Debt

God is the Maker and sustainer of all things and therefore all creatures owe everything to him. Scripture provides guidance concerning both debt and debtors.

Everyone is in debt to God as Creator

1 Corinthians 4:7 See also Deuteronomy 8:17–18; 1 Chronicles 29:11–13; Psalm 24:1–2; Ecclesiastes 5:19; Acts 14:17, Acts 17:25; 1 Timothy 6:17

For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Everyone is in debt to God as law-giver

Romans 3:19; James 2:10 See also Deuteronomy 27:26; Psalm 49:7–8; Malachi 3:8–10; Luke 7:41–42; Galatians 3:10, Galatians 5:3

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Believers are in debt to God as Redeemer

He has paid their debt

Galatians 3:13 See also 2 Corinthians 8:9; 1 Peter 1:18; Revelation 5:9

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

A sense of debt inspires devotion to God

Psalm 116:12 See also Luke 7:41–47; Romans 8:12; 1 Corinthians 6:20

How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me?

Indebtedness to God affects attitude to others

Matthew 10:8 See also Matthew 6:12 parallel Luke 11:4; Matthew 18:21–35; 1 John 3:16, 1 John 4:11

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Examples of people in debt

1 Samuel 22:2; 2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah 5:4; Matthew 5:25–26, Matthew 18:23–35; Luke 16:1–8; Romans 4:4; James 5:4

Debts must be paid

Leviticus 19:13; 2 Kings 4:7; Psalm 37:21; Romans 13:7–8

Social ills result from debt

Nehemiah 5:3–5; Job 24:3, Job 24:9; Psalm 109:11; Ezekiel 18:12–13, Ezekiel 22:12; Amos 2:6

OT laws sought to minimise debt

By commanding generous lending to the poor

Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35–36; Deuteronomy 15:7–11; Psalm 15:5; Proverbs 19:17

By curbing exploitation of debtors

Leviticus 25:37–43; Deuteronomy 24:6

By cancelling debts every seventh year

Deuteronomy 15:1–3, Deuteronomy 31:10; Nehemiah 10:31

Preventatives against needless debt

Keeping short accounts

Matthew 5:25; Romans 13:8

Remembering the evil consequences

Proverbs 22:7; Matthew 5:26

Debts to the state

Paying taxes

Matthew 22:17–21 parallels Mark 12:14–17, Luke 20:22–25 See also Romans 13:6–7

So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But Jesus knew their evil intent and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me? Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. “Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Civic honour

Romans 13:7

Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Debts to employees

Romans 4:4 See also Leviticus 19:13; James 5:4

Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.

Debts within the church

Towards Christian workers

Philemon 1:18–19 See also 1 Corinthians 9:7–12; Galatians 6:6

But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it— not to mention that you owe me your very self.

Towards the unsaved

Romans 1:14

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.

The indebtedness of the Gentile church towards the Jerusalem church

Romans 15:26–27

For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to minister to them with material blessings.

Debts to be cancelled

Matthew 6:12 parallel Luke 11:4 See also 1 Corinthians 13:5

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Debts one should never pay

Romans 12:17 See also 1 Peter 3:9

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.

A debt one can never cease paying

Romans 13:8–10

Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.