Yesterday an interesting discussion started in the comments section of a mortgage company review on this site. A regular reader was asking the question of whether or not it was OK for a Christian to take on debt of any kind, or whether debt should avoided at all costs as being biblically a bad idea.
There was a bit of back and forth, and I think we agreed on some points, but not on others. So today I decided to open the topic up for further discussion.
Here’s how the question was framed by Matt from DiscipleshipGuy:
Before I get to my comment I want to say that I currently have a house that we use to live in that we have outgrown and since have turned it into a rental due to not being able to sell it. So we currently rent.
That being said, I have spent a lot of time lately thinking about our next step, would we try to buy again, and if so, would we finance. This isn’t always an easy thing to think about, many of us, if we had to do 100% down (as Dave Ramsey recommends), wouldn’t be able to buy for a long time – at least not what we want to buy. That being said, since this site is Bible Money Matters, is there anyway that we as Christians, can justify getting a mortgage? I know that culturally that we do it, but we aren’t to be a part of the world. Is there any Biblical position that allows for getting a mortgage or loan of any kind?
I am not trying to attack you or anything, I like you and your sites. But, sometimes I think about all of the Christian financial blogs out there, giving advice on living frugally, Biblically, and being good stewards, and I wonder if sometimes we miss the mark and just give good advice rather than Biblical advice. Basically my question for us to think about is this: is it Biblical to get a mortgage or to even recommend a mortgage (or loan of any kind)?
…there are several verses that lend to the idea of not borrowing. I definitely never see borrowing encouraged in the Bible. My overall point is this: As Christians, we see mortgage as an acceptable way of life, but is it a Biblical way of life? I am not saying for sure where I fall on this issue, but it is something I am debating right now. After all, if we are a slave to the lender, then we cannot serve God as he requires.
So what do you think? Is it biblical to take on a mortgage, or to recommend a mortgage or a loan of any kind?
Is Debt Considered Sinful?
The first question that I think we should consider is whether or not going into debt can be considered a sin. From the verses that I’ve read I don’t think that we can say that it is. There are several verses that talk about debt and repaying debt, and in none of them that I can find anything that being in debt is a sin, or that it is sinful to be in debt.
Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love on another.. Romans 13:8
The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. Psalm 37:21
The verses that I’ve found do talk about the fact that the wicked don’t repay, or that it is sinful to allow debts to remain outstanding without repayment. But none of them say that it is sinful to take on debt in the first place.
Also, if borrowing was considered sinful, then lending would also be frowned upon as sinful as well wouldn’t it? But look to the words of Jesus himself:
Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. Matthew 5:42
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.
I do think that some verses caution against lending in cases where doing so can cause hardship for borrowers, or where outrageous interest is being charged, but I can’t find anything saying that we should never lend or borrow.
Are We Cautioned Against Going Into Debt?
Even if it isn’t sin to go into debt, are we cautioned in the bible about the pitfalls of taking on debt? I think we are:
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave. Proverbs 22:7
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24
The bible in numerous instances cautions us about the dangers of debt. It tells us about how being a borrower puts you in a power relationship with the lender, and you become slave to that debt and lender. It tells us that by taking on debt, those debts can quickly become our master and it can cloud our relationship with God, and quickly overtake our relationship with Him. We need to be wary of debt because it restricts our freedom.
Is It OK For A Christian To Have Debt?
Here’s where it gets a bit tricky – the question of whether or not it is ever OK for a Christian to take on debt. While I think not using debt is preferable if possible, in some cases I think it’s OK to take on debt. You just need to be sure that the debt isn’t restricting your service to God in any way, and that it isn’t debt in order to facilitate sin in any way. It has to fit into your financial plan and be reasonable and not for foolish purposes. Paul from ProvidentPlan.com, in his own post about debt and sin, put it like this:
None of this means that debt does not have its proper place in our finances. But foolish debt – to buy things we can’t really afford – is not going to glorify God. Christians should only be going into debt when they are reasonably sure they can repay the loan and they are not using the debt for foolish or sinful purposes.
To me they key is that we shouldn’t allow ourselves to go into debt to the degree that it interferes with our service to God, and to the degree that becomes overpowering. We should only use debt when absolutely necessary, and only when we can easily afford it.
At this point I want to open it up for discussion. What are your thoughts about going into debt as a Christian? Is it ever acceptable for a Christian, and if not, why not? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Matthew 25:27 -Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest!
Lending, including interest gaining, was promoted by Jesus as the proper (read as acceptable) thing to do with what we have been given; at least better than doing nothing with our talents. While I don’t think that everything in the Scriptures needs to be ‘reinterpreted’ to fit our current world, there is truth to the fact that they were written in a specific time and place. I don’t think that we can state with certainty that God does not want us to be in debt because it says so in the Bible, but I think we need to keep any debt in a Christian perspective — why do we need to go into debt (where are we going), why are we in this situation (where did we come from), do we have a plan that maintains our Christian principles / lifestyle that will get us out of debt (where are we right now) ?
I think the verse you used and others are clear that God will bless us abundantly so we will lend and not borrow. So lending seems to be fine for Christians to do (though . The questions is whether or not it’s ok for Christians to borrow.
Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Deuteronomy 15:6 For the LORD your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.
Jesus also told the parable of the shrewd manager who was about to get fired, so he quickly lowered the debt of everybody who owed his master money. The bible says that when he got fired, he was commended by his master for his shrewdness. I don’t think that means that it is ok to act that way, even though the man was commended in the parable.
Second, lending is definitely a different position than borrowing.
I have to wonder whether or not having debt is acceptable. I am sure that it can be managed within a Christian lifestyle, but I doubt it is the ideal to which all mature Christians should aspire.
I agree. The bible talks about being content with what we have. Not that God doesn’t want to bless us with things, but in His wisdom He is more concerned with our spiritual growth, with our character, because that will allow us to enjoy things without it harming us or our walk with Him. When you are changing from glory to glory and walking in the blessing of the Spirit you really aren’t concerned about the stuff anyway, but you can have it because in your heart He is first.
The reason why I am struggling with the idea of debt is this: It feels like we are trying to do something that we aren’t able to do yet, i.e. buy a house. So we muster up our own strength and might and find a way to do even if it means putting ourselves into bondage, because we want something and we want it now.
