Debt, Money, and Stewardship

The Christian & Debt - Part 1

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Economics and Stewardship

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2003-05-04

Synopsis: An introductory sermon on the biblical teaching about debt, focusing on Romans 13:8. John Weaver explains that the command 'Owe no man anything' has both a broad moral application (rendering honor, fear, and love) and a specific financial application. He argues that all biblical passages on debt are negative, that borrowing makes one a slave to the lender, and that Christians should strive to live debt-free. The message also addresses suretyship, inflation, and the cultural shift toward debt, concluding with a call to financial discipline and freedom in Christ.

[John Weaver] I find it interesting today that Chester Taylor asked me a question about this, and I told him I'd preach on it, and now he's not here. So let's get him next week, OK? So Romans 13 and verse 8. Romans 13 and verse 8. Let me go ahead and tell you that the message that I'll be preaching today will be an introductory message, because I'm going to deal with a brief series on the theme of a Christian and debt, the Christian and debt, because Chester's question was concerning debt. Note Romans 13 and verse 8.

[John Weaver] God says, Oh no man anything but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Now let's read it one more time. It's very brief. Oh no man anything but to love one another for he that loveth another have fulfilled the law. Recently I was talking with a friend and he told me that an acquaintance of his, who was another pastor by the way, had made a statement to him that, quote, I believe Romans 13, end quote.

[John Weaver] Now what he meant by that statement was that he believed in basically unlimited submission to government. And my friend, when he heard that statement, responded with this. Well, I'm glad to hear you say that you believe in Romans 13. But he said, while you and I may disagree on the interpretation. Of Romans 13, one through seven. I'm sure that you and I agree on Romans 13 and verse 8, because it is so plain, no one can misunderstand it.

[John Weaver] And therefore, when he says, oh, no man, anything, brother, let me ask you a question. Is your church in debt? Are you in debt? If you are, then you don't really believe Romans 13. So needless to say, that ended the conversation between the two pastors. Because scripture says, oh no man anything. Now, the question is, what does this mean when God says, oh no man anything? Is it possible to live debt free? Let me ask you another question. Why is it that so many people, in fact I'll be more specific, Why is it that so many Christian people live constantly in a state of debt and slavery?

[John Weaver] That can lead us to other questions. Are they simply ignorant? Are they simply undisciplined? Or are they rebellious? Now, I've got plenty of questions. I've asked you What does this phrase, oh no man, anything, mean? My next question is this, can this phrase, oh no man, anything, be taken absolutely and concretely? Now, to answer that question, I have to go further. In one sense of the word, we are forever in debt. How can I say in one sense of the word we are forever in debt? Well, first of all, we are forever in debt to God the Father and to the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me show you. Romans 13. Look in your Bibles, first of all, to Matthew 6. And then we'll go to Romans 8. Let's look in Matthew 6.

[John Weaver] And note, if you would please, verse 12. Matthew 6 and verse 12, here our Lord is teaching us the disciples' prayer. In fact, let's begin with verse 9. He said, After this manner, therefore, pray ye our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Watch this request and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And forgive us our debts. So we owe a great debt, not only to God the Father, but to God the Son as well. Now, if you look in Romans chapter 8, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Romans 8 and verse 11. Look what he says. Romans 8 and verse 11.

[John Weaver] But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh, for if you live after the flesh you shall die. But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

[John Weaver] Now let's go back to verse 12 again. He says, Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh. Now, if we are debtors not to the flesh, what are we debtors to? The Spirit in the context. Very good. Thank you. So we are not debtors to the flesh, but we're debtors to the Spirit. So that's why I'm saying in one sense of the word, We are forever in debt. We're in debt to God the Father and to God the Son, and of course, even to God the Holy Spirit. Now, secondly, there is another sense in which we are forever in debt, and that is we're even indebted to men. Let me explain. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans, chapter 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 14. Look what the Apostle Paul confesses, Romans 1 verse 14. He says, I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise.

[John Weaver] So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. So Paul is saying since he has received grace from God the Father, And since he has received mercy from God the Father and truth from God the Father, then he is indebted, therefore, to preach that truth and that grace and that mercy to everyone. So in that sense of the word, Paul is saying that he is in debt to God and to the others because he is responsible to declare the truth. In that sense of the word, we are also in debt.

[John Weaver] Let me point it out. We're not only in debt to the unsaved, we're even in debt to the saved. For instance, look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15. And let's begin there with verse 26, Romans 15, verse 26. Now look what Paul writes, Romans 15 verse 26, he says, For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily, and their debtors they are.

[John Weaver] For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. Now why does the Apostle Paul say that the folks of Macedonia and Achaia are debtors to the saints at Jerusalem? Anybody got a guess? Because it was from Jerusalem that the Word of God was sounded out and reached them. So what Paul is saying is, look, you have been blessed spiritually by the saints at Jerusalem, so now you're indebted to them to take care of their needs at this particular time, and it was a famine that they were going through. By the way, the same principle the Apostle Paul lays out in the book of Romans as well, when he says that they which preach the gospel should live by the gospel. The same thing is brought in Galatians 6 and verse 6. Look at it.

[John Weaver] I can quote it, but I want you to see it. It's very plain. Galatians 6 and verse 6. Look what he says. Galatians 6 and verse 6, let him that is taught in the word communicate, that is, give unto him that teacheth in all good things. Why should the one that is being taught communicate or give to the teacher? And the answer is, because the one being taught is indebted to the teacher.

[John Weaver] And that's what he's telling us. So that's why he said in, where is it in 1 Timothy? He says, let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor or double pay, especially they that labor in the word and in the doctrine. So what Paul is establishing is, in one sense, the word there is a debt. If you are being taught, if you're being fed, then he says you owe the teacher. Now, I'm giving you this in the sense that you can understand in the broadest scope of the word, you and I can never be out of debt. Because we're always in debt to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. We're always in debt to the unconverted in the sense that we're obligated and responsible to tell them the truth about the Word of God. And we're in debt to each other as we receive blessings and benefits from each other.

[John Weaver] So the phrase then, oh no man anything, could not be taken absolutely and concretely when it is applied in reference to the totality of life. For in the sense mentioned, we are going to always be in debt.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 13, because I want you to see the context. And in the context, when God says, oh no man anything, The command has a broader reference than simply to the financial realm. That certainly is included, and I'm going to deal with that in just a moment. But let's go back and read verse 7 of Romans chapter 13. He says, Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due, custom whom custom, and fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor, O no man anything. Now when you're talking about fear, when you're talking about honor, you're referring to something broader than just simply a financial realm.

[John Weaver] Let me explain this a little bit further. I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 3 and also Ephesians chapter 5. 1 Peter 3, and then Ephesians 5. And of course, this can be broadened. I hope that you understand that because God is telling us there are times and there are people to whom we owe fear, reverence, and respect and honor. For instance, in the book of Leviticus, God said, Thou shalt rise before the hoary head. That is, you respect those who are older than you, and especially those who are extremely elderly. Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 5.

[John Weaver] Here we're talking about Sarah, who was Abraham's wife. He says, for after this manner in the old time, the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands, watch, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters you are as long as you do well and are not afraid with any amazement. Now why did Sarah call her husband Lord? Why was she in subjection to her husband? And the answer is, because God has commanded that she be so. Thus she owed her husband reverence and honor and submission.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and let me show you that in black and white. Ephesians chapter 5 and let's begin reading there with verse 33. Paul says in verse 32, this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ in the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband. And the word reverence means to honor. Now, that means this, the husband owes the wife a Christ-like love, and the wife owes the husband a godly submission and a godly reverence.

[John Weaver] Now, when God says, owe no man anything, and he talks about fear and honor, well, what is he talking about? Well, as children, you owe your parents fear and honor and respect and obedience. You would owe that to any superior. You would owe that to your husband or to your wife or, you know, So there is a broader reference that is being dealt with in Romans 13 other than just the financial realm. Now, basically speaking, when God says, owe no man anything, He is referring to what you and I would know as the financial realm. But like I said, there are other things that we owe other than money. So undoubtedly then the main thrust of Romans 13 in verse 8 would have to include or be the financial. Now, basically, let me tell you what Romans 13a is telling us.

[John Weaver] Let's read it one more time. Look at what he says. Oh, no man anything but to love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. When God says, oh, no man anything but to love one another, basically what he is teaching us is this, that we are to acquit ourselves of every obligation except love. You and I will never ever be able to absolve our debt of love. We're always bound and obligated to love each other. So he says what we are to absolve ourselves of then is every debt except that of love.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you a little minor problem in Romans 13 in verse 8, and it's really no problem, but just to show you the differences of interpretation dealing with verse 8. The Greek word for oath is Ophelete. Ophelete is the second person plural of, number one, the present active indicative, and number two, the present active imperative. So you have two different modes that this word could be interpreted. If you interpret O as a present active indicative, then you are interpreting this verse as a statement of fact.

[John Weaver] Literally, what you would be reading is this. You are not to be owing anyone anything but love. That would just simply be a statement of fact. Present active indicative of Roy is going to town tomorrow. Or he's going to town right now. That's a statement of fact. However, when you get to the present active imperative, then it is taken as a command. I could say, Roy, go to town. That's not a statement of fact. That's a command. So literally, the imperative would be this. I command you to owe no man anything but love.

[John Weaver] Now, undoubtedly, the context has to decide, and the context, I believe, decides for the imperative. Because you have the imperatives like, render therefore to all their dues, and then you go on down and there are other imperatives as well. So in the context then, it is a command. It is a command to acquit ourselves of every obligation and live debt-free in every area of life. Financially, socially, civilly, morally.

[John Weaver] If I owe Doc respect, I must give him that respect. If I owe Don money, I must acquit myself of that obligation. If I owe my wife honor, I must honor her. If she owes me honor, she must honor me. So he's basically commanding us then to live debt-free in every area of our life.

[John Weaver] Now, in order to understand Romans 13 and verse 8, this is where you have to turn to what we would call the analogy of faith. That is, we have to turn to the entirety of the Word of God and the general teaching of the Word of God concerning death.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you how this is done, by the way. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 13.

[John Weaver] Now, I told you that today is an introductory message because next week I will probably begin on some of the case laws in the Old Testament, but let me show you basically what we're going to be doing. In 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 13, here is how we consult the analogy of faith. Paul writes, which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but that which the Holy Ghost teacheth. Here it is, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. So we have to compare the interpretation of Romans chapter 13 in verse 8 with the general teaching of the Word of God on the same subject throughout the Word of God. So, very clearly then, the way we check as to what Romans 13 and verse 8 truly means is we find out what the rest of the Word of God teaches on the same subject.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to underline this in your mind. If you're taking notes, you may write it down as well. Because this is a very interesting and important fact, and it will help us, I think, as we interpret Romans 13 and verse 8 as well as other verses in that category throughout the Bible. But an interesting and important point to remember is that of more than 50 passages in the Bible that speak directly about debt, And of over 20 passages that speak indirectly about debt, all 70 passages are extremely negative.

[John Weaver] What do I mean by that? There is not one passage in the Bible that encourages debt. There is not one passage in the Bible that speaks positively about the benefits of being in debt. All are negative.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 22 and verse 7. I want you to be able to quote this passage, I hope, before we get through, not only today, but through this brief study that we're going to be in. And I honestly don't know how long I'm going to deal with this subject, I think I've handled it to some degree, maybe two or three messages, three or four, whatever. But look in Proverbs 22 and verse 7, here's a very powerful verse.

