To navigate through today’s world, we have to have money. If we don’t have enough, we struggle to pay bills, keep a home, put food on the table, and live a quality life. So, to keep up with soaring costs, it may be tempting to take out a loan.
For Christians, this is becoming an ever-increasing issue of conflict between faith and survival. If you are true to your belief but you’re looking to get a loan, consider the possibility it’s a sin to do so.
To understand why debt is a sin, we should examine a few passages from the Bible.
Benign Debt
Before delving in, it’s equally important to understand that debt, of itself, isn’t a sin. It’s who you choose to loan money from and the terms you agree on that make it a sin.
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family-qa/biblical-perspective-on-debt/
For instance, if you borrow money from a friend and faithfully pay it back, there is no harm in this. As long as all parties are honest, no sin is underfoot.
You can see the truth in this through Ecclesiastes 5:5, Romans 13:8, and Psalm 37:21. Ensure you repay your debts for it is wicked not to do so. Even if your lender dies, you should still repay your debt in full.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD0xQDYWK94
That said, though, we shouldn’t owe anything to each other except love because love is the whole of the law.
Sinful Debt
Conversely, if you have no money and choose a 30-year variable rate mortgage with a banking institution known for its nefariousness, you are involving yourself in a dance with the devil. You are intentionally and knowingly handing over your free will to the enslavement of a principality.
https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com/blog/2021/4/16/what-does-the-bible-say-about-debt
You are taking on the liability that, in case you fail to pay, they can do whatever they want with you. This will include kicking you out of your home and preventing you from acquiring any further credit. In some cases, jail time and confiscation of your earnings can also result.
This will leave you in a sea of debt you may never be able to pay back. Your life then becomes in service to your lender rather than to the Almighty. And this, ladies and gentleman, is very much a sin; one that you can avoid from the get-go.
Bible Passages about Debt
There are around 59 mentions of debt in the Bible, but there are a few worth noting in relationship to incurring personal debt. Many verses from Proverbs and Matthew are some of the more powerful to note.
Proverbs 22
Two spots in Proverbs 22 are particularly poignant; line 7 and then again in lines 26 to 27.
- In the first instance, it specifically states that in the rich ruling the poor, a person that borrows becomes the slave of the lender.
- The second case directs us to not take a loan if you don’t have the money to pay it back. You will “take your bed from under you.” In other words, you may end up having more taken from you than what you began with.
Matthew 6
Matthew 6 is also another book with two areas of distinct discussion concerning debts.
- In line 24, Jesus states that no one can have more than one master. In essence, you cannot serve God and have wealth at the same time, it doesn’t work. It’s either one or the other, it’s not realistic to serve both.
- Shortly after, Jesus gives assurance in lines 31 through 33 where he instructs us not to worry about what to eat, drink and wear.
God understands we have to have these things and he will provide them. But we must first “seek His kingdom and His righteousness.” In other words, trust in God and he will provide all you need.
Conclusion
Because of soaring costs, real estate speculations, corporate conglomerations, and the municipal takeover of big tech, obtaining and saving money is becoming more difficult. So, to only put your trust in the Lord may seem ignorant, foolish, or even naïve.
But, to be free of sin and bask in God’s love, we must be wise about what kinds of debts we choose to incur.
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