It seems very clear how God want’s us to do things in scripture, and to the point of lending, the Bible is very clear that when we are walking in His ways we will be the lenders and not the borrowers, so it seems like there is something there, where when in God’s will, we will be blessed abundantly. Do I think that it makes it a sin to borrow? I don’t know, but do I think borrowing is Biblical, well that’s where I am struggling and I think that we can agree it’s not what we should aspire to.
So, back to my first comments, if we walk in God’s will, can we trust Him to provide what we need and not necessarily what we want and have to have right now? I think so, and when we do, we will have a place to live, food, and clothes to wear, and we will become lenders and not borrowers. Also, Matthew chapter 6 really addresses this whole issue – especially the end of the chapter.
vs 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (insert: or where shall we live?) 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Many of us have been anxious over our debt situation at one point in time or another, especially if we have lost are job or some other financial disaster has hit us. This debt then causes us to sin, since we are told not to be anxious.
It also seems like when we seek the kingdom of God and righteousness, our earthly possessions will be added to us, we won’t have to go seeking after them and going into debt for them. Anyway, this has just been what I have been thinking about lately. I have 2 homes with mortgages on them that are hard to sell right now, so we rent them out. I am not trying to pretend like I haven’t borrowed for a home, but I do wonder how I should proceed from here.
It seems that there is a lot of uncertainty among us regarding the matter of whether or not going into debt is sin for a Christian. I have read the answer clearly in many of your comments: it is written,
1. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
2. It is written, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”
This is very simple math and at its root it is our desire to have what the world has that keeps us from making a clear cut decision to stand on God’s word.
If you can’t serve to masters and the lender is a master, then it is sinful for you to betray the Lord God to serve another master. Since when is treason righteous?
It is also written that, “whoever knows to do the right thing and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
This is simple. If you know that it’s not good to betray God and to try to serve two masters, then it is a sin for you to go into debt. We’ve all had this question about the righteousness of debt because the Holy Spirit has convicted us of its unrighteousness. Please repent. Pay your debts as soon as you can and in singleness of heart, serve the Lord.
I am paying my own debts as we speak, closing credit card accounts, saving to make purchases in cash, and then paying student loan debt.
Pete,
You’ve clearly put these scriptures in perspective.
I know from experience that debt is a bondage. We are in one bondage of student loans and are working hard to get out of. Debt keeps us from living a fulfilled life and even keeps us away of becoming a blessings to people in nee, but it’s no sin to be in debt.
I have been thinking about this: I want to borrow money to buy a rental property. I would be in debt (bondage) to the lender – but (in theory) the rental property would be paying for the debt cost. If my monthly loan note is $400 and I am getting $600 in rent, I am paying back the loan and making some profit (to make the rental worth doing). Since paying back the loan is not dependent upon me going out everyday and using the sweat of my brow (my labor), I look at this as an investment.
Your personal residence in NOT an investment. It is a liability! Why? It cost you money every month, month in and month out; you are not making any money from it, so it is a liability. You may think you will make money when you sell it, but many people are finding they are not making any money upon selling. Even if you do make money, it may not be sold until years or decades down the road from now. In the meantime, it is a liability.
If you feel so strongly that it is a liability, then get rid of it. But if the house is paid off, IT IS AN ASSET. I’d rather own a home free and clear than not.
Technically speaking, in the world of accounting, owning a house with a mortgage means you have both an asset and a liability. The house is an asset (whether paid off or not) and the mortgage is a liability.
I much prefer Robert Kiyosaki’s definitions of assets and liabilities. He likes to view an asset as any that is cash flow positive and a liability as anything that us cash flow negative. So in these terms, your house is a liability because it takes money from your pocket every month (paying heat, hydro, taxes, upkeep, etc.).
Forgive my lack of knowledge on this subject, I’m only in my late teens. My question is, would this also include installment payment plans to pay off something I need for school (a new musical instrument, professional grade since I’m in the music degree program)? I would not be borrowing any money and would be paying it off in increments monthly for about a year while working. Would love input on this. Thanks!
I guess that would depend if you are paying interest on it, and if you had the option of walking away with a refund.
My understanding is that you save to buy. Avoid debt as much as possible.
God also doesn’t want us to be legalistic Genevieve. This is a debt you need to incur to do your studies. Be responsible with your finances but remember God is a good Father. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Use wisdom but don’t be legalistic about it. Enjoy your studies! I’m sure God is enjoying the music you’re making!
Debt, Mortgage, and the Law Merchant
Ecclesiasticus 21:8 (Septuagint – Apocrypha), “He that buildeth his house with other men’s money is like one that gathereth himself stones for the tomb of his burial.”
What is the meaning and origin of the word mortgage? The term mortgage comes from mort and means “death” (as in mortuary or mortality), and gage means “pledge.” Mort-gage means a “dead pledge.” In Bouvier’s Law Dictionary of 1856, Dead-Pledge is defined as “a mortgage of lands or goods.” It’s a pledge of death because its an engagement in debt, which is a neglect or violation of our duty; we’re not supposed to engage in those things. This is why we’re not to owe man anything:
Romans 13:8, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another:”
There is no love when one neglects or violates the Law of God. The definition from Bouvier’s is a full disclosure that one is walking in bondage and death when engaged in mortgages and debt.
Nehemiah 5:3-5, “…We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses…We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards…and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.”
This article will explain how debt brings into captivity he who engages in it.
Proverbs 22:7, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
2 Kings 4:1, “Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.”
When one enter into debt, who is he a servant to? He is a servant to the merchants of the earth, because their law, the Law Merchant, has full jurisdiction over debt within their system. Between brothers there’s not really any debt, because we give and expect nothing in return, for “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). But when we’re dealing with the natural man and we go in debt with the world, we’re entering into a private law, which is known as the lex mercatoria (Law Merchant).
Private law, not God’s Law
This quote is from Stone, Smith, Frank and Rommage, a book called Fundamentals of Business Law, from 1950.