[John Weaver] The Bible says the rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender, or the borrower is slave to the lender and the word servant is basically the word slave. So God is telling us that whenever we borrow, we are indebted and basically we become the servant or the slave of the lender.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just cover in this. Something that you may have thought about. Or you may not have thought about. And that is being a surety for someone, or what the Bible calls striking hands. Now suretyship and striking hands are condemned in the Bible.

[John Weaver] Now I believe there might be one exception. But generally speaking, they're condemned. I'll tell you what the one exception may be in just a moment. But let's begin looking in the book of Job. And I'll explain these passages as I go along. But Job chapter 17 and verse 3. Since Job asked this question, then we will turn through the Bible and find out the impact of it. Job 17 and verse 3. Job is appealing to God. In fact, let's read verse 1.

[John Weaver] He says, My breath is corrupt. My days are extinct. The graves are ready for me. Are there not mockers with me? And doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? Talking about his friends there. He says, Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee. Who is he that will strike hands with me? What does it mean to be a surety? And what does it mean to strike hands? Well, a surety is someone who stands good for someone else. And a striker of hands is one who shakes hands and agrees to be surety for someone else or undertake the obligations of someone else.

[John Weaver] Let's go in our Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 6, and we'll just go through the book of Proverbs very quickly. Now let me show you what the Word of God says about suretyship and striking of hands. He says in verse 1, My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, If thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger," now we've got two groups. We've got the friend and the stranger. So he says, if you are surety for your friend, if you've stricken your hand with a stranger, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth. Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself when thou art come into the hand of thy friend. Go, humble thyself, and make sure of thy friend.

[John Weaver] Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler."

[John Weaver] Now he says, if we have become surety for a friend, or if we've stricken hands with a stranger, we have been snared with the words of our mouth. That is, we've been trapped, we've been caught. So he says we better go and humble ourselves and make sure our friend, in other words, make sure that friend is indeed going to pay that bill where we will not have to pay it ourselves.

[John Weaver] Thus he is saying in verse 5, deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter. In other words, you escape the danger as a bird from the hand of the fowler. So God is telling us basically not to be surety and not to be a striker of hands.

[John Weaver] Now look in chapter 11. Chapter 11, verse 15. Look what he says. Proverbs 11, verse 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it, and he that hateth suretyship is sure. So he that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it, or be sore broken as the Hebrew is, and he that hateth suretyship or those that strike hands is sure. So God says the best way to stand fast on your own feet is not be surety for anyone.

[John Weaver] I remember while I'm on this subject, I remember as a boy, my father and two of his friends signed a note for 600 bucks for a pastor. The pastor was a real rogue. Of course, they did not know that when they signed the note for him. And finally, one day when the preacher got through preaching, he borrowed a man's expensive watch, got in the car and drove off and never came back. He literally stole the man's watch and left my father and the two men Oh, and the 600 bucks. Well, my father is an old farmer, was an old farmer, and he didn't take too kindly to people treating him like that. And so he got his two other friends together, and they drove up to Macon, and they found the preacher. When they came back, they had the 600 bucks and the watch. And I don't know what went on, but I know that when they came back, they came back with everything they went after.

[John Weaver] So God says, He that assured thee for a stranger is going to smart part. And although this man was a pastor, he was undoubtedly a crook and probably even unconverted. But he just stole a man's watch and basically tried to steal the money from those men in the church. Look in Proverbs chapter 17 and verse 18. Proverbs 17 and verse 18. He says, a man void of understanding strike at hands and become a surety in the presence of his friend. A man void of understanding strike at hands. So God's saying basically, if you agree to stand good for someone, you don't have good sense. Isn't that amazing? Now, I want you to remember these verses because although the Bible forbids striking of hands and being a surety, in one sense of the word, we are obligated to give charitable loans. I'll explain that next week, but I'm just pointing out the fact that God says we're not to be surety. Look in Proverbs 20 and verse 16. Proverbs 20 and verse 16. Take his garment that is surety for a stranger and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

[John Weaver] So take his garment that is surety for a stranger. Let me put that in modern colloquialism. You become surety for someone, you're going to lose your shirt. That's usually the way it goes. You're just going to lose your shirt. Look in Proverbs 22 and verse 26. Proverbs 22, verse 26. Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that assured ease of debts. Once again, God says don't be one that stands good for anyone. Look in Proverbs 27 and verse 13. Proverbs 27 and verse 13. Once again he says, take his garment, that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. So very clearly, everything in the Word of God is against suretyship and striking of hands, or cosigning notes as we would call it, and standing good for someone in the financial realm. Now, let me show you what is involved in being a surety. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 43. Genesis 43, and this story is in light of the fact of the famine in the land.

[John Weaver] Joseph is in Egypt. Joseph has all the food down there. And of course, Joseph has found out that Benjamin is alive and he's told his brothers, you're not going to get any more food unless you bring your brother Benjamin. Of course, he's held Simeon, I think, in prison as well. So in Genesis 43, Beginning there with verse 8, after Jacob tells him to go down and buy a little grain, Genesis 43 verse 8, And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and thou, and also our little ones. Now look what he tells him.

[John Weaver] I will be surety for him. Of my hand shalt thou require him. If I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever. So he says, now dad, if you don't send Benjamin with us, we're not going to get any more food. He said, I'm going to be surety for him. I'm going to take care of him. If I don't, then I'm going to bear the blame forever. Now look in chapter 44, because don't you remember Joseph says, when I'm going to hold Benjamin, I'm going to keep Benjamin here. Look what happened, Genesis 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 30. Here's what Judah's saying.

[John Weaver] Now, therefore, when I come to thy servant, my father, and the lad is not with us, seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life, it shall come to pass when he see that the lad is not with us, that he will die. And my servants will bring down the gray hairs of thy servant, our father, with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad, unto my father saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let my servant abide, instead of the lad as a bondman to my lord. and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me, lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father?" So Judah said, I've become surety.

[John Weaver] You were going to keep Benjamin as a bond slave. Now here am I. You keep me. You let the lad go. I'm his surety. I'll do the servitude. I'll take his place. So being a surety then means literally that you undertake someone's obligations, and you undertake to stand in their place.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever wondered how we became so debt-oriented? How did we get in the mess that we're in today? Let me give you a little surprise. In 1929, 95% of all homes were bought for cash. Only 5% were financed. In 1999, 95% of homes are financed and only 5% are bought with cash.

[John Weaver] Before 1945, practically no cars were financed. Our forefathers thought it was immoral and unethical to borrow money. An interesting question is, that popped into my mind, if these figures are true, and they are, how did we get in such debt today? Especially since everybody thinks that we're making so much more money than our grandparents ever made, and that we're so better off economically than they ever were, how could they afford to buy homes and cars with cash?

[John Weaver] And most of us, Can't. If we are in such better shape financially speaking, if our economy is so much better, why is it our forefathers, our grandparents, bought houses and cars with cash and our society as a whole are in debt up to their eyeballs?

[John Weaver] Now I'm going to tell you something. The truth is, We do not have more money than our grandparents did. The truth is we are not better off economically.

[John Weaver] Now I know that Bill Clinton is claiming that this great surge of economic upswing is based upon his presidency. And we're supposed to be so much better financially than we were four or eight years ago. The truth is, we do not have more money than our forefathers. We have less money. We have less money because of inflation.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you something. Inflation is not caused by higher prices. Higher prices are the result of inflation. Inflation is caused only by the government. That's all. The government is the only culprit. How is the government the culprit? Because it allows the printing of more money. The more money that is printed, That means the value of the already printed money descends. Let me put it like this. As the value of the money descends, prices ascend because it is taking more and more of the same thing to purchase what used to be.

[John Weaver] For example, when I was a boy, You could buy a loaf of bread for 25 cents. When my father was a boy, you could buy it for a nickel. Okay? When I was a boy, you could buy a loaf of bread for 25 cents. Today, that same loaf of bread will cost you from two to three bucks. But you know, I could still buy that same loaf of bread for a quarter.

[John Weaver] if it was pure silver. Because that silver quarter would be worth the two bucks in inflationary dollars. In the 1930s, you could buy a brand new car for a thousand dollars. I could still buy a brand new car for a thousand dollars. A thousand dollars in gold Because $1,000 in gold is worth $20,000 to $30,000 Federal Reserve notes. You see what I'm saying? So it is not necessarily that the prices have gone up. Yes, prices have gone up. But the reason they have gone up is the value of our money has gone down.

[John Weaver] So we actually have less, although the appearance is that we have more. We do have a higher quantity, but we do not have the quality. We have more, but it is less valuable than that which our grandparents had.

[John Weaver] Now, why do we owe so much money as a society? Why do we owe so much money as individuals, as family? Why are we so debt-oriented? It is not simply because our money has been devalued. That is certainly one of the reasons. Another reason could be because of our ignorance. Our ignorance of the teaching of the Word of God. Another reason could be our lack of discipline.

[John Weaver] Most of us want what we want, and we want it right now. We're not willing to wait.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, it could be just pure rebellion. That is, we know what the Word of God teaches, but we don't care. We're going to do what we want to do anyhow. Or it could be there's a combination of all of these. But it could be something else as well. Let me put it to you like this. It could be because we are so present-oriented that we fail to look to the future. And thus we are not future-oriented. Let me put this another way, a little more plainly stated. It could be because we have a slave mentality. You see, the slave is only interested in the present because the slave has no future. And consequently, he's only interested in making the present as comfortable as possible.

[John Weaver] Do you realize the average family, the average family, If their car motor blew up today, could not and would not have the cash to replace that money tomorrow, or that motor tomorrow, they'd have to borrow the money. And you're only talking about a couple thousand bucks. Why? Because we have wanted what we wanted now, we have failed to save, we have failed to prepare, they failed to look to the future.

[John Weaver] It is true that many people are ignorant of the economic principles in the Bible. It is true that many are rebellious to the truths of the Bible. It is true that every one of us in this room today are undisciplined in some degree. May I tell you, and to the degree that we are ignorant, and to the degree that we are undisciplined, and to the degree that we are rebellious, to that degree we have a slave mentality.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn in your Bibles to two passages.

[John Weaver] Proverbs 22, once again, and verse 7, just the latter part of it, and Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. We'll look at Proverbs 22, verse 7. And the barringer is servant or slave to the lender. Now, look in Galatians 5 and verse 1. Look at what Scripture says. Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. How are you and I to stand free in the liberty of Christ by owing no man anything. Let me just tell you what I mean when the scripture says the borrower is servant to the lender.

[John Weaver] I have a friend that I grew up with. He had a Tremendous business. I went to his place of business one day, and I was not being nosy. He was laying right on the counter in front of me, but I saw three bank books, monthly payment books. One of his monthly payments was for $10,000. Another one was for $5,000. Another one was about $3,000. So he had a minimum of nearly $20,000 a month that was going to the banks that he had borrowed because of his business. Well, thankfully, he eventually sold that business, I think, and got out of most of the debt.

[John Weaver] But anyhow, he was driving a Cadillac, a nice Cadillac. And I was riding down the road with another friend, and I passed his place of business. And my second friend, of course, was friends with this businessman as well. And I never will forget, he looked at me and he said, Boy, old so-and-so's really doing well, isn't he? He said, he's got that big business, he's got all those trucks, he drives a Cadillac, he's really doing well, isn't he?

