Debt And The Conscientious Christian

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” [1]

Living beyond one’s means has become de rigueur in the contemporary world. It is virtually impossible to imagine the average family in this day living within their means—living without either credit cards or a line of credit (often maxed out), or without incurring significant debt; and this contention rests on the assumption that major purchases such as houses or transportation are not included in the indebtedness of a family. Yet, the Word of God clearly calls Christians to live within their means, avoiding unnecessary debt.

There are far too few messages instructing the people of God concerning their responsibility to manage their finances in a godly manner. This lack of sermons is not because God has nothing to say about the wealth He entrusts to us. The few messages addressing stewardship that are delivered in this day are often resented by those listening. This is undoubtedly because many Christians assume that it is “their” money, and they will do with it as they wish. No one will be permitted to tell them what to do with their money! Nevertheless, the Word of God presents the uncomfortable truth that what we possess is not really ours. Rather, we are appointed as administrators of the grace of God, and the administrative duty we have been assigned includes the responsibility to wisely manage the moneys and the goods we have. What we hold has been entrusted to our overwatch by our gracious Lord so that we can serve Him by blessing others.

I have repeatedly observed that the Lord provides in ample fashion for those who order their lives by the principles of the Christian Faith. Moreover, His people are taught to enjoy what they do possess. In part, this is because we who follow the Saviour enjoy the rich blessings He confers on His people. It is also true that those individuals who walk in the light of the Word are not wastrels, squandering what God has entrusted to their oversight on the tawdry baubles of this world—trifles that are destined for dust. They are conscientious, investing what they have for God’s glory, instead of hoarding to their own hurt. They live in the light of God’s love, enjoying His gracious provisions, instead of living in fear of an unknown tomorrow. They act wisely to address their responsibilities instead of adopting a Pollyanna attitude toward the future. These beneficial traits flow from conviction instead of being incidental to their lives.

One verse of Scripture that is overlooked, perhaps because of its simplicity, or possibly because it seemingly occurs unexpectedly, is found in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. In addressing issues surrounding the responsibility of Christians toward the state, Paul abruptly shifted focus to the somewhat broader issue of responsibility within society. However, I contend that he is not really changing the topic of instruction, but rather makes a much needed application. Join me, then, in study of the singular instruction concerning debt and the conscientious Christian.

THE EDICT — “Owe no one anything.” This neglected principle, repeated throughout Scripture, teaches that God’s people are to keep themselves free of debt. An example is provided when we see Solomon cautioning, “The borrower is the slave of the lender” [PROVERBS 22:7b]. Related to this warning is another that is issued in PROVERBS 20:16.

“Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,

and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.”

Clearly, we are warned against taking on unnecessary debt. Moreover, according to Scripture we must not fall into the trap of underwriting the debt of another.

The Word of God consistently instructs the people of God to move toward independence in financial matters. The alternative is that we are susceptible to becoming slaves to our creditors. The point of these two verses together is that one must regard indebtedness only as a last resort (being wary of those who offer “easy money”) and that the one who would follow God without hindrance must endeavour to get out of debt as rapidly as possible. Debt is debilitating and demoralising. No one can live the happy, prosperous life Proverbs teaches while existing in indebtedness. [2]

The instruction presented in the text is assuredly counter-cultural. We live in a world that employs debt as a means of preserving a strong economy. In our culture, debt permits maintenance of the lifestyle which we assure ourselves is our right as Canadians. From childhood, we are taught that consumption and indulgence are not merely rights, but necessities. Contrasted to the materialistic view that predominates in our culture, the Bible enjoins thrift and conscientious administration of all that God entrusts to us.

Today, school debt can easily total north of a quarter million dollars for a specialised degree! And that is before the graduate has earned an income! In order to complete requirements for an advanced degree in what are identified as the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine), a student may be compelled to become indebted for what seems to be unconscionable amounts of money. The cost of pursuing advanced studies in the STEM fields can easily run between $50,000 and $70,000 per year. And these are fields that hold the promise of earning a good income throughout the working life of those who graduate. However, even fields that have little prospects of providing an adequate living or making a major contribution to society, can compel the student to go into debt for exorbitant amounts. This indebtedness coupled with the societal emphasis on university degrees as being preferable to training in the trades became the basis for the President of the United States attempting to discount the indebtedness of some of these students even though he would need to circumvent the Congress in that attempt.