu.be

He stated that, for the Catholic Church, this moves into the trillions (of dollars).

He then addresses concerns for the attacks of lesbians and sodomites who are attempting to force “churches” to honor their perverted beliefs and practices. Lesbians sued a Methodist church for refusing to let them use a church pavilion because it was against their religious convictions. The state ruled in favor of the lesbians and they lost part of their real estate exemption even though the church said they would stop marrying people. The state said, no you have to marry people. In California, they have introduced legislation to block youth organizations that don’t allow people in who claim that they have a gay sexual orientation and they are going to revoke tax exemption for those organizations. This was originally aimed at the Boys Scouts. Now that the Boys Scouts has caved in, it would now apply to Christian ministries that don’t want to hire gays or have openly gay students in those organizations. The tax exempt status is already being threatened. This is not just speculative. The man being interviewed said he started talking about this 10 years ago and people said he was exaggerating it and blowing it out of proportion, making political arguments about something that will never happen. Well indeed, it is happening. The solicitor general said during oral arguments in the Obergfell case (decided just a little over a month after this interview), Justice Alito when asked whether or not Christian organizations, Catholic universities for example, that don’t recognize same sex marital benefits are going to have their tax exempt status put in question and the Solicitor General said that will be an issue. If these universities lose their tax exempt status, the students are not going to be able to afford the tuition to go there because the universities are not going to be able to keep the tuition rates and they will probably lose their federal funding as well and students may not be able to get student loans to go there, and they are even challenging the accreditation of certain universities like Gordon College in Massachusetts which is a Christian University which told students that they cannot engage in pre-marital sex. A “gay” student sued saying you cannot tell gay students they cannot have sex. The threatened pulling their accreditation which means they won ‘t be able to issue degrees that are recognized as such.

So this threat which particularly when it comes to the tax exempt status, and a lot of the smaller churches are on shoestring budgets, a lot of the evangelical protestant churches. The Catholic Church will survive, we know we have the promise the gates of hell will not prevail against it. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to continue to operate the way it always has.

I had lunch just the other day with the person who has charge of all the real estate for the archdiocese of Chicago which has thousands of very valuable properties The Catholic church has immense properties. [He] stated that the Catholic Church cannot continue to own and operate those properties if it has to pay property tax and that is just part of the taxes that come into play. If you pull non-profit status, that will be another huge problem that depend on those donations to survive. People who give depend on the tax deduction for donations.  It will be absolutely devastating if that occurs, and it will change the very nature of how these organizations operate if they can operate at all. And if they pull the services provided just by Catholic Charities which provides 25% of the hospital beds in the United States and which provide services to the poorest and  most needy who cannot otherwise get medical care; and the people fighting the Catholic Church really don’t care whether they are providing those services to the  most needy. For them it is all about ideology, not about the church going into the world exercising their faith, as the Catholic Church believes faith without works is dead. All they care about is pushing the agenda forward. There are going to be serious headlong battles on that. People need to speak up. When people speak up and become united, the politicians will step up and listen. We need to make a fuss and make sure the right people are elected so that they appoint the right judges. We can no longer stand on the sideline. We need to engage society. More importantly, we need to call upon the graces of our blessed Lord and blessed mother to help us in these battles because they are spiritual battles fought here on earth.

My comments on individual portions of the above interview

Note. Click the links cited below to go directly to the resource online.

1. He stated that for the Catholic Church this moves into the trillions (of dollars). To say the least. Catholicism has amassed tremendous wealth as directed and guided by Lucifer not Christ.

2. He first addresses concerns for the attacks of lesbians and sodomites who are attempting to force “churches” to honor their perverted beliefs and practices. Lesbians sued a Methodist church for refusing to let them use a church pavilion because it was against their religious convictions. The state ruled in favor of the lesbians and they lost part of their real estate exemption even though the church said they would stop marrying people. The state said, no you have to marry people. In California, they have introduced legislation to block youth organizations that don’t allow people in who claim that they have a gay sexual orientation and they are going to revoke tax exemption for those organizations. This was originally aimed at the Boys Scouts. Now that the Boys Scouts has caved in, it would now apply to Christian ministries that don’t want to hire gays or have openly gay students in those organizations.

The tax exempt status is already being threatened. This is not just speculative. The man being interviewed said he started talking about this 10 years ago and people said he was exaggerating it and blowing it out of proportion, making political arguments about something that will never happen. Well indeed, it is happening. The solicitor general said during oral arguments in the Obergfell case (decided just a little over a month after this interview), Justice Alito when asked whether or not Christian organizations, Catholic universities for example, that don’t recognize same sex marital benefits are going to have their tax exempt status put in question and the Solicitor General said that will be an issue. If these universities lose their tax exempt status, the students are not going to be able to afford the tuition to go there because the universities are not going to be able to keep the tuition rates and they will probably lose their federal funding as well and students may not be able to get student loans to go there, and they are even challenging the accreditation of certain universities like Gordon College in Massachusetts which is a Christian University which told students that they cannot engage in pre-marital sex. A “gay” student sued saying you cannot tell gay students they cannot have sex. The threatened pulling their accreditation which means they won ‘t be able to issue degrees that are recognized as such.