[John Weaver] I said, I don't know. I don't know if he's doing well or not. I said, I don't really think he is. I said, I know this. I wouldn't trade places with him. Well, he said, why? I said, well, you see the vehicle we're driving in, riding in right now? Yeah. I said, well, it's not a new one and it's not much, but it's paid for. I said, and our friend over here, I said, he's got bank bills that he has to pay every month. If it's raining, his men can't work.

[John Weaver] I said, and he still has the expense of those employees. He still has the expense of all those trucks. I said, if business is off, he's worrying left and right because those bills are coming due regardless. I said, I'm going to tell you something. He may have more things than I do. But if I want to take off tomorrow and go fishing, I can do it. He can't. If I want to go someplace else tomorrow, I can go. He can't. Because he's a slave to the lender. He has to work to pay back what he's borrowed. He's not working for himself. He's working for another man.

[John Weaver] Let me read you what C. H. McIntosh wrote in 1864. Here's what he said, quoting Romans 13 verse 8, O no man anything. He said, quote, O no man anything is a precept so plain that the wayfaring man to a fool need not err therein. What right have I before God and man to wear a coat or a hat not paid for? What right have I to order a ton of coal or a pound of tea or a joint of meat if I have not the money to pay for it?

[John Weaver] It may be said, what are we to do? The answer is plain to an upright mind and a tender conscience. We are to do without rather than to go into debt.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to close this morning with this illustration. When Alice and I first got married 36 years ago, I took a job in Thomasville, Georgia at an insurance company. And I started out making 65 bucks a week. That was a lot of money back then. A motorcycle cop who worked for the city of Thomasville, who's my friend, who had been with the city for 10 years was only making $65 a week. And I started out at $65 a week, and every three months I got a $5 a week raise. So in three months I was making more than this guy who had been with the city for 10 years. So since $65 doesn't sound like a lot of money, but it was back then, Alice and I decided, well, hey, We want some new furniture, we'll get some new furniture.

[John Weaver] And I went down and I charged it and I got it on a little monthly pay plan. We wanted some new appliances, I went down and got those. We put it on a little monthly pay plan. Whatever we wanted, we went and got it. Put it on a monthly pay plan. And all of a sudden I woke up one day and I found out that every cent that I was getting paid was going just to pay these bills.

[John Weaver] We had nothing to live on. And I thought, I know what I'll do. I'll go down to the bank and I'll borrow some money. And I'll consolidate all these bills and I'll have one payment and we'll have money to live on. And I did. And we did alright for a little while, but then we wanted this, we wanted that. And the next thing you know, I owed the bank plus everybody else.

[John Weaver] Because we went back and got those monthly pays again. And all of a sudden now, every bit of my money is being taken to pay bills. I looked at my wife and I said, we're not too smart. I said, I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to buckle down And pay these bills off. And we're going to do without. And after that, we're going to live by one simple rule. And that's a cash only rule. If we got it, we'll spend it. If we don't, we'll do without. And that's basically what we did. And that's basically what we do now. What we have done. I've been in situations, I've even been in situations here, and Don can tell you that many times the offerings are not very much at all. The only way that I can get by is by staying out of debt.

[John Weaver] So you remember this verse today. The borrower is the servant or the slave to the lender.

[John Weaver] Now there are times when borrowing is necessary. I'll explain that next week. I'll explain even next week, hopefully begin to explain, when there are times when we're obligated even to loan. But as a general principle, as a general rule, God says, oh no man anything. If you can stay out of debt, you stay free. And you're able then to go and do not only as God would have you to go and do, but whatever you might want to go and do as well. Because you're not obligated to work for anyone else. Let's pray.

[John Weaver] Father, speak to our hearts today. Help us to understand these principles. And Father, give us your grace and your mercy and your love enable us to live as we should live and bring our lives in conformity to your word. In Christ's name we pray, amen.

The Christian & Debt - Part 1

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	750683821
Subject	Economics and Stewardship
Course	Debt, Money, and Stewardship
Genre	Sermon
Date	2003-05-04
Dictation Name
Book	Book 072: The Christian & Debt — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	75

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and the Question of Debt

Weaver introduces the topic prompted by a question from Chester Taylor and reads Romans 13:8, noting a conversation between two pastors about the plain meaning of the verse.

I find it interesting today that Chester Taylor asked me a question about this, and I told him I'd preach on it, and now he's not here. So let's get him next week, OK? So Romans 13 and verse 8. Romans 13 and verse 8. Let me go ahead and tell you that the message that I'll be preaching today will be an introductory message, because I'm going to deal with a brief series on the theme of a Christian and debt, the Christian and debt, because Chester's question was concerning debt. Note Romans 13 and verse 8. God says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 13:8

"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."

Now let's read it one more time. It's very brief.

Scripture Reading — Romans 13:8

"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."

Recently I was talking with a friend and he told me that an acquaintance of his, who was another pastor by the way, had made a statement to him that, quote, "I believe Romans 13," end quote.

Now what he meant by that statement was that he believed in basically unlimited submission to government. And my friend, when he heard that statement, responded with this. "Well, I'm glad to hear you say that you believe in Romans 13." But he said, "While you and I may disagree on the interpretation of Romans 13:1-7, I'm sure that you and I agree on Romans 13 and verse 8, because it is so plain, no one can misunderstand it." And therefore, when he says, "Owe no man anything," brother, let me ask you a question. Is your church in debt? Are you in debt? If you are, then you don't really believe Romans 13. So needless to say, that ended the conversation between the two pastors. Because Scripture says, "Owe no man anything." Now, the question is, what does this mean when God says, "Owe no man anything"? Is it possible to live debt free? Let me ask you another question. Why is it that so many people, in fact I'll be more specific, why is it that so many Christian people live constantly in a state of debt and slavery?

Can 'Owe No Man Anything' Be Taken Absolutely?

Weaver argues that in one sense we are forever in debt to God (Father, Son, and Spirit) and to others (to preach the gospel, to support teachers), so the command cannot be absolute in every sense.

That can lead us to other questions. Are they simply ignorant? Are they simply undisciplined? Or are they rebellious? Now, I've got plenty of questions. I've asked you, what does this phrase, "Owe no man anything," mean? My next question is this, can this phrase, "Owe no man anything," be taken absolutely and concretely? Now, to answer that question, I have to go further. In one sense of the word, we are forever in debt. How can I say in one sense of the word we are forever in debt? Well, first of all, we are forever in debt to God the Father and to the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me show you. Romans 13. Look in your Bibles, first of all, to Matthew 6. And then we'll go to Romans 8. Let's look in Matthew 6.

And note, if you would please, verse 12. Matthew 6 and verse 12, here our Lord is teaching us the disciples' prayer. In fact, let's begin with verse 9. He said, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread." Watch this request:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:12

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

And forgive us our debts. So we owe a great debt, not only to God the Father, but to God the Son as well. Now, if you look in Romans chapter 8, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Romans 8 and verse 11. Look what he says. Romans 8 and verse 11.

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

Now let's go back to verse 12 again. He says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 8:11-14

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh."

Now, if we are debtors not to the flesh, what are we debtors to? The Spirit in the context. Very good. Thank you. So we are not debtors to the flesh, but we're debtors to the Spirit. So that's why I'm saying in one sense of the word, we are forever in debt. We're in debt to God the Father and to God the Son, and of course, even to God the Holy Spirit. Now, secondly, there is another sense in which we are forever in debt, and that is we're even indebted to men. Let me explain. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans, chapter 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 14. Look what the Apostle Paul confesses, Romans 1 verse 14. He says, "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise."

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:14

"So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." So Paul is saying since he has received grace from God the Father, and since he has received mercy from God the Father and truth from God the Father, then he is indebted, therefore, to preach that truth and that grace and that mercy to everyone. So in that sense of the word, Paul is saying that he is in debt to God and to the others because he is responsible to declare the truth. In that sense of the word, we are also in debt. Let me point it out. We're not only in debt to the unsaved, we're even in debt to the saved. For instance, look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15. And let's begin there with verse 26, Romans 15, verse 26. Now look what Paul writes, Romans 15 verse 26, he says, "For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are."

Scripture Reading — Romans 15:26-27

"For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things."

Now why does the Apostle Paul say that the folks of Macedonia and Achaia are debtors to the saints at Jerusalem? Anybody got a guess? Because it was from Jerusalem that the Word of God was sounded out and reached them. So what Paul is saying is, look, you have been blessed spiritually by the saints at Jerusalem, so now you're indebted to them to take care of their needs at this particular time, and it was a famine that they were going through. By the way, the same principle the Apostle Paul lays out in the book of Romans as well, when he says that they which preach the gospel should live by the gospel. The same thing is brought in Galatians 6 and verse 6. Look at it.

I can quote it, but I want you to see it. It's very plain. Galatians 6 and verse 6. Look what he says. Galatians 6 and verse 6, "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." Why should the one that is being taught communicate or give to the teacher? And the answer is, because the one being taught is indebted to the teacher. And that's what he's telling us. So that's why he said in, where is it in 1 Timothy? He says, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour," or double pay, "especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." So what Paul is establishing is, in one sense, the word there is a debt. If you are being taught, if you're being fed, then he says you owe the teacher. Now, I'm giving you this in the sense that you can understand in the broadest scope of the word, you and I can never be out of debt. Because we're always in debt to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. We're always in debt to the unconverted in the sense that we're obligated and responsible to tell them the truth about the Word of God. And we're in debt to each other as we receive blessings and benefits from each other.

So the phrase then, "Owe no man anything," could not be taken absolutely and concretely when it is applied in reference to the totality of life. For in the sense mentioned, we are going to always be in debt.

The Broader Context of Romans 13:8

The command includes rendering fear, honor, and respect to those to whom they are due, such as government, spouses, and elders, not just financial obligations.

Now, I want you to look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 13, because I want you to see the context. And in the context, when God says, "Owe no man anything," the command has a broader reference than simply to the financial realm. That certainly is included, and I'm going to deal with that in just a moment. But let's go back and read verse 7 of Romans chapter 13. He says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 13:7

"Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man anything."

Now when you're talking about fear, when you're talking about honour, you're referring to something broader than just simply a financial realm. Let me explain this a little bit further. I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 3 and also Ephesians chapter 5. 1 Peter 3, and then Ephesians 5. And of course, this can be broadened. I hope that you understand that because God is telling us there are times and there are people to whom we owe fear, reverence, and respect and honour. For instance, in the book of Leviticus, God said, "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head." That is, you respect those who are older than you, and especially those who are extremely elderly. Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 5.

Here we're talking about Sarah, who was Abraham's wife. He says, "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement." Now why did Sarah call her husband lord? Why was she in subjection to her husband? And the answer is, because God has commanded that she be so. Thus she owed her husband reverence and honour and submission. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and let me show you that in black and white. Ephesians chapter 5 and let's begin reading there with verse 33. Paul says in verse 32,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 5:33

"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

And the word reverence means to honour. Now, that means this, the husband owes the wife a Christ-like love, and the wife owes the husband a godly submission and a godly reverence.

Now, when God says, "Owe no man anything," and he talks about fear and honour, well, what is he talking about? Well, as children, you owe your parents fear and honour and respect and obedience. You would owe that to any superior. You would owe that to your husband or to your wife or, you know. So there is a broader reference that is being dealt with in Romans 13 other than just the financial realm. Now, basically speaking, when God says, "Owe no man anything," He is referring to what you and I would know as the financial realm. But like I said, there are other things that we owe other than money. So undoubtedly then the main thrust of Romans 13 and verse 8 would have to include or be the financial. Now, basically, let me tell you what Romans 13:8 is telling us.

