Churches

Do the thousands of Churches and denominations claiming to be Christian actually demonstrate or reflect the teachings of Christ and the Charitable practices of the early Church?

Why are they in conflict with one another and are they also in conflict with Christ?

There was an early Christian conflict with the world but today the modern Church seems conformed to the world^[1] and often in conflict with will of God and what Christ said to do and not do.

Church defined

Congress does not define what a Church is, but the legal dictionary does consistently.

“Church. In its most general sense, the religious society founded and established by Jesus Christ, to receive, preserve, and propagate His doctrines and ordinances.”

“A body or community of Christians, united under one form of government by the profession of one faith, and the observance of the same rituals and ceremonies.”^[2]

Is your Church “established by Jesus Christ and united under one government to receive, preserve, and propagate His doctrines and ordinances”?

Church Doctrines

What are His doctrines?

Most Church Doctrines include very few of Christ's actual Doctrines or even His specific instructions and certainly not what he commanded.

They have removed much of what Christ said and replaced it with what Paul said, or rather what people think Paul said. Paul was expounding on what Christ said having already preached the gospel of Christ first to men and women who were doing and living according to the pattern of the doctrines of Christ.

Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. (Mark 14:9 fulfilled^[3])

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.^[4]

Ephesians 1:12 That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. {trusted: or, hoped}^[5]

1 Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Christ preached a way to govern ourselves according to His Holy Spirit and appointed that government to His disciples as His "little flock" to be separate and to serve like Him.^[6]

2 Timothy 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ [be] with thy spirit. Grace [be] with you. Amen.

The modern Church really needs to reexamine its doctrines and mission in comparison to Christ in the context of His doctrines and the activities and apparent mission of the early Church.

Is it doing the work of His appointed government or has it relinquished its responsibilities to the governments of the world that have been established by men for the personal benefit of men?

The Church is actually a creation of Christ. Have men recreated the Church? Is the modern churches preserving, and propagating His doctrines and ordinances or their own?

Doctrines_of_Jesus

Religion, NN Video Series:9-10 4:27

Church vs Religious Organization

Religion use to mean the performance of your duty to God and your fellow man.

Specifically as an institution the Church does not include the congregations of the people except in the most general sense.

The life blood of the Church flows from the heart and mind of the elders of the congregations and also from the minister they choose. The kingdom of God manifests itself in the actions of the faithful but resides as a spirit of intent with those hearts and minds. If the Holy Spirit of Christ does not dwell in you then you will not feel a need to gather to serve as Christ came to serve.

The Church is legally defined as "one form of government".

Pentecost was a time to organize congregations through a Charitable network of ministers in patterns of tens turning free assemblies into a Kingdom of God at hand.

The Church is "established by Jesus Christ".

Its purpose includes "to receive, preserve, and propagate His doctrines and ordinances.”

The Church is not of the world.

The term religious organization is not treated the same as the term Church in modern law. An organization seeking to meet the religious purposes test has become something other than a Church. The purpose and mission of the Church was religious. The Church is a religious organization but it is not an entity of the State but is established by Christ which makes it excluded and separate from the state.

But when men began to alter the purposes of the Church they stop being the Church "founded and established by Jesus Christ".

Department of Revenue and the I.R.S. state:

“In order to determine whether recognition of exemption should appropriately be extended to an organization seeking to meet the religious purposes test of section 501c(3), the Internal Revenue Service maintains two basic guidelines:

) That the particular religious beliefs of the organization are truly and sincerely held, and
) That the practices and rituals associated with the organization’s religious belief or creed are not illegal or contrary to clearly defined public policy.”^[7]

On the same page of that publication, we see phrases like, “If you are organized to operate a home for the aged, the following information must be submitted:” Or if you are a scientific organization, “You must show…” etc. But for religious organizations, there are only ‘two basic guidelines’ which are merely ‘maintained’ by the Internal Revenue Service. These mere guidelines are maintained only ‘to determine whether recognition of exemption should appropriately be extended to an organization seeking to meet the religious purposes test.’

The Church, in His Salvation, is the Solution

Summary of the Nimrod to Now Video Series:10-10 7:53 Gods plan verses man's plan. Summing up... the Gospel of the Kingdom...