“The merchants of the Italian city states and of the cities that were members of the Hensiatic League rejuvenated general European trade in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, following its almost total abandonment after the fall of Rome. These traders took precepts from the ancient law of the Romans Empire, adapted them to their times, and created customs of trade and ways of doing business that became accepted among the merchants of all Europe. And hence, this body of business, or commercial law, obtained the name Law Merchant. The law of agencies, sales, negotiable instruments, insurance, carriage, debt, guarantees, soffage and transit, liens, partnership and bankruptcy, was made by these traveling, international private merchants.”
In other words, the whole debt system that’s set up today, when one enters into it, one is entering into that private law of those private merchants, and that’s who they become a servant to.
Why Mortgages are Ungodly
The idea of paying interest on anything that is loaned to you is foreign to the Word of God, because interest (usury) is condemned by God (Exodus 22:25-27, Leviticus 25:36-37; 23:19-20, Nehemiah 5:7,10-11, Psalms 15:5, Proverbs 28:8, Isaiah 24:1-3, Ezekiel 18:8,13; 22:12-13). So, when one pays those usury fees (interest) they are partaking of the sin of the merchant who engages in the usury. Simply and directly put:
Deuteronomy 15:6; 28:12, “Thou shalt not borrow.”
Now we’ll look and see how, when a mortgage is contracted, one man is partaking of another man’s sins. Basically, the mortgage system originated in Babylon, and by partaking of the ways of Babylon, we are forsaking God’s ways.
The following quote is from a law Review called The Georgetown Law Journal, written by Judith A. Shapiro. The name of this article is called The Shetar’s Affect on the English Law, a Law of the Jews becomes the Law of the Land. The introduction reads as follows:
“English Law, like the English language, is an amalgam of diverse cultural influences. The legal system may fairly be seen as a composite of discreet elements from disparate sources. After the conquest of 1066, the Normans imposed on the English and efficiently organized social system that crowded out many Anglo Saxon traditions. The Jews, whom the Normans brought to England, in their turn, contributed to the changing English society. The Jews brought a refined system of commercial law. Their own form of commerce and a system of rules to facilitate and govern it. These rules made their way into the developing structure of English law.
“Several elements of historical Jewish practices have been integrated into the English legal system. Notable among these is the written credit agreement, Shetar, or Starr, as it appears in English documents. The basis of the Shetar, or Jewish gauge, was a lean on all property, including realty, that has been traced as a source of the modern mortgage. Under Jewish law, the Shetar permitted a creditor to proceed against all the goods and land of the defaulted debtor. Both movable and immovable property was subjected to distraint.
“In contrast, the obligation of knight service, under Anglo Saxon Norman law, barred a land transfer that would have imposed a new tenant, and therefore, a different knight owing service upon the lord. The dominance of personal feudal loyalties equally forbade the attachment of land in satisfaction of a debt; only the debtor’s chattels could be seized.”
At this point we will pause here and explain the above quote. When someone took out a loan, that loan could not be applied to the land. The land was free of any debt, because it was under knight service. To continue the introduction:
“These rules kept feudal obligations in tact, assuring that the lord would continue to be served by his own knights. When incorporated into English practice, the notion from Jewish law, that debts could be recovered against a loan secured by “all property, movable and immovable”, was a weapon of socio-economic change that tore the fabric of feudal society and established the power of liquid wealth in place of land holding.”
So, they brought in the Shetar as a weapon, and it completely changed what debt could apply itself to. And it is now the modern mortgage system. Previously to that law being implemented, the land could never be taken from you, but of course today it can. And to continue:
“The crusades of the twelfth century opened an era of change in feudal England. To obtain funds from Jews, nobles offered their land as collateral, although the Jews, as aliens, could not hold land in fee simple, they could take security interest in substantial money value. That Jews were permitted to hold security interest in land, they did not occupy expanded interest in land beyond the traditional tendencies. The separation of possessory interest from interest in fee contributed to the decline of the rigid feudal land tenure structure.”
So, when they bring in a new law, it changes it slightly, and then over time they bring in new laws. Similar to what the Federal government does today. They’ll bring in just a little change that really doesn’t affect much, then they’ll bring in another little change, and so on and so forth, and before you know it everything is turned upside down and things aren’t exactly as they used to be. And finally:
“At the same time, the strength of the feudal system had inheritant resistance to this widespread innovation abated. By 1250, scuttage had completely replaced feudal services. Tenant obligations had been reduced to money payments, and as the identity of the principles in the landlord tenant relationship became less critical, a change in the feudal rules restricting alienability of interest in land became possible.”
The Shetar
Now, in the same law review under the section The Jewish Credit Agreement in Feudal England, page 1182, it explains the more intricate history of the Shetar in Jewish law.
“The law of the Shetar developed and elaborated by 500 A.D. in the Babylonian Talmud, antedates the Norman conquest by six centuries. Historically, the Shetar was an instrument that established formal obligation either in contract or in debt. At the moment that a debtor acknowledged his indebtedness through a Shetar, a general lien was established encumbering all the debtors property as security for ultimate repayment. In case of default, the creditor could proceed not only against “movable and immovable property” held by the debtor, but also against encumbered land that the debtor had transferred to a third party. The debt attached to the land and the creditors lien had priority over subsequent alienations.
“Because of the severe obligation imposed by the Shetar, the contents of the instrument followed a standard form designed to insure authenticity and precision. Each Shetar recited standard clauses of obligation, the creditor’s right to customary modes of execution, and a final phrase stating that the document was not merely a forum, but a statement of an express contract. Inserted into the forum language were the names of the parties, the sum and the currency of the debt, and the date of the obligation, thereby indicating the creation of the lien. To prevent fraud, the document was signed by two witnesses who knew the parties.”
So when you see the description of the original Shetar, it’s the same description of the modern mortgage. To continue:
“A nation of wanderers, in adapting a variety of cultures, determined that the language in which the Shetar was written should be irrelevant to its legal validity. Thus, in dealings with a surrounding Gentile populous, Jews were content that loan agreements be formalized in Latin or in the Norman French of early England. Generally, the Jewish parties and witnesses were to test in Hebrew and the Christians in French or Latin. Although neither party may have understood the other’s language, the document had the full force of law in both communities.
“The crucial limitation on debt collection under Jewish law was that a creditor had a lien against the debtor’s land, but not against the debtor’s person. Personal freedom was not to be diminished by a debt obligation, and a creditor could not enslave one who was unable to repay him. The origin of this practice was the biblical protection of the dignity of debtors as embodied in the injunction not to enter the debtor’s home to receive a pledge, but rather to wait outside for the debtor to bring it out. This was the structure of the law of obligation that the Jews brought with them to England.”