The Main Thrust: Financial Debt

While the command has a broad scope, its primary application is financial. Believers are to acquit themselves of every obligation except love.

Let's read it one more time. Look at what he says. "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." When God says, "Owe no man anything, but to love one another," basically what he is teaching us is this, that we are to acquit ourselves of every obligation except love. You and I will never ever be able to absolve our debt of love. We're always bound and obligated to love each other. So he says what we are to absolve ourselves of then is every debt except that of love.

Now, let me tell you a little minor problem in Romans 13 and verse 8, and it's really no problem, but just to show you the differences of interpretation dealing with verse 8. The Greek word for "owe" is opheilete. Opheilete is the second person plural of, number one, the present active indicative, and number two, the present active imperative. So you have two different modes that this word could be interpreted. If you interpret "owe" as a present active indicative, then you are interpreting this verse as a statement of fact.

Grammatical Considerations and the Imperative

The Greek word for 'owe' can be indicative or imperative; context favors the imperative, making it a command to live debt-free in every area of life.

Literally, what you would be reading is this. "You are not to be owing anyone anything but love." That would just simply be a statement of fact. Present active indicative of "Roy is going to town tomorrow." Or "He's going to town right now." That's a statement of fact. However, when you get to the present active imperative, then it is taken as a command. I could say, "Roy, go to town." That's not a statement of fact. That's a command. So literally, the imperative would be this. "I command you to owe no man anything but love."

Now, undoubtedly, the context has to decide, and the context, I believe, decides for the imperative. Because you have the imperatives like, "Render therefore to all their dues," and then you go on down and there are other imperatives as well. So in the context then, it is a command. It is a command to acquit ourselves of every obligation and live debt-free in every area of life. Financially, socially, civilly, morally. If I owe Doc respect, I must give him that respect. If I owe Don money, I must acquit myself of that obligation. If I owe my wife honour, I must honour her. If she owes me honour, she must honour me. So he's basically commanding us then to live debt-free in every area of our life.

Now, in order to understand Romans 13 and verse 8, this is where you have to turn to what we would call the analogy of faith. That is, we have to turn to the entirety of the Word of God and the general teaching of the Word of God concerning debt.

The Analogy of Faith: All Biblical Passages on Debt Are Negative

Weaver states that over 70 passages on debt are negative, with none encouraging debt. He cites Proverbs 22:7 to show the borrower is servant to the lender.

Now, let me show you how this is done, by the way. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 13. Now, I told you that today is an introductory message because next week I will probably begin on some of the case laws in the Old Testament, but let me show you basically what we're going to be doing. In 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 13, here is how we consult the analogy of faith. Paul writes,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 2:13

"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

So we have to compare the interpretation of Romans chapter 13 and verse 8 with the general teaching of the Word of God on the same subject throughout the Word of God. So, very clearly then, the way we check as to what Romans 13 and verse 8 truly means is we find out what the rest of the Word of God teaches on the same subject.

Now, I want you to underline this in your mind. If you're taking notes, you may write it down as well. Because this is a very interesting and important fact, and it will help us, I think, as we interpret Romans 13 and verse 8 as well as other verses in that category throughout the Bible. But an interesting and important point to remember is that of more than 50 passages in the Bible that speak directly about debt, and of over 20 passages that speak indirectly about debt, all 70 passages are extremely negative. What do I mean by that? There is not one passage in the Bible that encourages debt. There is not one passage in the Bible that speaks positively about the benefits of being in debt. All are negative.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 22 and verse 7. I want you to be able to quote this passage, I hope, before we get through, not only today, but through this brief study that we're going to be in. And I honestly don't know how long I'm going to deal with this subject, I think I've handled it to some degree, maybe two or three messages, three or four, whatever. But look in Proverbs 22 and verse 7, here's a very powerful verse. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 22:7

"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender,"

or the borrower is slave to the lender and the word servant is basically the word slave. So God is telling us that whenever we borrow, we are indebted and basically we become the servant or the slave of the lender.

Now, let me just cover in this something that you may have thought about. Or you may not have thought about. And that is being a surety for someone, or what the Bible calls striking hands. Now suretyship and striking hands are condemned in the Bible.

Suretyship and Striking Hands Condemned

The Bible generally condemns cosigning or standing surety for others, with multiple Proverbs warning against it. Judah's example illustrates the seriousness of suretyship.

Now I believe there might be one exception. But generally speaking, they're condemned. I'll tell you what the one exception may be in just a moment. But let's begin looking in the book of Job. And I'll explain these passages as I go along. But Job chapter 17 and verse 3. Since Job asked this question, then we will turn through the Bible and find out the impact of it. Job 17 and verse 3. Job is appealing to God. In fact, let's read verse 1.

He says, "My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?" Talking about his friends there. He says, "Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee. Who is he that will strike hands with me?" What does it mean to be a surety? And what does it mean to strike hands? Well, a surety is someone who stands good for someone else. And a striker of hands is one who shakes hands and agrees to be surety for someone else or undertake the obligations of someone else.

Let's go in our Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 6, and we'll just go through the book of Proverbs very quickly. Now let me show you what the Word of God says about suretyship and striking of hands. He says in verse 1, "My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger," now we've got two groups. We've got the friend and the stranger. So he says, "If thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend."

"Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler." Now he says, if we have become surety for a friend, or if we've stricken hands with a stranger, we have been snared with the words of our mouth. That is, we've been trapped, we've been caught. So he says we better go and humble ourselves and make sure our friend, in other words, make sure that friend is indeed going to pay that bill where we will not have to pay it ourselves.

Thus he is saying in verse 5, "Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter." In other words, you escape the danger as a bird from the hand of the fowler. So God is telling us basically not to be surety and not to be a striker of hands. Now look in chapter 11. Chapter 11, verse 15. Look what he says. Proverbs 11, verse 15.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 11:15

"He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure."

So he that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it, or be sore broken as the Hebrew is, and he that hateth suretiship or those that strike hands is sure. So God says the best way to stand fast on your own feet is not be surety for anyone.

I remember while I'm on this subject, I remember as a boy, my father and two of his friends signed a note for 600 bucks for a pastor. The pastor was a real rogue. Of course, they did not know that when they signed the note for him. And finally, one day when the preacher got through preaching, he borrowed a man's expensive watch, got in the car and drove off and never came back. He literally stole the man's watch and left my father and the two men owing the 600 bucks. Well, my father is an old farmer, was an old farmer, and he didn't take too kindly to people treating him like that. And so he got his two other friends together, and they drove up to Macon, and they found the preacher. When they came back, they had the 600 bucks and the watch. And I don't know what went on, but I know that when they came back, they came back with everything they went after.

So God says, "He that is surety for a stranger is going to smart for it." And although this man was a pastor, he was undoubtedly a crook and probably even unconverted. But he just stole a man's watch and basically tried to steal the money from those men in the church. Look in Proverbs chapter 17 and verse 18. Proverbs 17 and verse 18. He says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:18

"A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend."

A man void of understanding striketh hands. So God's saying basically, if you agree to stand good for someone, you don't have good sense. Isn't that amazing? Now, I want you to remember these verses because although the Bible forbids striking of hands and being a surety, in one sense of the word, we are obligated to give charitable loans. I'll explain that next week, but I'm just pointing out the fact that God says we're not to be surety. Look in Proverbs 20 and verse 16. Proverbs 20 and verse 16. "Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman."

So take his garment that is surety for a stranger. Let me put that in modern colloquialism. You become surety for someone, you're going to lose your shirt. That's usually the way it goes. You're just going to lose your shirt. Look in Proverbs 22 and verse 26. Proverbs 22, verse 26. "Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts." Once again, God says don't be one that stands good for anyone. Look in Proverbs 27 and verse 13. Proverbs 27 and verse 13. Once again he says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 20:16

"Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman."

So very clearly, everything in the Word of God is against suretyship and striking of hands, or cosigning notes as we would call it, and standing good for someone in the financial realm. Now, let me show you what is involved in being a surety. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 43. Genesis 43, and this story is in light of the fact of the famine in the land.

Joseph is in Egypt. Joseph has all the food down there. And of course, Joseph has found out that Benjamin is alive and he's told his brothers, you're not going to get any more food unless you bring your brother Benjamin. Of course, he's held Simeon, I think, in prison as well. So in Genesis 43, beginning there with verse 8, after Jacob tells him to go down and buy a little grain, Genesis 43 verse 8, "And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones." Now look what he tells him. "I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever." So he says, now dad, if you don't send Benjamin with us, we're not going to get any more food. He said, I'm going to be surety for him. I'm going to take care of him. If I don't, then I'm going to bear the blame forever. Now look in chapter 44, because don't you remember Joseph says, when I'm going to hold Benjamin, I'm going to keep Benjamin here. Look what happened, Genesis 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 30. Here's what Judah's saying.

"Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father?" So Judah said, I've become surety.

You were going to keep Benjamin as a bond slave. Now here am I. You keep me. You let the lad go. I'm his surety. I'll do the servitude. I'll take his place. So being a surety then means literally that you undertake someone's obligations, and you undertake to stand in their place.

Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever wondered how we became so debt-oriented? How did we get in the mess that we're in today? Let me give you a little surprise. In 1929, 95% of all homes were bought for cash. Only 5% were financed. In 1999, 95% of homes are financed and only 5% are bought with cash.

Why Are We So Debt-Oriented?

Weaver discusses historical shifts from cash purchases to financing, inflation caused by government money printing, and spiritual reasons like ignorance, lack of discipline, rebellion, and a slave mentality.

Before 1945, practically no cars were financed. Our forefathers thought it was immoral and unethical to borrow money. An interesting question is, that popped into my mind, if these figures are true, and they are, how did we get in such debt today? Especially since everybody thinks that we're making so much more money than our grandparents ever made, and that we're so better off economically than they ever were, how could they afford to buy homes and cars with cash? And most of us, can't. If we are in such better shape financially speaking, if our economy is so much better, why is it our forefathers, our grandparents, bought houses and cars with cash and our society as a whole are in debt up to their eyeballs?

Now I'm going to tell you something. The truth is, we do not have more money than our grandparents did. The truth is we are not better off economically. Now I know that Bill Clinton is claiming that this great surge of economic upswing is based upon his presidency. And we're supposed to be so much better financially than we were four or eight years ago. The truth is, we do not have more money than our forefathers. We have less money. We have less money because of inflation.

Now let me tell you something. Inflation is not caused by higher prices. Higher prices are the result of inflation. Inflation is caused only by the government. That's all. The government is the only culprit. How is the government the culprit? Because it allows the printing of more money. The more money that is printed, that means the value of the already printed money descends. Let me put it like this. As the value of the money descends, prices ascend because it is taking more and more of the same thing to purchase what used to be.

For example, when I was a boy, you could buy a loaf of bread for 25 cents. When my father was a boy, you could buy it for a nickel. Okay? When I was a boy, you could buy a loaf of bread for 25 cents. Today, that same loaf of bread will cost you from two to three bucks. But you know, I could still buy that same loaf of bread for a quarter. if it was pure silver. Because that silver quarter would be worth the two bucks in inflationary dollars. In the 1930s, you could buy a brand new car for a thousand dollars. I could still buy a brand new car for a thousand dollars. A thousand dollars in gold. Because $1,000 in gold is worth $20,000 to $30,000 Federal Reserve notes. You see what I'm saying? So it is not necessarily that the prices have gone up. Yes, prices have gone up. But the reason they have gone up is the value of our money has gone down.

