The Fetters of Federal Funding

It has become so commonplace in our modern welfare state to assume that the civil government exists to take care of us. In many ways, the civil government has been elevated to the position of deity—able to dispense resources, wisdom, and protection ad infinitum. Unfortunately, many otherwise private, Christian organizations have unwittingly bought into this mindset by relying on federal funding. As it has been made abundantly clear elsewhere on this site, God has instituted civil magistrates to punish evildoers, not to provide for citizens (cf. Romans 13:3-4; 1 Peter 2:14). By utilizing federal funding, organizations are not only legitimizing the unjust taxation of an overgrown federal civil government but are also asking for more oversight and intrusion.

Christian organizations should not only discontinue the use of any federal funding, but they should also forfeit any so called “privileges” from the federal civil government—such as a “tax-exempt” status via a 501(c)3 status (click here for more on that). While the taxation of the federal civil government has certainly gone beyond what is proper, we must not seek special treatment from the federal civil government while everyone else is not “tax-exempt.” We all—especially explicitly Christian organizations—need to seek to delegitimize the unbiblical welfare state we have been relying on in America.

The ultimate goal for a Christian in America should be to see all aspects of his society—self-government, family government, church government, civil government—brought in to conformity to God’s Law. However, as we work toward that goal, let’s stop relying on and legitimizing an unbiblical federal civil government. Let’s stop right now.