Dear Editor,

Re: C.C.C.S. Church opposes Govt.

The rejection of the new tax law by the C.C.C.S (E.F.K.S) in my own view as a Christian is definitely a right move. It is a step to the right direction for our government. 

The H.R.P.P and our government will never learn a single lesson from their wrongdoings unless a powerful body such as the E.F.K.S Church teaches them a lesson through a conflict between the “State” and “Church.”

 As we know about it, the conflict between the “State” and the “Church” is the current issue about the new tax law to tax Church Ministers’ earnings.

I believe the first positive outcome of the rejection of the new tax law by the E.F.K.S Church was the first lesson for the H.R.P.P. The first lesson is the difference between the “malo vale” and the “malo tia’a.” 

The other lesson will come out of the E.F.K.S Church’s decision after its annual conference in the middle of this year. The decision by the E.F.K.S Church will reveal its purpose in Samoa, its history in Samoa, its accountability and its responsibility for the truth of God. 

Its existence is ensuring that the truth prevails. Therefore without questioning, the decision by the E.F.K.S Church will be based on the truth and facts. Some of those facts are presenting in the following lists.

List of Facts:

1) The Constitution of the Independent State of Samoa is founded on God. The narrative “Samoa is founded on God” is on the cover of the Supreme law of Samoa, the Constitution of the Independent State of Samoa.

The other narrative that is on the preamble of the Constitution presents more facts –

 “IN THE HOLY NAME OF GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, THE EVER LOVING

WHEREAS sovereignty over the Universe belongs to the Omnipresent God alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Western Samoa within the limits prescribed

by His commandments is a sacred heritage; WHEREAS the Leaders of Western Samoa have declared that Western Samoa should be an Independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and tradition;…”

2) “WHEREAS sovereignty over the Universe belongs to the Omnipresent God alone.”

3) “the authority to be exercised by the people of Western Samoa within the limits prescribed by His commandments is a sacred heritage.”

4) “WHEREAS the Leaders of Western Samoa have declared that Western Samoa should be an Independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and tradition;…”

Christian principles in the Bible offers more facts – (Hebrews 7:5) “And in deed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham.” (Hebrews 7: 12) “For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.”

5) “the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law”

6) “For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.”

It is crystal clear according to (Hebrews 7:5) the priesthood and tithes are “commandments” and “laws” of God. Add to that Scripture is the declaration on the preamble of the Constitution. It says in our Constitution, “WHEREAS sovereignty over the Universe belonged to the Omnipresent God alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Western Samoa within the limits prescribed by His commandments is a sacred heritage…” 

In other words, the authority of God is sovereign but Prime Minister Tuilaepa’s authority is limited. The commandments and the law of God is the limit of the authority of man.

The authority of man cannot change the commandments and the law of God. Only God can change his commandments and his law according to His own will. The proof is in the same book of Hebrews and the book of Matthew. (Hebrews 7: 12) “For the priesthood being changed of necessity there is also a change of the law.” 

Priesthood was set specifically on the tribe of Levi but was changed in the times of Jesus. Jesus was a priest from the tribe of Judah which means the changing of priesthood was started from Jesus. (Matthew 5:17) “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill”

The Law and Prophets that Jesus fulfilled are facts. In other words, those accounts from the New Testament can lead us to more and more facts about prophecies, God’s commandments and God’s law in the Old Testament. 

Those are facts. God’s commandments and God’s law are not philosophies or traditions of man. God’s commandments and God’s law are Christian principles. So for those who do not understand the spiritual side of God’s law, it does not matter if we are not tribes of Levi and Judah but it says in our Constitution, “WHEREAS the Leaders of Western Samoa have declared that Western Samoa should be an Independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and tradition;…”

Nanai Malonuu Lealaiauloto Nofoaiga