Ezra chapter 7

[ThomasHGW]

Ezra 7:24 (KJV)  Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

This verse was given to me to justify modern tax exempt status churches.
My only response is where can you show me in the new testament when the apostles were starting the first churches where tax exemption is ok? They are the ones who were showing examples to us in the structure of a church along with Jesus Christ himself.

Anyone else have thoughts?
Im not very familiar with the old testament structure of churches and how they did things

[creationliberty]

Ezra 7:24 (KJV)  Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
This verse was given to me to justify modern tax exempt status churches.

Ha!

My only response is where can you show me in the new testament when the apostles were starting the first churches where tax exemption is ok? They are the ones who were showing examples to us in the structure of a church along with Jesus Christ himself.

My response is: "Sir, you're right. It is against God's Word that His church should be tolled or taxed, and that's why it's great we live in a country in which there is no toll or tax on churches... UNLESS you get 501c3 incorporated. The contract violates the Word of God to make your church taxable, but then the government gives you an exemption and permission for the church to exist, so I'm glad you now agree with me that churches should not be getting incorporated."

Anyone else have thoughts?
Im not very familiar with the old testament structure of churches and how they did things

My thought would be to watch him squirm and worm his way out of that response. Besides, if you're joining our church this week, you now are a member of a church that is not taxable; so you can tell him you're part of a church that is not taxed or tolled. Of course, the man is wicked in his heart because I'm sure he knows the difference between the priesthood of Levi and the priesthood of Melchisedec, but there's no need to get a wicked man's heart side-tracked with the truth of the Word until God humbles his heart to listen.

[ThomasHGW]

That makes sense, we were on a topic of the founding fathers and how they were using the bible to start the country, and that verse came up, but I'm sitting there thinking, we live in a country where there is no tolls or taxes on churches, 5013c came about after the country was founded, so his position actually doesnt make any sense

[creationliberty]

Just remember that signing up for incorporated status means you're signing up to be TAXABLE. That means, if that man believes what he's saying, then he needs to sanctify himself from the church building he's attending because they're violating the Word of God. (But we both know he won't!) 

[Jeanne]

Exactly! CLE isn't taxable because the government doesn't know (or care) that we exist.

[creationliberty]

Exactly.