So this threat which particularly when it comes to the tax exempt status, and a lot of the smaller churches are on shoestring budgets, a lot of the evangelical protestant churches. The Catholic Church will survive, we know we have the promise the gates of hell will not prevail against it. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to continue to operate the way it always has.

The United States Supreme Court added a fifth rule to the IRC 501(c)(3) status in Bob Jones University, 461 U.S. 574, 578, 579, 580, 581, 582-583, 586-588, 588, 591 fn. 10, 595- 596, 602 fn 28, 603, 604, fn. 29 at 604 (1983). Read the whole story of that case as well as a thorough analysis of “Federal Government Control of Churches through 501(c)(3) and 508 tax exemption” and “The Incorporation 501(c)(3) Control Scheme” on pages 33-55 of Separation of Church and State/God’s Churches: Spiritual or Legal Entities (Click the link to go to the online PDF).You may find it helpful to browse the table of contents of that book which deals with church legal status such as incorporation, unincorporated association status, charitable trust status, 501(c)(3) and 508 status, false reasons given for church legal status, and more.

I have looked at various aspects of the tax exempt issue in the following resources:

• THE HYPOCRISY OF PASTORS WHO ASK THEIR HIGHEST AUTHORITY TO OVERTURN LGBT NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE(101218)
• The Hierarchy of Law as it relates to sodomy and sodomite marriage(060115)
• Will Churches in America Have a Choice about Sodomite Marriage: A short critique of the Article “Christian schools will have no choice about gay marriage: Column” as it relates to churches(052315)
• The Republican Response to Obergefell – Wrong!!!!!!(070715)
• The Proper Response by believers and churches to Obergefell, the United States Supreme Court same sex marriage decision(063015)
• Will Churches in America Have a Choice about Sodomite Marriage: A short critique of the Article “Christian schools will have no choice about gay marriage: Column” as it relates to churches(052315)
• Kicking someone out of church for speech, the state church versus the New Testament church, and Nicolaitism(011716)
• What is 508?(120817)
• What is 501c3?(120817)
• The Bible Answer to the Question, “Is an Incorporated 501(c)(3) or 508 Church a Church of Christ?”
• The Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) Exemption-Definition-Control Scheme (September 2009)
• An Informed Christian Response to the Article, “IRS Again Pressured To Hammer U.S. Churches” (102516)
• Does God and/or Civil Government Require Churches to Get 501(c)(3) Status?(March 2010)
• Legal answer to Pastor’s inquiry concerning whether a potential donor of substantial gift an claim a tax deduction under IRC Section 508 even though the church will not give an IRS acknowledgement(123118)
• First Amendment Protection of New Testament Churches/Federal Laws Protecting State Churches (Religious Organizations)(022610)
• 1,000 Pastors who pledge to defy IRS and preach politics from pulpit ahead of election misunderstand the law and the hierarchy of law (100312)
• Is Separation Of Church And State Found In The Constitution? (020714)
• Church Internal Revenue Code § 508 Tax Exempt Status (042814)
• Self-proclaimed Non-501c3 Churches Who Are 501c3 Churches (081314)
• The Bible Answer to the Question, “Is an Incorporated 501(c)(3) or 508 Church a Church of Christ?”
• Church Members are approaching their pastors about church corporate 501c3 status, some are leaving churches who refuse to repent of that status, and some are seeking to communicate with their pastors about the matter!(090619)
• Je Suis Charlie Hebdo, by Ronald Rotunda, law professor. I received the link to this article from Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Network on 2/17/15. Very important article on speech and religion. Baptists, of all people, should stand for the right of anyone to criticize speech offensive to anyone, especially Muslims and other false religions.

As to church legal status through incorporation aggregate, the following resources will be helpful:

