A Tale of Two Husbands: The Truth of 501(c)(3) Incorporation of the Bride of Christ

The Church is the Bride of Christ. This is not merely a poetic image—it is a reality that defines the very identity and mission of the people of God. As the Apostle Paul writes, “I have betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2). The Church’s loyalty, her submission, her obedience, and her trust belong to Christ alone, who is her Head and her Lord.

Yet in our own generation, the Bride has taken another husband. She has allowed herself to be courted and claimed by another. She has not divorced Christ outright—she still calls Him Lord, still speaks His name—but she has effectively entered into an unholy union with the State.

And the State, with the wiles of the devil behind it, is all too eager to play the role of a false husband.

A Sinful Union

For centuries, wicked rulers have sought to control and corrupt the Bride of Christ, to bring her under the authority of Caesar, to make her a handmaid of political power. In the days of the Roman emperors, the Church was told to burn incense to Caesar or face death. In the medieval era, popes and kings wrestled for supremacy, each seeking to control the other. The Scottish Covenanters bled and died rather than allow the Crown to dictate the Church’s worship or government.

And yet here in America—under the guise of liberty and tax exemption—the devil has succeeded where tyrants failed. Through the lure of incorporation and the 501(c)(3) status, churches have voluntarily come to the State and said: “We will take your name. We will abide by your rules. We will let you define what we may say, so long as we can keep our tax benefits.”

This is nothing less than spiritual adultery. The Bride has given herself to another husband, blurring the clear lines between Christ’s kingdom and the kingdoms of this world.

A Wile of the Devil

Some argue that the recent decision of the IRS to stop enforcing the Johnson Amendment is a great victory. But let us not be deceived. The Johnson Amendment itself has not been repealed. The law still says churches may not speak freely if they wish to keep their tax-exempt status. The government has simply said, for now, it will choose not to enforce it.

That is no victory—it is a trap. It leaves the false husband in place and the false marriage intact, while lulling the Bride into thinking she is free. It is as if a man who beats his wife simply stops hitting her for a while—he is still not her true husband.

The Church was never required by God to seek Caesar’s permission to preach Christ. She was never required by God to seek a license from the IRS in order to receive the tithes and offerings of her people. The Church’s authority, her existence, and her mission come from Christ alone—not the IRS, not the State, not any legislature.

A Call to Repentance

Pastors, elders, and congregations must repent of this unholy alliance. The Bride must remember her first love. She must remember that she belongs to Christ, that she was purchased with His blood, and that she needs no other head.

It is time to tear up the false marriage certificate. It is time to proclaim, clearly and boldly, that the Church is under Christ alone, and that she will preach, teach, and disciple the nations as He commands—whether the State approves or not.

Let the world see that the Church is not for sale. Let the Bride return to her rightful Husband and walk in purity before Him.

For no man can serve two masters. And no bride can belong to two husbands.

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Scripture for Reflection

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

(Ephesians 5:22–27)

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Questions for Reflection

• Have we, as a church, entrusted ourselves to Christ alone, or have we sought the approval and provision of Caesar?

• In what ways have we blurred the line between the authority of Christ and the authority of the State?

• Are we willing to forsake worldly benefits and privileges in order to remain faithful to Christ alone?

• What would it look like, practically, for our congregation to tear up the false marriage certificate and walk in purity before our true Husband?