So, what we see here is the modern mortgage system and its origin. It came out of the Babylonian Talmud, and it was adopted by the merchants of the world, the banking system, etc. Therefore, it is fully revealed that he who engages in a mortgage is yoked with those of the world.
“Ruling during an era of socio-economic change from 1272 to 1307, king Edward was want to legislate accordingly, and Edward was weary of the Jews. Thus, he issued laws forbidding the Jews from holding real property, denying them usurious practice and ordering them to wear distinctive dress and identifying badges.”
So Hitler did nothing new when he forbade Jews from owning land and making them wear distinctive dress and identifying marks. On its face, it would appear that he was repeating history, but:
“Even as he restricted Jewish money lenders, Edward expanded the universe of non-Jewish money lending. He had before him a model of secured debt contracts, enforced for centuries by the royal courts for the royal users.”
What we see from the above is that the “non-Jews” picked-up on the ways of the Jews and became “one” with them and their Babylonian Talmud. So, we’re not talking strictly about the Jews. We’re talking about the spirit of anti-Christ which is promoted and enlarged by the kings and merchants of the earth.
“In the statute of merchants in 1285, Edward extended to creditors the forms of registry, remedy, and enforcement that had previously been the substance of the exchequer of the Jews. Under the statute, a debtor acknowledged the existence of his debt before the mayor and one of the recording clerks. The clerks recorded the debt in two rolls, one to remain with the mayor and one with the clerks. In his own recognizable handwriting, the clerk prepared a debt instrument to which the debtor affixed his seal and the officials affixed the king’s seal. This instrument was given to the creditor who would present it to the mayor and the courts to prove his rights if the debtor defaulted.
“More than the enrollment procedures paralleled the structures of the exchequer of the Jews, the remedies also extended to Christian creditors the relief formally available only to Jews. No longer was a Christian creditor’s released before judgment limited by the debtor’s absence. If the Christian creditor presented to the mayor a matured acknowledged debt instrument corresponding to an enrolled debt he had established full right to relief. If the debtor did not pay, the creditor eventually obtained access to the debtor’s lands even as the Jews had done for years. And if the creditor was ejected from the debtor’s lands, he could bring an asseize of novel desizen to be put back in possession. The statute of merchants expressly allowed merchant’s “damages and all necessary and reasonable costs in their labors, suits, delays and expenses,” the same label that disguised otherwise usurious interest in Jewish contracts. Finally, the king assumed the duty of maintaining the Role of Debts affixing his seal next to the debtor’s and charging one penny for each pound of obligation. The new law expressly excluded Jews.”
We see then how this spirit was developed and promoted. The Jews “invented” it, the Christians bought “rights” to the “invention,” and then the king, to make this spirit “appear” Christian, excluded the original “inventors,” the Jews. And then he went even further to complete the ruse:
“Five years after the statute of merchants, Edward the first expelled the Jews from England. Religious hostility was rife. Repeated atalages had depleted the Jew’s resources in lessened their value to the king’s purse. No longer were the Jews the unique source of credit in England. By the statute of merchants, Edward had granted to all non-Jewish creditors the same remedies and procedural rights previously available to the Jews. Debts were secured by land and the security interests survived the death of the creditor and the alienation of the property. In addition to the property that escheated to the king on their departure, the Jews left behind a law of debtors and creditors developed in the Talmud, introduced in the exchequer and preserved in the laws of England.
“Traces of the Shetar procedures survived for centuries in English law. A sealed debt continued to be discharged only by a deed of release or by cancellation or destruction of the debt instrument. The practice of debt cancellation by requiring return of the pes of the chirograph continued from 1194 until its abolition by statute in 1833. Most important, the encumbrance of real property permitted by the Jewish law of the Shetar had been adopted by English law. Bonds contained the traditional Hebrew formula of pledging “all my goods, movable and immovable.” Creditors had the statutory right to execute against the debtor’s land. No longer were personal obligations and rights in land rigidly separate. Even while Edward was divesting himself of his Jewish money lenders, he made their legacy permanent. A small but significant principle of Jewish law wherein personal debt superceded rights in real property had become the law of the land.”
Oh, that crafty serpent! The ways of the Babylonian Talmud mortgage practices became part of the common law of England. The law of the merchants of the earth in England was merged with the Common Law of England, which up to that time contained only Biblical Law. So today, the term “Common Law” includes the Law Merchant. The merger took place in England in the 1600’s through a court decision by Lord Mansfield, and was then brought to America and “incorporated” into the Federal and State constitutions (i.e., the Common Law of England shall rule in all cases of law and equity).
So, we see how man has taken what was once a private way of doing things, and they’ve made it all part of the Law Merchant, the Lex Mercatoria. The above is an example of why Proverbs 22:7 warns us about those who join with and engage in the ways of the heathen:
Proverbs 22:7, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
The Answer
People ask, “Well, what can we do about it?” The only answer is to stop partaking of it. Follow the ways of the Lord in your dealings with others. Remember, the Lord provides for all of our needs. We’re not to seek those things of the world. And if your heart is truly after Him, you will abandon those things and find, through Him, His alternatives and His ways. It all comes down to Faith. You go to His Word and you go to prayer and He will show you the way. He always does. And that walk of Faith results in knowing, and then seeing, that he will provide for you when you walk in His ways.
Joshua 24:15, “…choose you this day whom ye will serve;”
When you enter into the debt system that’s “set up” today, you’re entering into that private law of those private merchants, and that’s who you become a servant to. You’re serving sin, because our Lord rejected all those things of the Roman Empire. As He rejected those things, we must also.
Now, words are easy to say, but doing it is always the difficult part. People are in debt and they don’t know how to get out of it, or they don’t think they can survive in the world without going into debt, especially in the area of buying a house and the mortgage system. And, along with that, everyone believes they must have just as good of a house as everyone else. So, it has a lot with being spoiled and going for our wants instead of our needs.
