BibleUnion.org

BIBLICAL FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES:

1)To live without debt, to not get in debt, to not borrow money but use only the money we have. The Bible says: "The borrower is a servant to the lender" (Proverbs 22:7 ). We ought not to be servants of men, but servants of Jesus Christ (God) instead (1 Corinthians 7:22-23 ). We are to owe no man anything (Romans 13:8 ). We can't serve money and God (Matthew 6:24 ). We are to be satisfied with food and clothing (1 Timothy 6:8 ). If somebody gets in debt to get a house, or a car, he will be a slave of the lender as long as he is paying the debt. It will be hard for him to, for example, stop his work for a week and go preaching, or go be useful to God in some other way. He will have to stick to a work schedule for a time. How long of a time? How long does it take some people to pay a house? 30 years? 20? A great portion of someone's life, dedicated to pay a house. There is no freedom, when someone needs to serve a boss everyday, to watch his mouth everyday for fear of losing his job, etc. And a Christian should pay his debts, so he can't scape the debt unless he gets rid of the house. Not that he needs to be completely useless to The Body of Christ (He can still cooperate with the church), but his time will be primarily consumed serving the mortgage. And if we are supposed to "be content with food and raiment", maybe we don't need to be the slaves of our house payments. Evidently, not many people would find it very joyful to spend many years subject to the demands of a human boss, everyday.

There are some alternatives that could be considered. For example, instead of a nice house, in a beautiful neighborhood that would take about 30 years to pay, someone could simply pay rent, and with cash, buy a very humble house, in a humble neighborhood. Some houses would take just about one year to pay. Another option is a trailer, which would take very short time, also, to pay. Even living in a camper (which can be bought very cheaply) would be more in line with the Bible, than getting in debt for 30 years to buy a nice house. Some people get in debt to buy a nice house because they are concerned about what people might think of them. There is nothing wrong with living in a trailer, it is not a sin to not have a nice house. So if God does not see it as evil, (nowhere in the Bible it is commanded to buy a castle, but rather, it is clearly recommended to not get in debt), it should not really matter if people think less of us because our house is humble.

Another alternative is to rent a business location (like a laundromat, or a used car lot, or a restaurant, or a convenience shop), and give the facilities a double use: A source of employment and living quarters. Many times, being your own master is more profitable than working for somebody. Some people park a camper in the parking lot of their laundromat, or their restaurant, and the business pays itself. A house needs to be paid and produces no income, while a business pays itself. Former Arkansas Representative Jim Duggar, father of 20 children, lived in his used car dealership, before he could afford to buy his large house, without debt involved.

Some would be concerned, with just reasons, about the quality of the public schools of low-income neighborhoods and about the high crime and gangster activity rates in such areas. They are concerned that the neighborhood kids could be a bad influence for their kids. They would rather their kids hang out with the rich kids in nicer areas, supposing these must be well educated. Public schools in the first place are pretty much as evil, in "bad" and in "good" neighborhoods, in the USA and pretty much all around the world. In the Bible, we don't see that kids went to "school" and grew up raised by strangers. The most biblical way to raise kids would be home-schooling. And kids should not be allowed to hang out with kids who are not raised in a Christian manner. If someone homeschools his kids, these kids should have their friends among the children of The Body of Christ, not among the children of non-believers, who grow up without God, and who can be a very bad influence on the sons of The Church. So if a Christian lives in a "bad" neighborhood, his kids should befriend The Church's kids, and be homeschooled.

People say: "We can't afford to homeschool, we both need to work".  This is probably true if they have many debts and bills, payments for the house, payments for the car, etc etc. But if they drive a humble car, and live in a humble house, homeschooling is more feasible.

Truly, even living in a camper and being able to raise your kids is better than living in a castle and letting strangers raise your kids. Your kids are a more precious treasure than any house money can buy.

So that would be one biblical principle, to not get in debt, which although does not seem to have the strenght of being a commandment, it is beyond any doubt, the most biblical thing to do. In other words, The Bible does not say:"you will go to hell if you get in debt", but it clearly teaches against indebting oneself.