So we actually have less, although the appearance is that we have more. We do have a higher quantity, but we do not have the quality. We have more, but it is less valuable than that which our grandparents had. Now, why do we owe so much money as a society? Why do we owe so much money as individuals, as family? Why are we so debt-oriented? It is not simply because our money has been devalued. That is certainly one of the reasons. Another reason could be because of our ignorance. Our ignorance of the teaching of the Word of God. Another reason could be our lack of discipline.

Most of us want what we want, and we want it right now. We're not willing to wait. Thirdly, it could be just pure rebellion. That is, we know what the Word of God teaches, but we don't care. We're going to do what we want to do anyhow. Or it could be there's a combination of all of these. But it could be something else as well. Let me put it to you like this. It could be because we are so present-oriented that we fail to look to the future. And thus we are not future-oriented. Let me put this another way, a little more plainly stated. It could be because we have a slave mentality. You see, the slave is only interested in the present because the slave has no future. And consequently, he's only interested in making the present as comfortable as possible.

Do you realize the average family, the average family, if their car motor blew up today, could not and would not have the cash to replace that money tomorrow, or that motor tomorrow, they'd have to borrow the money. And you're only talking about a couple thousand bucks. Why? Because we have wanted what we wanted now, we have failed to save, we have failed to prepare, they failed to look to the future. It is true that many people are ignorant of the economic principles in the Bible. It is true that many are rebellious to the truths of the Bible. It is true that every one of us in this room today are undisciplined in some degree. May I tell you, and to the degree that we are ignorant, and to the degree that we are undisciplined, and to the degree that we are rebellious, to that degree we have a slave mentality.

I want you to turn in your Bibles to two passages.

The Borrower Is Servant to the Lender

Using Proverbs 22:7 and Galatians 5:1, Weaver illustrates that debt enslaves, sharing a personal story of financial bondage and the decision to live by a cash-only rule.

Proverbs 22, once again, and verse 7, just the latter part of it, and Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. We'll look at Proverbs 22, verse 7. "And the borrower is servant to the lender." Now, look in Galatians 5 and verse 1. Look at what Scripture says.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:1

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

How are you and I to stand free in the liberty of Christ? By owing no man anything. Let me just tell you what I mean when the Scripture says the borrower is servant to the lender.

I have a friend that I grew up with. He had a tremendous business. I went to his place of business one day, and I was not being nosy. He was laying right on the counter in front of me, but I saw three bank books, monthly payment books. One of his monthly payments was for $10,000. Another one was for $5,000. Another one was about $3,000. So he had a minimum of nearly $20,000 a month that was going to the banks that he had borrowed because of his business. Well, thankfully, he eventually sold that business, I think, and got out of most of the debt.

But anyhow, he was driving a Cadillac, a nice Cadillac. And I was riding down the road with another friend, and I passed his place of business. And my second friend, of course, was friends with this businessman as well. And I never will forget, he looked at me and he said, "Boy, old so-and-so's really doing well, isn't he?" He said, "He's got that big business, he's got all those trucks, he drives a Cadillac, he's really doing well, isn't he?" I said, "I don't know. I don't know if he's doing well or not." I said, "I don't really think he is." I said, "I know this. I wouldn't trade places with him." Well, he said, "Why?" I said, "Well, you see the vehicle we're driving in, riding in right now?" "Yeah." I said, "Well, it's not a new one and it's not much, but it's paid for." I said, "And our friend over here, I said, he's got bank bills that he has to pay every month. If it's raining, his men can't work."

I said, "And he still has the expense of those employees. He still has the expense of all those trucks." I said, "If business is off, he's worrying left and right because those bills are coming due regardless." I said, "I'm going to tell you something. He may have more things than I do. But if I want to take off tomorrow and go fishing, I can do it. He can't. If I want to go someplace else tomorrow, I can go. He can't. Because he's a slave to the lender. He has to work to pay back what he's borrowed. He's not working for himself. He's working for another man."

Let me read you what C. H. McIntosh wrote in 1864. Here's what he said, quoting Romans 13 verse 8, "Owe no man anything." He said, quote, "'Owe no man anything' is a precept so plain that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. What right have I before God and man to wear a coat or a hat not paid for? What right have I to order a ton of coal or a pound of tea or a joint of meat if I have not the money to pay for it?" "It may be said, what are we to do? The answer is plain to an upright mind and a tender conscience. We are to do without rather than to go into debt."

Now, I want to close this morning with this illustration. When Alice and I first got married 36 years ago, I took a job in Thomasville, Georgia at an insurance company. And I started out making 65 bucks a week. That was a lot of money back then. A motorcycle cop who worked for the city of Thomasville, who's my friend, who had been with the city for 10 years was only making $65 a week. And I started out at $65 a week, and every three months I got a $5 a week raise. So in three months I was making more than this guy who had been with the city for 10 years. So since $65 doesn't sound like a lot of money, but it was back then, Alice and I decided, well, hey, we want some new furniture, we'll get some new furniture.

And I went down and I charged it and I got it on a little monthly pay plan. We wanted some new appliances, I went down and got those. We put it on a little monthly pay plan. Whatever we wanted, we went and got it. Put it on a monthly pay plan. And all of a sudden I woke up one day and I found out that every cent that I was getting paid was going just to pay these bills. We had nothing to live on. And I thought, I know what I'll do. I'll go down to the bank and I'll borrow some money. And I'll consolidate all these bills and I'll have one payment and we'll have money to live on. And I did. And we did alright for a little while, but then we wanted this, we wanted that. And the next thing you know, I owed the bank plus everybody else.

Because we went back and got those monthly pays again. And all of a sudden now, every bit of my money is being taken to pay bills. I looked at my wife and I said, "We're not too smart." I said, "I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to buckle down and pay these bills off. And we're going to do without. And after that, we're going to live by one simple rule. And that's a cash only rule. If we got it, we'll spend it. If we don't, we'll do without." And that's basically what we did. And that's basically what we do now. What we have done. I've been in situations, I've even been in situations here, and Don can tell you that many times the offerings are not very much at all. The only way that I can get by is by staying out of debt.

So you remember this verse today. The borrower is the servant or the slave to the lender.

Conclusion and Future Topics

Weaver acknowledges that borrowing may sometimes be necessary (to be covered later) but urges believers to stay out of debt to remain free. Closes in prayer.

Now there are times when borrowing is necessary. I'll explain that next week. I'll explain even next week, hopefully begin to explain, when there are times when we're obligated even to loan. But as a general principle, as a general rule, God says, "Owe no man anything." If you can stay out of debt, you stay free. And you're able then to go and do not only as God would have you to go and do, but whatever you might want to go and do as well. Because you're not obligated to work for anyone else. Let's pray.

Father, speak to our hearts today. Help us to understand these principles. And Father, give us your grace and your mercy and your love, enable us to live as we should live and bring our lives in conformity to your word. In Christ's name we pray, amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Command to Owe Nothing

Summary: Romans 13:8 commands believers to avoid all debts except the ongoing debt of love, applying to financial, social, and moral obligations.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'When God says, "Owe no man anything, but to love one another," basically what he is teaching us is this, that we are to acquit ourselves of every obligation except love.'

Debt as Slavery

Summary: Borrowing makes one a servant or slave to the lender, restricting freedom and creating bondage.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Proverbs 22:7, 'the borrower is servant to the lender,' and illustrates with a personal story of a friend enslaved by business debt.

The Universally Negative Biblical View of Debt

Summary: Every biblical passage on debt is negative; none encourage or speak positively of being in debt.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'There is not one passage in the Bible that encourages debt. There is not one passage in the Bible that speaks positively about the benefits of being in debt. All are negative.'

Suretyship and Cosigning Are Forbidden

Summary: The Bible repeatedly warns against becoming surety or striking hands for another's debt, equating it with foolishness and danger.

Evidence: Weaver cites Proverbs 6:1-5, 11:15, 17:18, 20:16, 22:26, and 27:13, and says, 'God says basically not to be surety and not to be a striker of hands.'

Inflation and Government's Role in Debt Culture

Summary: Inflation, caused by government printing of money, devalues currency and contributes to societal debt, making people poorer than previous generations.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Inflation is caused only by the government... The more money that is printed, that means the value of the already printed money descends.'

Spiritual Roots of Debt: Ignorance, Undiscipline, Rebellion, Slave Mentality

Summary: Christians fall into debt due to ignorance of Scripture, lack of discipline, rebellion, or a present-oriented slave mentality that neglects future planning.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It could be because we are so present-oriented that we fail to look to the future... It could be because we have a slave mentality.'

Freedom in Christ Through Debt-Free Living

Summary: Living without debt is an expression of the liberty Christ gives, enabling believers to serve God and others without financial bondage.

Evidence: Weaver connects Galatians 5:1 ('Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free') with Proverbs 22:7, urging debt-free living.

Key Arguments

Romans 13:8 Is a Command, Not a Statement of Fact

Summary: The Greek verb 'owe' is best understood as an imperative, making it a divine command to avoid all debts except love.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Undoubtedly, the context has to decide, and the context, I believe, decides for the imperative... So in the context then, it is a command.'

The Command Applies Broadly Beyond Finances

Summary: Romans 13:7-8 includes rendering fear, honor, and custom, showing the command covers all obligations, not just money.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'When you're talking about fear, when you're talking about honour, you're referring to something broader than just simply a financial realm.'

All Scripture on Debt Is Negative

Summary: With over 70 passages, the Bible uniformly condemns debt; there is no positive endorsement of borrowing.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'All 70 passages are extremely negative... There is not one passage in the Bible that encourages debt.'

Suretyship Is Foolish and Dangerous

Summary: Proverbs repeatedly calls the one who cosigns 'void of understanding' and warns of financial ruin.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Proverbs 17:18, 'A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.'

Inflation Robs Wealth and Encourages Debt

Summary: Government-caused inflation reduces the value of money, making it harder to save and easier to fall into debt.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We actually have less, although the appearance is that we have more... We have more, but it is less valuable than that which our grandparents had.'

Debt Reflects a Slave Mentality

Summary: A focus on immediate gratification and failure to plan for the future reveals a mindset of slavery rather than freedom.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'To the degree that we are ignorant, and to the degree that we are undisciplined, and to the degree that we are rebellious, to that degree we have a slave mentality.'

Practical Freedom Comes from Avoiding Debt

Summary: Living debt-free allows believers to serve God and pursue their own desires without being obligated to work for lenders.

Evidence: Weaver shares his personal testimony: 'If you can stay out of debt, you stay free. And you're able then to go and do not only as God would have you to go and do, but whatever you might want to go and do as well.'

Scripture References

Romans 13:8

Context: The central text of the sermon: 'Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.'

Matthew 6:12

Context: Used to show we are debtors to God, as the Lord's Prayer says, 'forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.'

Romans 8:11-14

Context: Paul says believers are debtors, not to the flesh, but to the Spirit, indicating a perpetual spiritual debt.

Romans 1:14

Context: Paul declares, 'I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians,' showing an obligation to preach the gospel.

Romans 15:26-27

Context: Gentile believers are debtors to the Jerusalem saints because they received spiritual blessings from them.

Galatians 6:6

Context: Those taught in the word should support their teachers, indicating a debt of gratitude and material support.

Romans 13:7

Context: The immediate context of verse 8, commanding to render tribute, custom, fear, and honor to whom they are due.

1 Peter 3:5-6

Context: Sarah called Abraham 'lord,' showing the debt of reverence and submission a wife owes her husband.

Ephesians 5:33

Context: The wife is to reverence her husband, indicating a non-financial debt of honor.

