OMG Duck Test

Are Tithes Income Taxes?

OMG Duck Test

Oh my God (OMG) are tithes income taxes? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and swims like a duck, then its a duck. It does not matter if you name it a hen or chicken. The duck test defines the real name of a thing, animal or person same as a recipe defines the name of the food you are preparing.

Are Tithes Income Taxes?

Put tithes to the Duck Test and see: 1. Does tithe look like income tax? 2. Does tithe feel like income tax? 3. Does tithe sound like income tax? Tithing is Gods oldest system to levy income taxes. It is ten percent (10%) of a persons gross earning. Tithes are off the top not bottom. Tithes were taxes collected by the Leviticus priesthood for administration and supervision of the Israelite nation. Christian ministers have adopted Gods system of tithing to levy 10 % income taxes on their fellowship.

My Pastor
Most saints view pastors as Gods shepherds to watch over his flock. Very few saints view his or her pastor as a tax collector. Their gimmick is to embarrass saints who dont pay tithes by asking the congregation to hold up his or her tithes. Jesus said do not your alms to be seen of men (Mat6:1). This means whatever we give is private between us and God not man.

Tax Refund
IRS Publication 526 Charitable Contributions has defined taxable and non-taxable donations that qualify for deductions. A church is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. IRS has mandated each nonprofit charity file its 990 with Guidestar.org.

Higher Power
In foreign countries the clerics serve as the higher power to levy and/or collect Gods taxes. The United States is a Republic. Congress serves as our higher power to levy taxation (Rm13:1). IRSs 501c3 status has not empowered any church legal right to collect income taxes as revenue to file on its 990 Annual Report to IRS.

Income Tax Revenue

When a church has collected tithes to generate income tax revenue, then it has exceeded its 501c3 tax exemption status and is liable to IRS for revocation. Ask your senior pastor to answer, By what legal authority does your church have to collect income taxes for God?

First Amendment
Separation of Church & State is to protect freedom of religious assembly in the United States and prohibit Congress from passing laws to empower any religion legal authority to levy taxes. Congress has sole power to levy taxes. No church in the United States has legal authority to collect income taxes for God.

Clarification
My name is Stanley Green. Let me clarify my position. I do not oppose any church collect charitable contributions. Rather, I oppose any church collect income taxes under 501c3 tax status. It violates Separation of Church & State and commits fraud by deducting tithes from IRS Schedule-A 1040 Return.

Grace to You :: Unleashing God's Truth, One Verse at a Time Does God require me to give a tithe of all I earn? Scripture: Leviticus 27:30-33; Deuteronomy 14:22-29; Exodus 25:2; 1 Chronicles 29:9 Code: QA144

Does God require me to give a tithe of all I earn?

Two kinds of giving are taught consistently throughout Scripture: giving to the government (always compulsory), and giving to God (always voluntary). The issue has been greatly confused, however, by some who misunderstand the nature of the Old Testament tithes. Tithes were not primarily gifts to God, but taxes for funding the national budget in Israel. Because Israel was a theocracy, the Levitical priests acted as the civil government. So the Levite's tithe (Leviticus 27:30-33) was a precursor to today's income tax, as was a second annual tithe required by God to fund a national festival (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Smaller taxes were also imposed on the people by the law (Leviticus 19:9-10; Exodus 23:10-11). So the total giving required of the Israelites was not 10 percent, but well over 20 percent. All that money was used to operate the nation. All giving apart from that required to run the government was purely voluntary (cf. Exodus 25:2; 1 Chronicles 29:9). Each person gave whatever was in his heart to give; no percentage or amount was specified. New Testament believers are never commanded to tithe. Matthew 22:15-22 and Romans 13:1-7 tell us about the only required giving in the church age, which is the paying of taxes to the government. Interestingly enough, we in America presently pay between 20 and 30 percent of our income to the government--a figure very similar to the requirement under the theocracy of Israel. The guideline for our giving to God and His work is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver."

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