Choose You This Day Whom You Will Serve
File this under the “shape of things to come’ department
Last week, World Net Daily reported that there are at least two organizations that are currently monitoring the content of church sermons and threatening to report them to the I.R.S. if the sermon contains political messages they deem inappropriate. (Political snitches monitor sermons)
Under I.R.S. rules non profit tax exempt organizations “are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position, verbal or written, made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violation of this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise tax."
This bit of constitutional mockery came to us in 1954 courtesy of Lyndon Johnson. Senator Johnson added the language to a revenue bill in an attempt to muzzle church leaders from speaking out on public policy issues. The bill was presented as a favor to churches but as with all government favors there were strings attached.
Enforcement of these provisions by the I.R.S. has been less than even handed. Many tax exempt organizations like the NAACP are entirely political with virtually no attempted enforcement by the government. Some organizations like the National Education Association are highly politicized but cloak their activities under the guise of being a workers union.
Then of course there are the predominately minority churches where it seems Democratic candidates can stump for votes without fear of any I.R.S. oversight.
For example on a Sunday morning, three days before the presidential election of 2000, candidate Al Gore spoke from the pulpit of T.D. Jakes church in
(I’m still wondering how a preacher who claims to be a Christian could turn his pulpit over to an earth worshiping, abortion supporting pagan like Al Gore but that’s another article entirely.)
One of the groups monitoring church sermons is Americans United For Separation of Church and State under the direction of the so called Reverend Barry Lynn. Mr. Lynn and his organization have filed a complaint with the I.R.S. against a church in
Falwell has urged pastors not to be intimidated by these tactics because no church has ever lost its tax exempt status over this issue. Many pastors however remain afraid to speak out on controversial issues due to the mere threat of losing the sacred tax exemption.
Let’s see…. I seem to remember a scripture or two that might be appropriate here…..oh yes
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Math 6:24
The truth is that the love of money has so rooted itself into the church that most pastors today are simply hirelings. It’s a job, a vocation. They are not called, they just came. They were never sent they just went.
And make no mistake about it this is just the beginning of increased oversight of the church by the government. It may be true that no church has lost its tax exempt status over this matter but this won’t be the last issue.
Another case on the horizon is President Bush’s Faith Based Initiative. Churches are tripping all over themselves to get that government money. The whole idea of churches taking money from the government is a trap. A trap baited with the one thing most preachers can’t refuse, money. It’s only a matter of time before the trap snaps shut. And when it does, don’t be surprised when the government tells you what you can say and what you can’t say from the pulpit. There are always strings attached to government programs.
How long do you think it will be before the government rules that preaching against homosexuality is hate speech? How long do think it will be before the government tells you that if you accept “faith based” money you must not discriminate in hiring.
I promise you those types of rules are on the way. It’s only a matter of time.
Of course there is one real simple way out of this pastor. Disentangle yourself from government oversight even if it means giving up your precious tax exempt status. If it means your church members will no longer be able to deduct their giving, so be it. Let’s find out who’s willing to serve the Lord and who’s only serving themselves.
Let’s find out of we have real men of God in the pulpits or do we have hirelings. Are you willing to take a stand? Are you willing to serve God and speak God’s word regardless of the cost?
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29
I think I already know the answer. You see in order to speak God’s word boldly you must first have laid down your life. You must first give up everything for the sake of the gospel.
Have you given up everything or do you still have something to lose. Are you afraid of losing your congregation, your status in the community, your income? If you are you’ll never be anything more than a hireling.
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. John 10:13
But when you’ve laid down your life you’re truly free to serve. You are free to obey God rather than man. When you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose.
Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in
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originally published 7-26-04
Steve Lumbley 2004 www.apostasywatch.com
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