When you walk with the Lord, he provides all of our needs (Matthew 6:26-33; Luke 12:28-31, Philippians 4:19, Psalm 34:10). It’s our wants that get us into debt. We have to put all those wants behind us and stop looking to the things of the flesh to satisfy us, because there is no satisfaction there.
Psalms 23:1, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Psalms 23:1 (Septuagint), “The LORD tends me as a shepherd, and I shall not want anything.”
We are shown at 1 Samuel 22:1-2 that those who were “in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented,” abandoned all of those things and they went to a man of the Lord (David) and had him rule over them. They abandoned that yoke and heavy burden of bondage of the ways of the heathen, and exchanged it for a yoke that is easy and a burden that’s light (Matthew 11:30). And we must do the same thing; we must put all those things behind us and follow Christ Jesus only, and not the ways of the world. Without bringing you into bondage through debt, the beast has no power.
If we read the history of God’s people, we find that sin always leads to slavery. And that’s why we must follow His Words and His Commandments.
Leviticus 25:23, “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.”
http://www.ecclesia.org/truth/debt.html
I concur with what you say. And I find a sense of refreshing as you reference the Bible and history. I would only say that this venue/format here may not be the place to write a “book” about the subject. The length of your discourse may cause people to skip over the whole thing.
How dare you try to silence someone for sharing valuable thoughts & information. Who made you the expert on how long or short a comment should be? Your comment contributes absolutely nothing to the discourse. I have to wonder why you bothered. Oh, did you read this far Drew? Congrats!
Amazing article, Sheila. I don’t know all the facts and data, but ……. amazing research. I am preaching on Christian Financial Principles and have struggled with why we do what we do, and how does scripture apply ….. or not regarding the thorny issue of mortgages.
I wholeheartedly disagree with Drew’s comment. And I mean WHOLEHEARTEDLY. I read your whole post & relished every word. I came here looking for answers & your post delivered in spades, while others did not. But then I’m not of the “sound bite” generation & appreciate very much when people share their deeper insights. The bubbleheaded majority wants everything to be meaningless, trite & fleeting because they’ve been conditioned to think & behave in a sheep-like manner, blindly following the trends of this world. They are of this world & don’t even realize it. The gall just infuriates me. He may just as well have said hey, your post is too insightful for this venue, take it somewhere else so no searchers can find it. These are the people who prefer nonstop entertainment over valuable elucidation, & it’s no coincidence that this attitude is rampant in the “itching ears” churches these days. I’m only 5 years into my Christian walk & even I know that iron sharpens iron. I separate myself from those who refuse to engage in meaningful dialogue & I give them a piece of my mind too, because I know who their father is. Sorry to rant on your excellent post but I’ve had it with dismissive, self-satisfied “Christians” who contribute nothing, but try to crowd out intelligence in the Church because their scroll finger got tired. So I’ve had my say & thank you again for clearing up many questions I came here with. I’ll go ahead & read the linked article as well. Bless you sister.
Love the article, I just wrote a blog post responding to it. Check it out at: http://wp.me/p5BFPf-m
Could it be possible and permissible, even desirable to actually use debt to advance our service to God?
No, debt is clearly not God’s ideal. And no Israelite was allowed to go into deb beyond 7 years. Even then they had to commit their entire family to servitude.
Debt to bless God?- that is clearly missing and messing the scriptures even more than this author did.
This is something that I’m really struggling with right now…..I really want to go back to school next year following a two year hiatus in which God called me to go into music performance. The money just isn’t there right now, and I’m so scared that even though I want to go back SOOO badly and just study for my degree and be a better musician because of it, that He is going to say “no”. Someone said that He wants me to take a year off and be involved in the church praise and worship team with my instrument, which is a possibility. I know we aren’t supposed to apply human logic to God’s ways (and I still have trouble with whether or not I should even plan anything or go by logic anyway….logic and faith seem to be complete opposites) and we are supposed to deny ourselves, but I do not see how another year off would benefit me because right now it’s difficult to take lessons from my university clarinet teacher since I’m not enrolled and she has other students who are her priority because they are. It could only be detrimental because I wouldn’t be improving or practicing consistently to do so. I also know from experience it says though that if we delight in Him, God will give us the desires of our hearts…….however I’m on His time now………the idea of taking another year is tormenting me, won’t let me go, and is discouraging me to the point where I just don’t want to even try to go back to school ever again. I don’t know if He’s telling me that He does want another year off or not, and I’m scared that He’ll pull the rug out from under me at the last minute or that if I do try to take out student loans He’ll get mad and punish me……What do I do?
Lillie – please speak with the elders of your church for understanding this statement: While God very much can act in Holy wrath towards His enemies, He will NOT act in wrath towards His own child, who seeks Him in their actions and desires Him with all their hearts. God IS to be fear because He is mighty, but His love is a gift beyond imagining and the capacity for Him to be “mad” at you, while an understandable concept from a human perspective, simply isn’t possible. As a child of God He may discipline you, but it is never in anger, always in love… The most pure form of love. If you read your Bible and seek the Wisdom of God in those words, as well as in your prayers, He will lead you to the answer to your question so that you will not fear punishment. At the same time, I highly recommend joining a Bible study group… Don’t forget, God commands it of us that we worship not just in the church, but outside of it as well, in communion and fellowship! Use that study time to grow in your relationship with Christ and your understanding of this will lead your steps in ways you never knew was possible. I am sorry no one ever answered your question, and I think it’s best that you ask those spiritual leaders that you trust (or will learn to trust with time) that are in your community, to gain the truth you seek. God bless.
I agree with Thomas Lillie. God loves you! He is good! He is not watching to make sure you do everything just right. I believe it is more distressing to God that you are so fearful of making the wrong choice. He is a good God and is more than able to redirect you if necessary. Trust His goodness! I believe there are times when God has a specific direction for our lives that He will show us, but most of the time He just wants us to trust Him and make decisions. Proverbs 3:5-6 says; Trust in the LORD with all your heart.and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. My understanding is that acknowledging God means acknowledging what He says about Himself, ie; He is gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, sovereign, your “Abba, Father”. He is longsuffering, keeps no record of wrongs. His love never fails, etc. You are safe with Him!
The verses you used to support the idea of taking on debt had nothing to do with being the borrower. They spoke of giving. And having a heart of giving. And you ignored the verses thy explicitly say do not owe anything anything.