1 Corinthians 2:13

Context: Used to establish the principle of comparing spiritual things with spiritual to interpret Scripture.

Proverbs 22:7

Context: Key verse: 'The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.'

Job 17:3

Context: Job asks God to be his surety, introducing the concept of suretyship.

Proverbs 6:1-5

Context: Warns against being surety for a friend or striking hands with a stranger, urging deliverance from such snares.

Proverbs 11:15

Context: 'He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.'

Proverbs 17:18

Context: 'A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.'

Proverbs 20:16

Context: 'Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.'

Proverbs 22:26

Context: 'Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.'

Proverbs 27:13

Context: Repeats the warning of Proverbs 20:16 about taking a garment from one who is surety for a stranger.

Genesis 43:8-9

Context: Judah becomes surety for Benjamin, promising to bear the blame forever if he does not bring him back.

Galatians 5:1

Context: 'Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.'

Historical References

C. H. McIntosh, 1864

Context: Weaver quotes McIntosh's commentary on Romans 13:8, emphasizing the plainness of the command and the duty to do without rather than go into debt.

1929 housing statistics

Context: In 1929, 95% of homes were bought for cash; only 5% were financed.

1999 housing statistics

Context: By 1999, 95% of homes were financed and only 5% bought with cash.

Pre-1945 car financing

Context: Before 1945, practically no cars were financed; our forefathers considered borrowing immoral.

Bill Clinton's presidency

Context: Weaver mentions the claim that economic upswing was due to Clinton's presidency, contrasting it with the reality of inflation.

1930s car prices

Context: A brand new car could be bought for $1,000 in the 1930s, equivalent to $20,000-$30,000 in Federal Reserve notes today.

Important Quotes

Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Significance: The foundational verse of the entire sermon, establishing the command to avoid all debts except love.

There is not one passage in the Bible that encourages debt. There is not one passage in the Bible that speaks positively about the benefits of being in debt. All are negative.

Significance: Summarizes the uniform biblical witness against debt, a key argument for debt-free living.

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Significance: Proverbs 22:7, the central Old Testament proof text that debt leads to slavery.

A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

Significance: Proverbs 17:18, used to show that cosigning is foolish and condemned by God.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Significance: Galatians 5:1, linked to debt-free living as an expression of Christian liberty.

Owe no man anything is a precept so plain that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. What right have I before God and man to wear a coat or a hat not paid for?

Significance: C. H. McIntosh's quote emphasizing the clarity and moral weight of the command.

If you can stay out of debt, you stay free.

Significance: Weaver's practical conclusion that financial freedom comes through avoiding debt.

Discussion Questions

In what ways does the command 'Owe no man anything' extend beyond financial debt to other areas of life?

Context: Weaver discusses rendering fear, honor, and respect to those to whom they are due, such as government, spouses, and elders.

How does the analogy of faith (comparing Scripture with Scripture) help us understand Romans 13:8?

Context: Weaver introduces the principle from 1 Corinthians 2:13 and applies it by surveying all biblical passages on debt.

Why does the Bible speak so negatively about suretyship and cosigning?

Context: Weaver cites multiple Proverbs and the story of Judah to show the dangers and foolishness of standing surety for others.

What role does government-caused inflation play in our society's debt problem?

Context: Weaver explains that inflation devalues money, making it harder to save and easier to fall into debt.

How can a 'slave mentality' contribute to financial bondage?

Context: Weaver argues that focusing only on present comfort and failing to plan for the future reflects a mindset of slavery.

What practical steps can believers take to live by a 'cash only' rule?

Context: Weaver shares his personal story of getting out of debt and adopting a cash-only lifestyle.

In what sense are we always in debt to God and to others, and how does that relate to financial debt?

Context: Weaver distinguishes between perpetual spiritual/moral debts and avoidable financial debts.

Applications

Strive to Live Debt-Free

Summary: Believers should make every effort to avoid financial debt, recognizing it as a form of slavery that hinders freedom and service to God.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'If you can stay out of debt, you stay free. And you're able then to go and do not only as God would have you to go and do, but whatever you might want to go and do as well.'

Render All Obligations Except Love

Summary: Christians must fulfill all dues—financial, social, and moral—while maintaining the perpetual debt of love to one another.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'We are to acquit ourselves of every obligation except love.'

Avoid Suretyship and Cosigning

Summary: Do not cosign loans or stand surety for others, as Scripture warns it leads to financial harm and is considered foolish.

Evidence: Weaver cites Proverbs 17:18 and says, 'God says basically not to be surety and not to be a striker of hands.'

Practice Financial Discipline and Delayed Gratification

Summary: Instead of seeking instant gratification through debt, believers should save, plan for the future, and do without if necessary.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Most of us want what we want, and we want it right now. We're not willing to wait.'

Recognize the Spiritual Roots of Debt

Summary: Examine whether ignorance, lack of discipline, rebellion, or a slave mentality is driving financial decisions, and repent accordingly.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'To the degree that we are ignorant, and to the degree that we are undisciplined, and to the degree that we are rebellious, to that degree we have a slave mentality.'

Use the Analogy of Faith to Guide Financial Decisions

Summary: Interpret financial commands in light of the whole counsel of God, recognizing the uniformly negative biblical view of debt.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We have to compare the interpretation of Romans chapter 13 and verse 8 with the general teaching of the Word of God on the same subject.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T19:28:47Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T21:18:07Z

