Dangerous Discovery

Here is what we know and have discovered:
1. Debt is slavery. Proverbs 22:7 says, “...And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

2. Debt is Sin.
We know that one of the major root causes of sin is envy and covetousness. Exodus 20:17, Deuteronomy 5:21, “Thou shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

We know that debt is failure to trust in the Promises of God to meet our needs. Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Now for the 'Dangerous Discovery' - Debt ITSELF is SIN!
We have danced around the issue of debt itself being sin. The First Commandment from Exodus 20:3 says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” It is interesting that the Old Testament constantly talks about ‘other gods’. Most cultures had their own pantheon in those days. In the New Testament, as the Roman conquered the world, many of those pantheons disappeared, but Jesus, and the New Testament authors spoke extensively about MONEY as a god.
Luke 16:13 says, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Message Bible is clearer, “No worker can serve two bosses: He’ll either hate the first and love the second or adore the first and despise the second. You can’t serve both God and the Bank.”

So is it God or money? 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all sort of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.”

One could quickly argue that they are in debt but do not worship money and the things money buys. That may be true. However, we know debt is voluntary slavery from Proverbs 22:7. Our instructions are specifically not to become slaves.
1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 says, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Explicitly it is a command in 1 Corinthians 7:23, "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men."

As for debt itself, Romans 13:8 specifically states ‘NO DEBT’, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."

“WAIT A MINUTE!” some would say, “That’s talking about our 'Spiritual' duty, not monetary debt!” Really? What is the context of the verse? What does the verse before it, Romans 13:7, say? “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” Chapter 13 starts with, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities.” That is earthly duty. Paul continues after verse 8 to explain, that by loving others, one keeps ALL the Ten Commandments, specifically mentioned are adultery, murder, stealing, and coveting (envy). It IS a Spiritual duty to OBEY in the physical world.
Romans 13:8 means EXACTLY what it says, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

DEBT BY DEFINITION IS SIN. It is direct disobedience to God.

The saddest verse in the Bible is 1 Kings 18:21, ‘And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.’ (emphasis mine).

How long will YOU falter between two opinions? Will YOU give God an answer?