Paul instructed Timothy to travel to Rome and bring an ornate cloak.
He instructed the early Thessolonian church to STOL dispensing food charity to abled bodied persons who refused to work.
He wished Gaius financial prosperity in this life.
He instructed the early Corinthians not to marry unless the reason for marriage was so they could make whoopie without sinning.
AND
He instructed the early Roman church, which lacked the funds to evangelize as far and wide as it’s leaders wished, not to go into debt.
I do not believe God prohibits debt any more or less than He requires all modern day Christians to carry ornate cloaks to Rome.
Those passages appear in the Bible to inspire us to provide charity to prisoners and to warn us against going into expressive debt to funds our churches and missions.
Romans 13:8 is an interesting verse – “let no debt remain outstanding”. I have long thought about that as you said. However, I noticed that that is the NIV translation. Almost every other translation on biblehub, which includes the major ones, says something like “owe no one anything”. (http://biblehub.com/romans/13-8.htm)
Bible translation is very important to get right. Obviously it is not an exact science and translators do their best. However, it seems like the NIV may be inaccurate here, given that most other reputable translations are significantly different. (perhaps influenced by the culture)
The ESV says “Owe no one anything”, NLT says “Owe nothing to anyone”, and NASB says “Owe nothing to anyone “. These translations seem to indicate that you really probably ought to not go into debt.
I have been thinking about why we shouldn’t go into debt, and I think it is because as the bible (and you) point out, you become a slave to the lender until the debt is paid. As Christians Christ paid for our freedom, so why should we give up our freedom? Paul writes:
“Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. … God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.” 1 Co 21-23 NLT
I want to always be able to do what God wants me to do in life. For that reason I should avoid debt. Obviously if you take out a mortgage on a house, it is not the worst kind of debt as it is backed by a security. However, I still think it is worth pointing out that the NIV version is probably mistranslated.
My concern is that the interest being paid on a loan, is not being a good steward of our finances.
Rather than saving in advance, possibly collecting interest on the savings, interest fees are paid, money thrown away instead of being used for God’s work.
I had the exact opposite fear, but my 30 year mortgage payment was about the cost of drive through lunch cheaper than renting. And fixed expense vs rent increases (avoid spending more later, like saving, sounds like good stewardship to me.)
Interest may throw away money, but if your interest is less than rent, you’d throw away less. Plus what if you live more than 30 years, then will you continue renting thinking that you were a bad steward for not buying? Also remember the one-talent guy didn’t try, he was a lazy coward, the others worked (possibly risking a negative outcome). My guess is the boss would have expressed less displeasure from an investment that went bad than not trying. And also remember that guy that was not the best, but still earned some. He was not perfect or even as good as the best of the workers. He still was extolled for good work. So you don’t have to be perfect. Just do your best and in all things trust in Him.
We are led to believe through marketing and public opinion that having a car or house that we do not have money for is normal and there is nothing at all wrong with it. If we are not worried about impressing people, or keeping up with the Jones’, it is not difficult to own a home with no mortgage. If we only buy what we need in America, we need very little money to live comfortably. The average American spends nearly $500,000 throughout their lifetime on interest. That is not smart. A fool and his money are soon parted. I would love to see Christians stop ignoring all of these verses about money and debt.
That being said, I don’t think it is a sin. However, if staying out of debt is not important, why is it mentioned in the Bible so many times?
So you bought your house mortgage free?
Can any of us add any height to his stature? Can any one change his hair to white? In other words who can promise to be alive beyond today? Who can predict the span of their own life? Yet anyone with a mortgage has promised to be alive in 30 years. Furthermore most people consider themselves homeowners who have obtained a mortgage and not home borrowers. And most Lord that assumption over others. Just because they are in the process of buying a house, they behave as if they have already fulfilled their vows of repayment.
I’m going to bring up another question. Knowing that the mark of the beast will be upon us soon, and we who refuse the mark will not be able to pay off the mortgage, does that knowledge make taking out a mortgage now, sin? Or if a senior decides they do not want to rent any longer but wants to have their own home that they know they will never be able to pay off, does that make having a mortgage sin? The lender will sell the house and will recoup the loan amount easily if a big enough down payment is made (e.g. over 50%).
I’m someone who has struggled with this teaching for a ling time and hope that my story might give some input.
I found Christ in a very trying time in my life where, amongst other things, I was taking a forced leave of absence from pursuing my degree because of money issues. I eventually ended up in a church that was a cult without realizing it and was deceived for two years before God rescued me and opened my eyes. I left that church and He made a,way for me to go back to school that fall, but I was still struggling with how I would pay for it and that debt = sin. Ling story short, I stayed working at the job I had while I was gone from school, whose schedule was impossible to do a Ling with a full courseload even after my employer modified my schedule so that it would be doable. I wanted so badly to quit and just take classes in a very challenging major but insisted on staying there because those who counseled me made me feel like what I wanted to do was something sinful and shameful. I failed that semester trying to balance both and didn’t figure out until it was too late that God had put the desire in my heart to do what I wanted…my newfound faith was wrecked, my life was wrecked and for three years I was in a downward spiral of depression that almost caused me to commit suicide. The teaching of debt=sin ruined my life…
That being said, God has been teaching me a lot in this area since then and like all things that aren’t explicitly sinful in scripture, the motive of our transformed hearts is what determines whether something like this is sin or not. If we take out debt that we don’t need when we don’t have to because we want things we can’t have without it, things we don’t need, then yes, it would be sinful. But in my case, taking out debt for just one semester until I found another job that would work around my school schedule would have been honorable, because it would have kept my faith and my life in him intact… I could have been serving and growing and fellowshipling with my new church family rather than slending all of the nights that I should have been with them working so I could pay for school all in cash as I was made to believe I had to as a Christian. My fall semester was already paid for from having saved up enough money the year before I went back, it was the spring that i was trying to save up for…I wish I would have just followed God’s lead and quit…
I am a man who just turned 64 a few days ago, and I am also a Christian for the past 43 years. I have never been a man that wasn’t in debt over the years. I just bought a new home, also a new truck, and now I lay in bed wondering how to pay for this. Also, I know because of my age I will have to finish work in a few years.