Clean Transcript

The Christian & Debt - Part 1

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I find it interesting today that Chester Taylor asked me a question about this, and I told him I'd preach on it, and now he's not here. So let's get him next week, OK? So Romans 13 and verse 8. Romans 13 and verse 8. Let me go ahead and tell you that the message that I'll be preaching today will be an introductory message, because I'm going to deal with a brief series on the theme of a Christian and debt, the Christian and debt, because Chester's question was concerning debt. Note Romans 13 and verse 8.
#1 | 0:00 to 0:41 | cleaned
God says, "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Now let's read it one more time. It's very brief. "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Recently I was talking with a friend and he told me that an acquaintance of his, who was another pastor by the way, had made a statement to him that, quote, "I believe Romans 13," end quote.
#2 | 0:41 to 1:16 | cleaned
Now what he meant by that statement was that he believed in basically unlimited submission to government. And my friend, when he heard that statement, responded with this. "Well, I'm glad to hear you say that you believe in Romans 13." But he said, "While you and I may disagree on the interpretation of Romans 13:1-7, I'm sure that you and I agree on Romans 13 and verse 8, because it is so plain, no one can misunderstand it."
#3 | 1:16 to 1:54 | cleaned
And therefore, when he says, "Owe no man anything," brother, let me ask you a question. Is your church in debt? Are you in debt? If you are, then you don't really believe Romans 13. So needless to say, that ended the conversation between the two pastors. Because Scripture says, "Owe no man anything." Now, the question is, what does this mean when God says, "Owe no man anything"? Is it possible to live debt free? Let me ask you another question. Why is it that so many people, in fact I'll be more specific, why is it that so many Christian people live constantly in a state of debt and slavery?
#4 | 1:54 to 2:43 | cleaned
That can lead us to other questions. Are they simply ignorant? Are they simply undisciplined? Or are they rebellious? Now, I've got plenty of questions. I've asked you, what does this phrase, "Owe no man anything," mean? My next question is this, can this phrase, "Owe no man anything," be taken absolutely and concretely? Now, to answer that question, I have to go further. In one sense of the word, we are forever in debt. How can I say in one sense of the word we are forever in debt? Well, first of all, we are forever in debt to God the Father and to the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me show you. Romans 13. Look in your Bibles, first of all, to Matthew 6. And then we'll go to Romans 8. Let's look in Matthew 6.
#5 | 2:46 to 4:01 | cleaned
And note, if you would please, verse 12. Matthew 6 and verse 12, here our Lord is teaching us the disciples' prayer. In fact, let's begin with verse 9. He said, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread." Watch this request: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." And forgive us our debts. So we owe a great debt, not only to God the Father, but to God the Son as well. Now, if you look in Romans chapter 8, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Romans 8 and verse 11. Look what he says. Romans 8 and verse 11.
#6 | 4:01 to 4:57 | cleaned
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
#7 | 4:57 to 5:25 | cleaned
Now let's go back to verse 12 again. He says, "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh." Now, if we are debtors not to the flesh, what are we debtors to? The Spirit in the context. Very good. Thank you. So we are not debtors to the flesh, but we're debtors to the Spirit. So that's why I'm saying in one sense of the word, we are forever in debt. We're in debt to God the Father and to God the Son, and of course, even to God the Holy Spirit. Now, secondly, there is another sense in which we are forever in debt, and that is we're even indebted to men. Let me explain. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans, chapter 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 14. Look what the Apostle Paul confesses, Romans 1 verse 14. He says, "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise."
#8 | 5:25 to 6:26 | cleaned
"So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." So Paul is saying since he has received grace from God the Father, and since he has received mercy from God the Father and truth from God the Father, then he is indebted, therefore, to preach that truth and that grace and that mercy to everyone. So in that sense of the word, Paul is saying that he is in debt to God and to the others because he is responsible to declare the truth. In that sense of the word, we are also in debt.
#9 | 6:27 to 7:00 | cleaned
Let me point it out. We're not only in debt to the unsaved, we're even in debt to the saved. For instance, look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15. And let's begin there with verse 26, Romans 15, verse 26. Now look what Paul writes, Romans 15 verse 26, he says, "For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are."
#10 | 7:01 to 7:37 | cleaned
"For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things." Now why does the Apostle Paul say that the folks of Macedonia and Achaia are debtors to the saints at Jerusalem? Anybody got a guess? Because it was from Jerusalem that the Word of God was sounded out and reached them. So what Paul is saying is, look, you have been blessed spiritually by the saints at Jerusalem, so now you're indebted to them to take care of their needs at this particular time, and it was a famine that they were going through. By the way, the same principle the Apostle Paul lays out in the book of Romans as well, when he says that they which preach the gospel should live by the gospel. The same thing is brought in Galatians 6 and verse 6. Look at it.
#11 | 7:38 to 8:32 | cleaned
I can quote it, but I want you to see it. It's very plain. Galatians 6 and verse 6. Look what he says. Galatians 6 and verse 6, "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." Why should the one that is being taught communicate or give to the teacher? And the answer is, because the one being taught is indebted to the teacher.
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And that's what he's telling us. So that's why he said in, where is it in 1 Timothy? He says, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour," or double pay, "especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." So what Paul is establishing is, in one sense, the word there is a debt. If you are being taught, if you're being fed, then he says you owe the teacher. Now, I'm giving you this in the sense that you can understand in the broadest scope of the word, you and I can never be out of debt. Because we're always in debt to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. We're always in debt to the unconverted in the sense that we're obligated and responsible to tell them the truth about the Word of God. And we're in debt to each other as we receive blessings and benefits from each other.
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So the phrase then, "Owe no man anything," could not be taken absolutely and concretely when it is applied in reference to the totality of life. For in the sense mentioned, we are going to always be in debt.
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Now, I want you to look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 13, because I want you to see the context. And in the context, when God says, "Owe no man anything," the command has a broader reference than simply to the financial realm. That certainly is included, and I'm going to deal with that in just a moment. But let's go back and read verse 7 of Romans chapter 13. He says, "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man anything." Now when you're talking about fear, when you're talking about honour, you're referring to something broader than just simply a financial realm.
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Let me explain this a little bit further. I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 3 and also Ephesians chapter 5. 1 Peter 3, and then Ephesians 5. And of course, this can be broadened. I hope that you understand that because God is telling us there are times and there are people to whom we owe fear, reverence, and respect and honour. For instance, in the book of Leviticus, God said, "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head." That is, you respect those who are older than you, and especially those who are extremely elderly. Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 5.
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Here we're talking about Sarah, who was Abraham's wife. He says, "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement." Now why did Sarah call her husband lord? Why was she in subjection to her husband? And the answer is, because God has commanded that she be so. Thus she owed her husband reverence and honour and submission.
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Look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and let me show you that in black and white. Ephesians chapter 5 and let's begin reading there with verse 33. Paul says in verse 32, "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." And the word reverence means to honour. Now, that means this, the husband owes the wife a Christ-like love, and the wife owes the husband a godly submission and a godly reverence.
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Now, when God says, "Owe no man anything," and he talks about fear and honour, well, what is he talking about? Well, as children, you owe your parents fear and honour and respect and obedience. You would owe that to any superior. You would owe that to your husband or to your wife or, you know. So there is a broader reference that is being dealt with in Romans 13 other than just the financial realm. Now, basically speaking, when God says, "Owe no man anything," He is referring to what you and I would know as the financial realm. But like I said, there are other things that we owe other than money. So undoubtedly then the main thrust of Romans 13 and verse 8 would have to include or be the financial. Now, basically, let me tell you what Romans 13:8 is telling us.
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Let's read it one more time. Look at what he says. "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." When God says, "Owe no man anything, but to love one another," basically what he is teaching us is this, that we are to acquit ourselves of every obligation except love. You and I will never ever be able to absolve our debt of love. We're always bound and obligated to love each other. So he says what we are to absolve ourselves of then is every debt except that of love.
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Now, let me tell you a little minor problem in Romans 13 and verse 8, and it's really no problem, but just to show you the differences of interpretation dealing with verse 8. The Greek word for "owe" is opheilete. Opheilete is the second person plural of, number one, the present active indicative, and number two, the present active imperative. So you have two different modes that this word could be interpreted. If you interpret "owe" as a present active indicative, then you are interpreting this verse as a statement of fact.
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Literally, what you would be reading is this. "You are not to be owing anyone anything but love." That would just simply be a statement of fact. Present active indicative of "Roy is going to town tomorrow." Or "He's going to town right now." That's a statement of fact. However, when you get to the present active imperative, then it is taken as a command. I could say, "Roy, go to town." That's not a statement of fact. That's a command. So literally, the imperative would be this. "I command you to owe no man anything but love."
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Now, undoubtedly, the context has to decide, and the context, I believe, decides for the imperative. Because you have the imperatives like, "Render therefore to all their dues," and then you go on down and there are other imperatives as well. So in the context then, it is a command. It is a command to acquit ourselves of every obligation and live debt-free in every area of life. Financially, socially, civilly, morally.
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If I owe Doc respect, I must give him that respect. If I owe Don money, I must acquit myself of that obligation. If I owe my wife honour, I must honour her. If she owes me honour, she must honour me. So he's basically commanding us then to live debt-free in every area of our life.
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Now, in order to understand Romans 13 and verse 8, this is where you have to turn to what we would call the analogy of faith. That is, we have to turn to the entirety of the Word of God and the general teaching of the Word of God concerning debt.
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Now, let me show you how this is done, by the way. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 13.
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Now, I told you that today is an introductory message because next week I will probably begin on some of the case laws in the Old Testament, but let me show you basically what we're going to be doing. In 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 13, here is how we consult the analogy of faith. Paul writes, "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." So we have to compare the interpretation of Romans chapter 13 and verse 8 with the general teaching of the Word of God on the same subject throughout the Word of God. So, very clearly then, the way we check as to what Romans 13 and verse 8 truly means is we find out what the rest of the Word of God teaches on the same subject.
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Now, I want you to underline this in your mind. If you're taking notes, you may write it down as well. Because this is a very interesting and important fact, and it will help us, I think, as we interpret Romans 13 and verse 8 as well as other verses in that category throughout the Bible. But an interesting and important point to remember is that of more than 50 passages in the Bible that speak directly about debt, and of over 20 passages that speak indirectly about debt, all 70 passages are extremely negative.
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What do I mean by that? There is not one passage in the Bible that encourages debt. There is not one passage in the Bible that speaks positively about the benefits of being in debt. All are negative.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 22 and verse 7. I want you to be able to quote this passage, I hope, before we get through, not only today, but through this brief study that we're going to be in. And I honestly don't know how long I'm going to deal with this subject, I think I've handled it to some degree, maybe two or three messages, three or four, whatever. But look in Proverbs 22 and verse 7, here's a very powerful verse.
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The Bible says, "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender," or the borrower is slave to the lender and the word servant is basically the word slave. So God is telling us that whenever we borrow, we are indebted and basically we become the servant or the slave of the lender.
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Now, let me just cover in this something that you may have thought about. Or you may not have thought about. And that is being a surety for someone, or what the Bible calls striking hands. Now suretyship and striking hands are condemned in the Bible.
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Now I believe there might be one exception. But generally speaking, they're condemned. I'll tell you what the one exception may be in just a moment. But let's begin looking in the book of Job. And I'll explain these passages as I go along. But Job chapter 17 and verse 3. Since Job asked this question, then we will turn through the Bible and find out the impact of it. Job 17 and verse 3. Job is appealing to God. In fact, let's read verse 1.
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He says, "My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?" Talking about his friends there. He says, "Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee. Who is he that will strike hands with me?" What does it mean to be a surety? And what does it mean to strike hands? Well, a surety is someone who stands good for someone else. And a striker of hands is one who shakes hands and agrees to be surety for someone else or undertake the obligations of someone else.
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Let's go in our Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 6, and we'll just go through the book of Proverbs very quickly. Now let me show you what the Word of God says about suretyship and striking of hands. He says in verse 1, "My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger," now we've got two groups. We've got the friend and the stranger. So he says, "If thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend."
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"Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler."
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Now he says, if we have become surety for a friend, or if we've stricken hands with a stranger, we have been snared with the words of our mouth. That is, we've been trapped, we've been caught. So he says we better go and humble ourselves and make sure our friend, in other words, make sure that friend is indeed going to pay that bill where we will not have to pay it ourselves.
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Thus he is saying in verse 5, "Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter." In other words, you escape the danger as a bird from the hand of the fowler. So God is telling us basically not to be surety and not to be a striker of hands.
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Now look in chapter 11. Chapter 11, verse 15. Look what he says. Proverbs 11, verse 15. "He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure." So he that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it, or be sore broken as the Hebrew is, and he that hateth suretiship or those that strike hands is sure. So God says the best way to stand fast on your own feet is not be surety for anyone.
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I remember while I'm on this subject, I remember as a boy, my father and two of his friends signed a note for 600 bucks for a pastor. The pastor was a real rogue. Of course, they did not know that when they signed the note for him. And finally, one day when the preacher got through preaching, he borrowed a man's expensive watch, got in the car and drove off and never came back. He literally stole the man's watch and left my father and the two men owing the 600 bucks. Well, my father is an old farmer, was an old farmer, and he didn't take too kindly to people treating him like that. And so he got his two other friends together, and they drove up to Macon, and they found the preacher. When they came back, they had the 600 bucks and the watch. And I don't know what went on, but I know that when they came back, they came back with everything they went after.
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So God says, "He that is surety for a stranger is going to smart for it." And although this man was a pastor, he was undoubtedly a crook and probably even unconverted. But he just stole a man's watch and basically tried to steal the money from those men in the church. Look in Proverbs chapter 17 and verse 18. Proverbs 17 and verse 18. He says, "A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend." A man void of understanding striketh hands. So God's saying basically, if you agree to stand good for someone, you don't have good sense. Isn't that amazing? Now, I want you to remember these verses because although the Bible forbids striking of hands and being a surety, in one sense of the word, we are obligated to give charitable loans. I'll explain that next week, but I'm just pointing out the fact that God says we're not to be surety. Look in Proverbs 20 and verse 16. Proverbs 20 and verse 16. "Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman."
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So take his garment that is surety for a stranger. Let me put that in modern colloquialism. You become surety for someone, you're going to lose your shirt. That's usually the way it goes. You're just going to lose your shirt. Look in Proverbs 22 and verse 26. Proverbs 22, verse 26. "Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts." Once again, God says don't be one that stands good for anyone. Look in Proverbs 27 and verse 13. Proverbs 27 and verse 13. Once again he says, "Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman." So very clearly, everything in the Word of God is against suretyship and striking of hands, or cosigning notes as we would call it, and standing good for someone in the financial realm. Now, let me show you what is involved in being a surety. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 43. Genesis 43, and this story is in light of the fact of the famine in the land.
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Joseph is in Egypt. Joseph has all the food down there. And of course, Joseph has found out that Benjamin is alive and he's told his brothers, you're not going to get any more food unless you bring your brother Benjamin. Of course, he's held Simeon, I think, in prison as well. So in Genesis 43, beginning there with verse 8, after Jacob tells him to go down and buy a little grain, Genesis 43 verse 8, "And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones." Now look what he tells him.
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"I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever." So he says, now dad, if you don't send Benjamin with us, we're not going to get any more food. He said, I'm going to be surety for him. I'm going to take care of him. If I don't, then I'm going to bear the blame forever. Now look in chapter 44, because don't you remember Joseph says, when I'm going to hold Benjamin, I'm going to keep Benjamin here. Look what happened, Genesis 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 30. Here's what Judah's saying.
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"Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father?" So Judah said, I've become surety.
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You were going to keep Benjamin as a bond slave. Now here am I. You keep me. You let the lad go. I'm his surety. I'll do the servitude. I'll take his place. So being a surety then means literally that you undertake someone's obligations, and you undertake to stand in their place.
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Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever wondered how we became so debt-oriented? How did we get in the mess that we're in today? Let me give you a little surprise. In 1929, 95% of all homes were bought for cash. Only 5% were financed. In 1999, 95% of homes are financed and only 5% are bought with cash.
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Before 1945, practically no cars were financed. Our forefathers thought it was immoral and unethical to borrow money. An interesting question is, that popped into my mind, if these figures are true, and they are, how did we get in such debt today? Especially since everybody thinks that we're making so much more money than our grandparents ever made, and that we're so better off economically than they ever were, how could they afford to buy homes and cars with cash?
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And most of us, can't. If we are in such better shape financially speaking, if our economy is so much better, why is it our forefathers, our grandparents, bought houses and cars with cash and our society as a whole are in debt up to their eyeballs?
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Now I'm going to tell you something. The truth is, we do not have more money than our grandparents did. The truth is we are not better off economically.
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Now I know that Bill Clinton is claiming that this great surge of economic upswing is based upon his presidency. And we're supposed to be so much better financially than we were four or eight years ago. The truth is, we do not have more money than our forefathers. We have less money. We have less money because of inflation.
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Now let me tell you something. Inflation is not caused by higher prices. Higher prices are the result of inflation. Inflation is caused only by the government. That's all. The government is the only culprit. How is the government the culprit? Because it allows the printing of more money. The more money that is printed, that means the value of the already printed money descends. Let me put it like this. As the value of the money descends, prices ascend because it is taking more and more of the same thing to purchase what used to be.
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For example, when I was a boy, you could buy a loaf of bread for 25 cents. When my father was a boy, you could buy it for a nickel. Okay? When I was a boy, you could buy a loaf of bread for 25 cents. Today, that same loaf of bread will cost you from two to three bucks. But you know, I could still buy that same loaf of bread for a quarter.
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if it was pure silver. Because that silver quarter would be worth the two bucks in inflationary dollars. In the 1930s, you could buy a brand new car for a thousand dollars. I could still buy a brand new car for a thousand dollars. A thousand dollars in gold. Because $1,000 in gold is worth $20,000 to $30,000 Federal Reserve notes. You see what I'm saying? So it is not necessarily that the prices have gone up. Yes, prices have gone up. But the reason they have gone up is the value of our money has gone down.
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So we actually have less, although the appearance is that we have more. We do have a higher quantity, but we do not have the quality. We have more, but it is less valuable than that which our grandparents had.
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Now, why do we owe so much money as a society? Why do we owe so much money as individuals, as family? Why are we so debt-oriented? It is not simply because our money has been devalued. That is certainly one of the reasons. Another reason could be because of our ignorance. Our ignorance of the teaching of the Word of God. Another reason could be our lack of discipline.
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Most of us want what we want, and we want it right now. We're not willing to wait.
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Thirdly, it could be just pure rebellion. That is, we know what the Word of God teaches, but we don't care. We're going to do what we want to do anyhow. Or it could be there's a combination of all of these. But it could be something else as well. Let me put it to you like this. It could be because we are so present-oriented that we fail to look to the future. And thus we are not future-oriented. Let me put this another way, a little more plainly stated. It could be because we have a slave mentality. You see, the slave is only interested in the present because the slave has no future. And consequently, he's only interested in making the present as comfortable as possible.
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Do you realize the average family, the average family, if their car motor blew up today, could not and would not have the cash to replace that money tomorrow, or that motor tomorrow, they'd have to borrow the money. And you're only talking about a couple thousand bucks. Why? Because we have wanted what we wanted now, we have failed to save, we have failed to prepare, they failed to look to the future.
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It is true that many people are ignorant of the economic principles in the Bible. It is true that many are rebellious to the truths of the Bible. It is true that every one of us in this room today are undisciplined in some degree. May I tell you, and to the degree that we are ignorant, and to the degree that we are undisciplined, and to the degree that we are rebellious, to that degree we have a slave mentality.
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I want you to turn in your Bibles to two passages.
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Proverbs 22, once again, and verse 7, just the latter part of it, and Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. We'll look at Proverbs 22, verse 7. "And the borrower is servant to the lender." Now, look in Galatians 5 and verse 1. Look at what Scripture says. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." How are you and I to stand free in the liberty of Christ? By owing no man anything. Let me just tell you what I mean when the Scripture says the borrower is servant to the lender.
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I have a friend that I grew up with. He had a tremendous business. I went to his place of business one day, and I was not being nosy. He was laying right on the counter in front of me, but I saw three bank books, monthly payment books. One of his monthly payments was for $10,000. Another one was for $5,000. Another one was about $3,000. So he had a minimum of nearly $20,000 a month that was going to the banks that he had borrowed because of his business. Well, thankfully, he eventually sold that business, I think, and got out of most of the debt.
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But anyhow, he was driving a Cadillac, a nice Cadillac. And I was riding down the road with another friend, and I passed his place of business. And my second friend, of course, was friends with this businessman as well. And I never will forget, he looked at me and he said, "Boy, old so-and-so's really doing well, isn't he?" He said, "He's got that big business, he's got all those trucks, he drives a Cadillac, he's really doing well, isn't he?"
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I said, "I don't know. I don't know if he's doing well or not." I said, "I don't really think he is." I said, "I know this. I wouldn't trade places with him." Well, he said, "Why?" I said, "Well, you see the vehicle we're driving in, riding in right now?" "Yeah." I said, "Well, it's not a new one and it's not much, but it's paid for." I said, "And our friend over here, I said, he's got bank bills that he has to pay every month. If it's raining, his men can't work."
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I said, "And he still has the expense of those employees. He still has the expense of all those trucks." I said, "If business is off, he's worrying left and right because those bills are coming due regardless." I said, "I'm going to tell you something. He may have more things than I do. But if I want to take off tomorrow and go fishing, I can do it. He can't. If I want to go someplace else tomorrow, I can go. He can't. Because he's a slave to the lender. He has to work to pay back what he's borrowed. He's not working for himself. He's working for another man."
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Let me read you what C. H. McIntosh wrote in 1864. Here's what he said, quoting Romans 13 verse 8, "Owe no man anything." He said, quote, "'Owe no man anything' is a precept so plain that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. What right have I before God and man to wear a coat or a hat not paid for? What right have I to order a ton of coal or a pound of tea or a joint of meat if I have not the money to pay for it?"
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"It may be said, what are we to do? The answer is plain to an upright mind and a tender conscience. We are to do without rather than to go into debt."
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Now, I want to close this morning with this illustration. When Alice and I first got married 36 years ago, I took a job in Thomasville, Georgia at an insurance company. And I started out making 65 bucks a week. That was a lot of money back then. A motorcycle cop who worked for the city of Thomasville, who's my friend, who had been with the city for 10 years was only making $65 a week. And I started out at $65 a week, and every three months I got a $5 a week raise. So in three months I was making more than this guy who had been with the city for 10 years. So since $65 doesn't sound like a lot of money, but it was back then, Alice and I decided, well, hey, we want some new furniture, we'll get some new furniture.
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And I went down and I charged it and I got it on a little monthly pay plan. We wanted some new appliances, I went down and got those. We put it on a little monthly pay plan. Whatever we wanted, we went and got it. Put it on a monthly pay plan. And all of a sudden I woke up one day and I found out that every cent that I was getting paid was going just to pay these bills.
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We had nothing to live on. And I thought, I know what I'll do. I'll go down to the bank and I'll borrow some money. And I'll consolidate all these bills and I'll have one payment and we'll have money to live on. And I did. And we did alright for a little while, but then we wanted this, we wanted that. And the next thing you know, I owed the bank plus everybody else.
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Because we went back and got those monthly pays again. And all of a sudden now, every bit of my money is being taken to pay bills. I looked at my wife and I said, "We're not too smart." I said, "I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to buckle down and pay these bills off. And we're going to do without. And after that, we're going to live by one simple rule. And that's a cash only rule. If we got it, we'll spend it. If we don't, we'll do without." And that's basically what we did. And that's basically what we do now. What we have done. I've been in situations, I've even been in situations here, and Don can tell you that many times the offerings are not very much at all. The only way that I can get by is by staying out of debt.
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So you remember this verse today. The borrower is the servant or the slave to the lender.
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Now there are times when borrowing is necessary. I'll explain that next week. I'll explain even next week, hopefully begin to explain, when there are times when we're obligated even to loan. But as a general principle, as a general rule, God says, "Owe no man anything." If you can stay out of debt, you stay free. And you're able then to go and do not only as God would have you to go and do, but whatever you might want to go and do as well. Because you're not obligated to work for anyone else. Let's pray.
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Father, speak to our hearts today. Help us to understand these principles. And Father, give us your grace and your mercy and your love, enable us to live as we should live and bring our lives in conformity to your word. In Christ's name we pray, amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T19:28:47Z