1. THE HYPOCRISY OF PASTORS WHO ASK THEIR HIGHEST AUTHORITY TO OVERTURN LGBT NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE(101218)
2. First Amendment Protection of New Testament Churches/Federal Laws Protecting State Churches (Religious Organizations)(022610
3. Is Separation Of Church And State Found In The Constitution? (020714)
4. Corporation: A human being without a soul (072914)
5. Critique of Church Freedom and the Corporation Sole Website(Booklet-2015)
6. Je Suis Charlie Hebdo, by Ronald Rotunda, law professor. I received the link to this article from Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Network on 2/17/15. Very important article on speech and religion. Baptists, of all people, should stand for the right of anyone to criticize speech offensive to anyone, especially Muslims and other false religions.
7. Will Churches in America Have a Choice about Sodomite Marriage: A short critique of the Article “Christian schools will have no choice about gay marriage: Column” as it relates to churches(052315)
8. he Hierarchy of Law as it relates to sodomy and sodomite marriage(060115)
9. The Republican Response to Obergefell – Wrong!!!!!!(070715)(Obergefell is the U.S.S.Ct. case legitimizing same sex marriage).
10. The Proper Response by believers and churches to Obergefell, the United States Supreme Court same sex marriage decision(063015)
11. Kicking someone out of church for speech, the state church versus the New Testament church, and Nicolaitism(011716)
12. Legal Explanation of Incorporation of Churches (121012)
13. Exposing or Silently Co-existing with False Teaching Causes Suffering and Persecution from Within and Without a Church (050217)
14. An Informed Christian Response to the Article, “IRS Again Pressured To Hammer U.S. Churches” (102516)
15. What is a Church under Christ (a New Testament Church), and What Upholds Her Integrity? (110217)
16. The History and Meaning of “Establishment of Religion” in America(121817)
17. ANSWER TO A BIBLE COLLEGE VICE-PRESIDENT’S ARTICLE ON CHURCH INCORPORATION: “TO INCORPORATE OR NOT TO INCORPORATE?
18. The Bible Answer to the Question, “Is an Incorporated 501(c)(3) or 508 Church a Church of Christ?”
19. Who Is the head of an incorporated church?(112817)
20. What does church, inc. mean?(122217)
21. Does God Care if our Church is Incorporated?(120117)
22. Is it illegal for a church in America not to incorporate? Does a church have to be a 501c3?(112817)
23. What is a legal entity?(120817)
24. What is a Spiritual entity?(120817)
25. What is 508?(120817)
26. What is 501c3?(120817)
27. What is a First Amendment Church?(120117)
28. What is an established church?(120417)
29. What is the History and Meaning of “Establishment of Religion” in America?(121817)
30. What is the history of the First Amendment?(121817)
31. Church Members are approaching their pastors about church corporate 501c3 status, some are leaving churches who refuse to repent of that status, and some are seeking to communicate with their pastors about the matter!(090619)

For an analysis of the corporation sole, see: Critique of “Church Freedom and the Corporation Sole” Website (The links to the Church Freedom and Corporation Sole Website may no longer be valid, but the principles in the booklet are accurate.)

3. I had lunch just the other day with the person who has charge of all the real estate for the archdiocese of Chicago which has thousands of very valuable properties The Catholic church has immense properties. [He] stated that the Catholic Church cannot continue to own and operate those properties if it has to pay property tax and that is just part of the taxes that come into play. If you pull non-profit status, that will be another huge problem that depend on those donations to survive. People who give depend on the tax deduction for donations.  It will be absolutely devastating if that occurs, and it will change the very nature of how these organizations operate if they can operate at all. And if they pull the services provided just by Catholic Charities which provides 25% of the hospital beds in the United States and which provide services to the poorest and  most needy who cannot otherwise get medical care; and the people fighting the Catholic Church really don’t care whether they are providing those services to the  most needy. For them it is all about ideology, not about the church going into the world exercising their faith, as the Catholic Church believes faith without works is dead. All they care about is pushing the agenda forward. There are going to be serious headlong battles on that. People need to speak up. When people speak up and become united, the politicians will step up and listen. We need to make a fuss and make sure the right people are elected so that they appoint the right judges. We can no longer stand on the sideline. We need to engage society. More importantly, we need to call upon the graces of our blessed Lord and blessed mother to help us in these battles because they are spiritual battles fought here on earth.

The interview raises other matters, such as the spiritual warfare the “church” is to fight. Sadly, the Catholic Church is fighting on behalf of Satan and born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should be fighting the spiritual wickedness in high places which includes Catholicism.  “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).”

One could expect this reasoning from a Protestant, a Catholic, an evangelical, an heretical “Baptist” or other uninformed “Christian.” He is seeking a church/state political solution. Of course, I would agree with him on voting for the best politicians. I also would agree that born again believers who have the requisite knowledge, understanding and wisdom who are called by God to do so should work to get the best elected officials possible, even run for office.

Unfortunately, even the best politician who can be elected cannot save America. A study of the Bible doctrines government, church, separation of church and state will make this clear. A nation reaches the point of no return, the point where the God’s only remedy is judgment. The book God Betrayed/Separation of Church and State: The Biblical Principle and the American Application examines the Bible, history, and law concerning these matters. The diligent student may wish to examine that book which is free online in both online and PDF form and can also be ordered. See Order Information, Free PDF, and Free Online Versions of Books by Jerald Finney.

The only answer is individual salvation, man by man, woman by woman; then baptism, membership and discipleship in a Bible believing church. Then, going into all the world and preaching the Gospel. As individuals are born again, disciple, and doing all for the glory of God, families, churches, and the nation will be renewed. See Salvation and After.

And, by the way, according to the Holy King James Bible, alongside the apostate Babylonian religious system headed by the Religious Harlot centered in Rome, until the Lord appears and takes His children home, there will always be a remnant of God’s faithful Bible believing, Bible preaching, Bible practicing churches.

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Endnote

[i] The Catholic Church does not have the promise of Christ that “the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” The Catholic Church follows Satan (whom they call Lucifer; see Satan), the God of this world. Catholicism stands against all preeminent fundamentals of the true Christian faith as expressed in the Word of God. The leaders of Catholicism are financially, morally, and spiritually wicked. The Catholic Church is the great religious whore of Revelation 17. Of course, these conclusions cannot be explained in this article which is concerning with the union of church and state in the American landscape. However, the Word of God proves these conclusions.