Church links

Ecclesia, Ekklesia. or Church
http://www.hisholychurch.org/ekklesia.php

The Coercive and Non-Coercive Churches
Concerning what the "Church" is or should be and what it is not.
http://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/coercivechurch.php

Audio On the Coercive Church

The Coercive Church BlogTalkRadio 29:10
http://www.hisholychurch.net/audio/10-10-3TS-412548CC.mp3

The Coercive Church TalkShoeQandA 48:43

http://www.hisholychurch.net/audio/10-10-3show_1295668CC.mp3

The Church from the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-3Church.php

The Separate Church

http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-4Separate.php

Church and State
From the book The Higher Liberty, Sec. 18
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/THL/churchstate.php

Separation of Church and State
From the book The Higher Liberty, Sec. 20
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/THL/separation.php

A Kingdom not of this world
From the book The Higher Liberty, Sec. 22
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/THL/notoftheworld.php

The Apostolic Church
From the book The Higher Liberty, Sec. 68
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/THL/apostolic.php

Christian Welfare
From the book The Higher Liberty, Sec. 71
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/THL/welfare.php

Are Christians Idiots?
Were the apostles unlearned, uneducated and unlettered?
http://www.hisholychurch.org/news/articles/idiots.php

Christianity Derailed
Has the Church lost it way and taken the people with it?
http://www.hisholychurch.org/news/articles/christderailed.php
Appeared first on NewsWithViews 3-2-11

Church exempt

"Piety is no defense to the assessments of the tax collector." Scripture Press Foundation v. United States, 285 F.2d 800, 904 (1961), cert denied 368 U.S. 985.

"Religious organizations are not exempt from complying with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, or applicable state laws. However, there are a number of specific provisions of law, beginning with the United States Constitution and continuing through the Internal Revenue Code, that treat religious organizations, especially those that can be classified as a "church", differently."^[8]

There is no precise definition in the Internal Revenue Code of what constitutes a church.^[9] A case decided in 1980 sets forth fourteen factors that the IRS has found relevant in making its inquiry into the definition:^[10]

1. A distinct legal existence

2. A recognized creed and form of worship

3. A definite and distinct ecclesiastical government

4. A formal code of doctrine and discipline

5. A distinct religious history

6. A membership not associated with any other church or denomination

7. An organization of ordained ministers

8. Ordained ministers selected after completing prescribed studies

9. A literature of its own

10. Established places of worship

11. Regular congregations

12. Regular worship services

13. Sunday schools for religious instruction of the young

14. Schools for the preparation of ministers.

No single factor is controlling,^[11] and having all fourteen is not necessary. While there is no "legal" requirement that a church have any of these particular characteristics (instituting such a requirement would likely violate the First Amendment as establishing a particular "form" of religion), the IRS is unlikely to recognize an organization as being a church without it having a number of these characteristics. In Publication 557, the IRS states: Because beliefs and practices vary so widely, there is no single definition of the word "church" for tax purposes.

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Footnotes

↑ Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
↑ Black’s Law Dictionary 3rd ed. Page 325. also 4th, 5th 6th Ed.
↑ Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
↑ Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.... 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.... 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ... 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?... 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
↑ Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
↑
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Luke 22:27 For whether [is] greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? [is] not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will [my] Father honour.
↑ Department of the Treasury, I.R.S., Pub. 557 Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization. Chapt. 3 Page 14.
↑ BASIC TAX ASPECTS FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, by Lisa A. Runquist, Revised January, 2001
↑ See Whelan, "Church in the Internal Revenue Code", 45 Fordham L Rev. 885 (1977).
↑ American Guidance Foundation, Inc. v United States 490 F.Supp 304 (1980).
↑ It should be noted, however, that in the 1993 (for Fiscal Year 1994) IRS Exempt Organizations Continuing Professional Education Technical Instruction Program Textbook, in Defining "Church" -- The Concept of a Congregation, the position is taken that an organization must have a congregation (usually including participation in mutual ceremonies, observances and celebrations important to the religion) in order to be considered a church." Therefore, although having a congregation may not be sufficient to determine that the organization is a church, not having a congregation is likely to be considered by the IRS to be sufficient to determine that the organization is not a church.

[1] Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

[2] Black’s Law Dictionary 3rd ed. Page 325. also 4th, 5th 6th Ed.

[3] Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

[4] Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.... 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.... 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ... 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?... 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

[5] Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

[6] 
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Luke 22:27 For whether [is] greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? [is] not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will [my] Father honour.

[7] Department of the Treasury, I.R.S., Pub. 557 Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization. Chapt. 3 Page 14.

[8] BASIC TAX ASPECTS FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, by Lisa A. Runquist, Revised January, 2001

[9] See Whelan, "Church in the Internal Revenue Code", 45 Fordham L Rev. 885 (1977).

[10] American Guidance Foundation, Inc. v United States 490 F.Supp 304 (1980).

[11] It should be noted, however, that in the 1993 (for Fiscal Year 1994) IRS Exempt Organizations Continuing Professional Education Technical Instruction Program Textbook, in Defining "Church" -- The Concept of a Congregation, the position is taken that an organization must have a congregation (usually including participation in mutual ceremonies, observances and celebrations important to the religion) in order to be considered a church." Therefore, although having a congregation may not be sufficient to determine that the organization is a church, not having a congregation is likely to be considered by the IRS to be sufficient to determine that the organization is not a church.

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Churches

Contents

Church defined

Church Doctrines

Church vs Religious Organization

Church links

Church exempt

Footnotes

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Churches

Church defined

Church Doctrines

Church vs Religious Organization

Church links

Church exempt

Footnotes

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