I feel so stupid to have done what I have done to borrow for this. I just wanted my wife to have a good home but I feel a slave to my debt, also I feel since I have read your article that I have sinned before God, what advice do you have for me on this matter? I would love to be debt free but I don’t see it any day soon or years to come.
As mentioned above I don’t necessarily think that being in debt is sinful, although from the verses mentioned above and elsewhere, I do think being in debt is discouraged.
I can understand how the debt is weighing on you though, it is hard knowing there are obligations out there, and sometimes not knowing how you’re going to pay for them.
All I can do is recommend that possibly you sit down with an independent financial counselor, possibly someone you find through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, and they can help you to come up with a plan for the debt.
You may want to consider making some tough choices whether it’s downsizing to a less expensive home, getting an older used truck – instead of the new one, and other things. Usually a credit counselor can help you to identify the steps you should consider taking. God bless!
Using a credit card or taking out a mortgage is theft, plain and simple, which is not mentioned so far.
Using a debit card or savings is not theft as it draws from funds already in your account honestly earned.
When funds are used with a credit card or borrowed for a mortgage, money is created out of thin air to pay for your purchase. This is the fractional reserve banking system. It does not come from another person’s savings. Do not dismiss this, however research it. Once you pay off your debt, the ‘thin air’ money is destroyed and the money supply goes back to where it was before you borrowed. In some cases, it takes 40 years for the money to be extinguished.
Where most people go wrong is not understanding the modern banking system in that by creating more money, you diminish its value thus cheating your neighbour of value by your spending habits and deeds. The more you borrow, the more money you create by using credit cards and debt – the more you cheat others and steal value from them. This is the reason for the high price of housing today as borrowers have increased the money supply and demand for housing as well as diminishing the purchasing power of the money. University tuition too. This harms the poor most and turns the People into their own worst enemies.
As value is taken and stolen, the value people place in themselves in the way they earn a living as well as the value they project onto others is devalued in a downward spiral. Where one person could provide for a family of four, now it takes 2 to do so. How does that make you feel not being able to provide like your father did for you? Isn’t called the rat race for anything.
Notice that society’s values and morals have diminished in correlation with the money supply being inflated and devalued away. If you borrow in this modern system, you are part of the problem. As they say, ignorance is no excuse.
There is nothing wrong with being in debt to your neighbour or paying him interest if jointly invested in a producing going concern if one’s labour produces a bounty and the money is borrowed from physical savings and not fractionally, the surplus can be shared. All in the community benefit as the amount of money does not change but becomes more valuable as there are now more products produced. It’s a virtuous upward cycle that builds society and its values with sound morals where one’s word is one’s bond. Not so much today.
This should be the natural state of affairs whereby the money deflates over time and becomes more valuable making you and your neighbours richer. Sadly today it’s the opposite that takes place where the rich who control the money, get richer and in the process making the people hypocrites when pointing the finger at sinners and thieves.
The Devi’s in the details.
Baja, You are confusing currency with wealth. There is no physical representation of all wealth in the world. Wealth is the compilation of what society as a whole values. I could invent new intellectual property, such as new music or software, tomorrow and everybody might want it enough to pay for it. There wouldn’t need to be a pile of gold somewhere invented to account for the new value created. And of course the government does not keep track of the day to day values of every single product or service and add or subtract cash. Currency is simply a medium of exchange that society accepts. It just needs to be something relatively difficult to copy so it can be controlled. It is needed to grease the wheels so to speak for transactions of wealth. If there is too much grease, inflation occurs. Too little, deflation (which is why we don’t back things with gold anymore – not enough of it out there!). Many conservatives get hung up on things like the gold standard without understanding the difference between wealth and currency. There really isn’t an issue with fractional lending because that is not how the value of money is controlled. The federal reserve sets prime borrowing rates as a lever to help keep the value of money in balance.
This is such a good topic and great discussion from so many of you. I’ve been challenged by this same thing. One of the thoughts I’ve had is the difference between borrowing for a home (mortgage) vs paying rent. A rental is ‘owed’ money. You are agreeing to pay someone an amount of money to live there (and you won’t have any ownership 15 or 30 years down the road as you would with a mortgage). Is there wisdom in using a mortgage (even with paying interest) knowing you can and hopefully will pay it off and own it someday? If you are concerned with interest on a loan then I would look at the rent as 100% interest as you have no principle after you make your monthly payment. I do see everyone’s point about not borrowing would be best but is there wisdom in the house scenario? Also, the same for buying a rental property. If you can make a positive cash flow monthly (and it isn’t going to break you if you have some expenses or vacancy for a couple of months) is it wise to make money on it? I have known people who have done this and own 20 properties before they retire and are debt free. Also, the agreement on a mortgage is if you don’t pay your mortgage payment the lender will take the house back (not your children as in the old testament). It seems fair. I know the ends doesn’t justify the means but is it so black and white? I really am open to everyone in this discussion and am learning so I am interested in hearing your opinions on this. Thanks!
I really appreciate your point, and was SO thankful I stayed here long enough to read the last comment. That is the exact place we are at. We sold our home to get out of debt and God has blessed us to become 100% debt-free. After selling our home, we have rented for the past almost three years, and we calculated how much we have spent in rent, and it is over $31,000!!!! Now, our landlady is selling our rental, and we have to move. You are SO right in saying the entering into a rental contract is a commitment. My family and I have discussed this. When we sign a lease and say we will pay our landlady $885 per month in rent, we are “binding” ourselves for a period of time, and when we leave the rental, we will have nothing but memories to show for what we have spent. YET, we feel clearly that the Lord has gone to great lengths to deliver us from debt, and He never leads backwards. To think of signing another mortgage loan application and going back into such long-term bondage just doesn’t feel right, either. So, what to do? We are seeking the Lord so earnestly because we do not want to get out of His will, and that is truly our main concern. We found a place that is for sale that (after the maximum amount of down-payment we could possibly pay) would enable us to pay about $300-$350 per month toward a mortgage versus paying about $900-950 in rent. The rentals in our area are outlandishly expensive, and that is probably about what we will have to pay in order to rent a place where our family will feel safe. We are also very open to moving out of our area and going anywhere God leads us to, which is what we would have to do to buy the place I spoke of above where our house payment would be so low. Of course, the goal would be to own a home without a mortgage, but that just isn’t possible for us right now, and it is hard to save the remaining amount we would need to buy with cash when we are pouring such a high amount of income into rent each month. We SO need God’s direction right now. My request is that any brothers and sisters in Christ who read this would pray for us that God will help us to have wisdom to know what to do. Thank you so much!
