Borrowing Money

The following question was recently brought to me.

Question: Based on 1 Corinthians 7:20-23, would it be accurate to say that someone called to full-time service for Christ cannot take on debt?

1Co 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
1Co 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
1Co 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
1Co 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

For the sake of clarifying the question, I understand it was asked in the light of Proverbs 22:7, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

It appears the question is based on a misunderstanding of the context of the passage in 1 Corinthians 7. A more careful reading of the verses immediately preceding the passage in question reveals the “servant” and “freeman” refer to status at the moment of salvation and are not related to any specific calling to service. The context of the passage is a discussion of a believing spouse with an unbelieving partner. In giving instruction, Paul tells them to remain in the situation in which you came to Christ (v. 17, 20). Were you uncircumcised when you were saved? Stay that way (v. 18). He extends the possible situations to those who were slaves when they were saved (called). Verse 20 admonishes his readers not to seek to alter their earthly status, whether slave (v. 21) or free. In any case, they are no longer men’s servants, but Christ’s (v. 22). Whether you are a slave of free man is really no longer the issue, for you are now the purchased possession of the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how society views you (v. 23). The passage really has no bearing on the question asked. So, based on 1 Corinthians 7:20-23, it would not be accurate to say that someone called to full-time service for Christ cannot take on debt, as the passage says nothing about either full-time service or debt.

That is not to say, however, there are no principles in Scripture that will help us answer the question. In considering the question apart from the passage in 1 Corinthians, it becomes, “Should someone who is called to the Lord’s service take on debt?” Frequently interpreters will take the position, based on Proverbs 22:7 (and Romans 13:8 out of context), that one should not be in a position of debt to anyone. While the Bible clearly describes the advantages of avoiding debt and the disadvantages of being in debt, there is no Scriptural command, “Don’t borrow money.” In fact, God uses the law to give instructions to His people concerning borrowing and lending (Exodus 22:5; Lev. 25:36-37; Deut. 15:8; 23:19-20; 24:10-13). On condition of obedience, Israel is promised to be the lender rather than the borrower (Deut. 15:6; 28:12-13). In Psalm 112:5, we are told that a good man lends (see also Psalm 37:26). Jesus instructed His disciples to lend to their enemies (Luke 6:36). In 2 Kings 4:1, the record of the prophet’s widow who was in debt, God provided sufficient to pay the debt with no condemnation of the widow’s state. One might conclude that God, rather than strictly forbidding borrowing and lending (which He certainly could have done) chose rather to endow it with Christian principles.

Now, on the other hand, the Scriptures also provide guidance concerning the ramifications of being in debt. Besides making us the servant of the lender (Proverbs 22:7), debt is used in the law as an indication of the displeasure and judgment of God on His people (Deut. 28:44). When considering the effects of debt on Christian service, perhaps Proverbs 22:3 gives better guidance: “A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.” Every Christian (not only those called to full-time service) limits his or her ability to respond to the prompting of God’s Spirit by being deeply in debt. As a result, any long term commitments should be carefully and prayerfully undertaken.

Can God bless a Christian who borrows money? Of course He can. He can and he does. Is every instance of borrowing indicative of a lack of faith or in clear violation of the will of God? Absolutely not. God can supply funds supernaturally and He does regularly. He can also heal supernaturally and give the gift of tongues to anyone He chooses. But rather than do so, he most frequently chooses to work through the medical system and language schools. A Christian (or a church) who carefully and prayerfully borrows money is no more demonstrating a lack of faith that one who goes to the doctor.

Just a servant,

Bro. Tom

A time for fasting...

"And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."

In Matthew 9:15, Jesus says of the disciples, "when the bride groom shall be taken from them, then they shall fast. The discipline of fasting, long regarded as a stalwart of the Christian faith, has of late suffered from serious neglect. It seems we fundamentalists (evangelicals) have assigned fasting to the ascetics. In casting out their lifestyle as meaningless legalism and ritual, we have also done despite to fasting. My friends, these things ought not to be so.
Fasting is a useful spiritual discipline for any believer, and now, the beginning of a new year, is an opportune moment to seek God in fasting and prayer. But before beginning, it might be useful to remind ourselves of a few things that fasting is and isn’t.
First, fasting is not simply ritual. The oft-abused passage in Isaiah 58 is an example. In it, God declares:

Isa. 58:3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labors. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

In this passage, the people of God have accused Him of being indifferent to their fasting (v. 3). They describe Him as not seeing their fasting and taking no notice when they afflicted themselves. God responds by telling them their fasting is of no value. In a time when they should be seeking Him, they continue to indulge their own lusts (v. 3) They continued to oppress their neighbors and live in rebellion to the revealed will of God (v. 4). God is incredulous; "Did they really think fasting with that type of heart was going to honor or invoke a response from Him (v. 5)?" Rather, God says, show justice and mercy to those in bondage (v. 6). Help the poor and hungry (v. 7). Then, in verses 8-14, God tells them the benefits of righteous living (which are not at all related to fasting):

8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rearward. 9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. 13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The point of the passage (many, many interpreters’ errors notwithstanding) is that ritual is no substitute for obedience. Fasting is not a bell on the celestial service counter that brings instant attention from the Almighty.

Second, fasting is not for show. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, briefly addresses fasting:

Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

The hypocrites put on a sad face and looked weak in order that others might recognize their high level spirituality. Jesus accorded them their reward, then gave instructions to one who would truly seek God in fasting. "Do it in secret, for God, and He will see it, and He will reward you."

So, why and how do we fast? I believe there are essentially only two reasons for fasting. The first is because I hunger for God. As His child, I long with all my heart to know Him better, to hear Him more clearly, to sit at His feet, to worship Him with my whole being. By crucifying the flesh, I free my spirit for communion with His Spirit.

The second reason is because I do not hunger for God (1). It is unfortunate that the good gifts of God can often overshadow the Giver. My life can be so consumed by things of little consequence that I am unable to focus on the One who is everything. Most of the diversions in our life are not wrong except they divert us from God Himself. Take note, in the parable of the sower, of the one who "the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things enters in, chokes the word, and it becomes unfruitful - Mark 4:19." We fast that we might increase our desire for Him by decreasing our desire for His gifts.

Brothers and sisters, let us seek Him. Let us seek Him on behalf of ourselves, our families, our churches, and our nation. Let us seek Him with all of our strength. Let us seek Him in prayer and fasting.

Just a servant,

Bro. Tom

(1) With gratitude to John Piper, whose book "A Hunger for God" greatly influenced my thinking in this area.