Lending To One Another

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Location: Borrowing and Lending

Lending one to another by Crown Financial Ministries Lending is not a new principle. It is historically as old as man''s written records and was common to Moses, Solomon, and Paul. Solomon's words become much clearer in light of this: "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave"(Proverbs 22:7). Lending at interest There is little Scripture dealing with the specifics of lending and charging interest, but what there is seems to be very clear: Don't charge interest to other Christians. "You shall not charge interest to your countrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest" (Deuteronomy 23:19). A loan can be made to anyone, but loans to those within God's family are to be a demonstration that God can provide without charging interest to one another. In regard to lending to others, God's Word says, "You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countryman you shall not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess" (Deuteronomy 23:20). Thus, we can charge interest on loans to nonbelievers, but it doesn't mean that we have to charge interest. God may well convict someone to extend a loan at no interest as a testimony and as a door-opener (to be able to share the message of Christ). Collecting Boundaries If you're going to lend, you're going to be faced with decisions about what to do if someone doesn't pay his or her debt. God's principles of lending and collecting do not require a Christian to sit passively by if someone refuses to pay what is due. However, neither does it allow us to use the devices of the "world" to collect. Assuming a Christian is owed a legitimate debt, what are the boundaries of collecting? Collecting from Christians Christians are clearly admonished in Paul's letter to the Corinthians never to take another Christian before the secular court for any reason. This would certainly apply to the collection of debts. "Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?" (1 Corinthians 6:1). We are told that it is better to be defrauded than to lose our witness by suing one another (see 1 Corinthians 6:7). Collecting from non-Christians Many Christians assume that since Paul said not to sue other Christians, it must be okay to sue non-Christians to collect debts. Just because there is a direct reference not to sue a Christian doesn't mean we should sue non-Christians. It is necessary to look at our broad purpose. Our purpose as Christians is to represent our Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 6:30-31, the Lord said "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way." This does not absolutely state that a Christian should never sue to collect a debt; it certainly does imply that God desires a much higher standard of behavior from believers than is expected of others. Therefore, a special caution must be added not to strike out in vengeance but to deal in love with those who don't pay. "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1). Conclusion Hopefully, it is clear by now that lending--even lending at interest--is not unbiblical under most circumstances. However, there are conditions under which God would have us to give, rather than to lend. This principle of lending without any consideration for whether the money can be repaid is shown in Luke 6:34: "If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same amount."

7/9/2008 8:53 PM