There is wide agreement among most evangelicals that acquiring debt as a principle is not sinful but the accumulation of it can be devastating. The borrower is indeed servant to the lender and when we use debt instead of living within our means then we have crossed a line that can lead to broken homes and failed businesses.
As someone who has counseled many couples with marriage problems a clear majority of the time financial problems are near top of the list. When couples do not take the time to develop budgets that reflect their mutual priorities in life then they eventually grow emotionally distant because they are trying to find happiness in things rather than relationships.
In a very real sense when we consistently have a lifestyle that is supported by debt rather than income we are living a lie. Whether it’s the clothes we wear, the car we drive or the home we live in, the bottom line is we are trying to meet a real need in the wrong way.
The only way we can maintain our integrity as a believer is to make sure when we have to acquire debt that we clearly have the means to pay it back within a reasonable time period. When we fail to pay our bills on time and in full we damage our testimony as a Christian and lost people see absolutely no difference in our values than the rest of the world.
God tells us clearly in His word that if we cannot be trusted with material things then we surely cannot be trusted with the deeper and more important spiritual truths in life. He promised to meet our basic needs but we must all come to the place of answering the question: How much is enough?
The ability to gain wealth according to scripture comes from God. He expects us to use that ability wisely and yes meet our needs but more than that have plenty left over to share with those who do not have enough food or water to make it another day.
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