If borrowing were a sin, Jesus would not have sternly rebuked the man who was given 1 talent and who simply buried it for a long time (Mt. 25:14-30). Jesus affirms banking in this parable, and banks can’t pay interest to depositors without having customers who borrow from them.
Also, banks often share guidelines that work just as well for Christians as anyone else: no more than 33% of your net income should go to housing and no more than 10% to unsecured debt. Avoid “usury” interest rates (anything over 10%). Borrow a reasonable amount for an important life event like a college education or a medical emergency but be sure you stay within these percentages if possible.
This parable is not about money its about investing in God what he has invested in you. Also, if you will listen and hear what God is saying then the answer to going in debt is simple but if you have not learned to pay attention and hear what God is saying then you it will be a struggle. For those that are mature in God you know the answer for those that have not come into maturity your leaders should know what to tell you. I am reading this because I too struggle with the question but not anymore. Lots of people say it is ok to go into debt but what does the scripture say about it. Just because he said they took debt doesn’t mean he was for debt. Like Balam, he prayed to go with the men to curse Israel and God said no but then he asked again and he said go ahead. Basically, go because you will do what you want to do.
Hi, I agree that biblically debt is not a sin if used wisely; however, it is so freeing to live debt free; bring my desires down to God’s gracious provisions and enjoy the thrill of giving lavishly to God’s work; his people; his purposes.
I know this article is a year old, but I would like to chime in. My husband and I have been married 5 years. We attend a faith based church. Similar to the teachings of Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Copeland, Bill Winston and Creflo Dollar. Three years ago our pastor preached on Dream Big. That night my husband heard clearly from God that we are not to operate as the world does and not to get a mortgage. At first I was hesitant, but he was adamant that it was from God. So fast forward we are still renting. Each year our rent goes up to meet the market value. We’re at like 1,100 a month now. Our gross is about 120,000 a year. We found our dream home online and checked it out. My husband has not wavered from what God said. I need clarity because I don’t want to be like Sarah in the Bible and not believe the word of the Lord, but I question did God say he would give us our first home debt free or one down the line? It’s a lot of grey areas because my husband hasn’t heard much else from God as far as direction in these three years. Now the main reason we need a house is because we throw Huge Christian Game nights and they were always thrown at my parents house. Circumstances happened where we no longer could use the home. An alternative is renting a venue, but it gets quite costly, and not as comfortable as a home, seeing you have to be out by a certain time. So we are fasting and seeking God, we are on our third day. I haven’t heard from God clearly yet in this fast whether to stay in this apartment until God gives us a debt free home or just continue the home buying process and maybe God will wipe the debt while in the home.
My husband and I took out a bankruptcy last year and since then things have been really bad, but things were bad before the bankruptcy, but since the bankruptcy things seem to just keep repeating. We love the Lord and know what the word says about bankruptcy but now we are in despair, we are living in a three bedroom apartment with our 13 year old son and my husbands mother who is a drunk we live in fear because of the way she is around our son. We want to look for a new place, we want to buy our own property we have $400 saved but no one that we know would sell property for that cheap, or would rent a house for that cheap! We have asked the Lord to give us a place that we could raise our son without being in gossip central! Please keep us in your prayers and if you have any wisdom to help us out please let us know! We need a new place by the end of November Lord willing!
Good info! To me lending is paying back and borrow is using someone, never paying or intending to. Thoughts? Agape!
Food for thought: If taking out a mortgage is considered debt, is renting someone’s apartment or home considered debt? You have to sign a contract attesting that you will pay a certain amount of money every month including utilities and some may include upkeep of yard as well. If we are going that deep, you are in debt to the one that owns the thing that you are using/borrowing for whatever period of time.
If it is a sin to have debt, then either we have to have parents that have a home that is fully paid and we live there until we have enough cash to buy our own or we live on the street.
I had this conversation with my spouse many times. I fall on the side of being a good steward over the finances. A good steward is someone that buys within a percentage of their means. I believe as Christians, we should get direction from the Holy Spirit on how to make a budget for the family. This means how much do we spend:
1. Savings
2. House (mortgage or rent)
3. Food
4. Utilities
5. Insurance
6. Transportation/Gas
7. Education
8. Activities
9. Miscellaneous (clothing, supplies, dues/subscriptions, etc)
All of these things should be a percentage of your monthly income after tithe. Being a good steward means that you look for the best price.
If the rentals in my neighborhood are $1800+ for a 2 bedroom home (there are no apartments) and the homes in my area start at $210,000 for a 2 bedroom (that is approximately $1271 per month including insurance and taxes). What would be a considered a good steward, the one that pays someone else $1800 per month with nothing to sell, or the person who pays $1271 per month with something to sell?
In the Scripture of Matthew 25:27, I believe the Lord is telling us to use the brain and spirit He gifted us with. Blessings!
I have read quite a bit on biblical finances what got me was the word say if you owe someone they own you. I am in the time of my life I only want to be owned by Father God. This is my first reason not to have debt.
Second if we don’t apply God’s rules he set out we open doors for satan to mess you finances good and solid.
God want’s us to be Sowers then we will receive 100 fold back if you sow out debt due it’s not your money till its paid off you can’t say you have sown out your blessing. My next reason is God yell us our need he will supply so don’t think it’s Good to have any debt. I need to find how do the right things to be able to get much finances to do as God has put on my heart
If debt were a sin, Jesus would never have berated the man who buried his money (“talent”) in the ground. Instead he praised the other two men who invested their money in the bank. Which means the banking is OK. And banking doesn’t exist unless banks lend money and earn some interest.
Something that was never brought up here is usury, jesus teaches against usury i think its pretty clearly wrong. Christians won’t support companies that are openly promoting homosexuality or commiting other sins but when it comes to usury they are perfectly fine accepting a loan that requires an interest payment. I think we need to be consistent sin is sin and supporting banks and credit card companies is essentialy participating in thier sin imo