The Christian & Debt - Part 1

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

An introductory sermon on the biblical teaching about debt, focusing on Romans 13:8. John Weaver explains that the command 'Owe no man anything' has both a broad moral application (rendering honor, fear, and love) and a specific financial application. He argues that all biblical passages on debt are negative, that borrowing makes one a slave to the lender, and that Christians should strive to live debt-free. The message also addresses suretyship, inflation, and the cultural shift toward debt, concluding with a call to financial discipline and freedom in Christ.

Introduction and the Question of Debt

Weaver introduces the topic prompted by a question from Chester Taylor and reads Romans 13:8, noting a conversation between two pastors about the plain meaning of the verse.

Scripture Reading — Romans 13:8

"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."

Now let's read it one more time. It's very brief.

Scripture Reading — Romans 13:8

"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."

Recently I was talking with a friend and he told me that an acquaintance of his, who was another pastor by the way, had made a statement to him that, quote, "I believe Romans 13," end quote.

Can 'Owe No Man Anything' Be Taken Absolutely?

Weaver argues that in one sense we are forever in debt to God (Father, Son, and Spirit) and to others (to preach the gospel, to support teachers), so the command cannot be absolute in every sense.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:12

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

Now let's go back to verse 12 again. He says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 8:11-14

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh."

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:14

"So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." So Paul is saying since he has received grace from God the Father, and since he has received mercy from God the Father and truth from God the Father, then he is indebted, therefore, to preach that truth and that grace and that mercy to everyone. So in that sense of the word, Paul is saying that he is in debt to God and to the others because he is responsible to declare the truth. In that sense of the word, we are also in debt. Let me point it out. We're not only in debt to the unsaved, we're even in debt to the saved. For instance, look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15. And let's begin there with verse 26, Romans 15, verse 26. Now look what Paul writes, Romans 15 verse 26, he says, "For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are."

Scripture Reading — Romans 15:26-27

"For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things."

The Broader Context of Romans 13:8

The command includes rendering fear, honor, and respect to those to whom they are due, such as government, spouses, and elders, not just financial obligations.

Scripture Reading — Romans 13:7

"Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man anything."

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 5:33

"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

And the word reverence means to honour. Now, that means this, the husband owes the wife a Christ-like love, and the wife owes the husband a godly submission and a godly reverence.

The Main Thrust: Financial Debt

While the command has a broad scope, its primary application is financial. Believers are to acquit themselves of every obligation except love.

Grammatical Considerations and the Imperative

The Greek word for 'owe' can be indicative or imperative; context favors the imperative, making it a command to live debt-free in every area of life.

The Analogy of Faith: All Biblical Passages on Debt Are Negative

Weaver states that over 70 passages on debt are negative, with none encouraging debt. He cites Proverbs 22:7 to show the borrower is servant to the lender.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 2:13

"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 22:7

"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender,"

Suretyship and Striking Hands Condemned

The Bible generally condemns cosigning or standing surety for others, with multiple Proverbs warning against it. Judah's example illustrates the seriousness of suretyship.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 11:15

"He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:18

"A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 20:16

"Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman."

Why Are We So Debt-Oriented?

I want you to turn in your Bibles to two passages.

The Borrower Is Servant to the Lender

Using Proverbs 22:7 and Galatians 5:1, Weaver illustrates that debt enslaves, sharing a personal story of financial bondage and the decision to live by a cash-only rule.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:1

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

How are you and I to stand free in the liberty of Christ? By owing no man anything. Let me just tell you what I mean when the Scripture says the borrower is servant to the lender.

So you remember this verse today. The borrower is the servant or the slave to the lender.

Conclusion and Future Topics

Weaver acknowledges that borrowing may sometimes be necessary (to be covered later) but urges believers to stay out of debt to remain free. Closes in prayer.

The Christian & Debt - Part 1

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	750683821
Subject	Economics and Stewardship
Course	Debt, Money, and Stewardship
Genre	Sermon
Date	2003-05-04
Dictation Name
Book	Book 072: The Christian & Debt — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	75

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and the Question of Debt: Weaver introduces the topic prompted by a question from Chester Taylor and reads Romans 13:8, noting a conversation between two pastors about the plain meaning of the verse.
Can 'Owe No Man Anything' Be Taken Absolutely?: Weaver argues that in one sense we are forever in debt to God (Father, Son, and Spirit) and to others (to preach the gospel, to support teachers), so the command cannot be absolute in every sense.
The Broader Context of Romans 13:8: The command includes rendering fear, honor, and respect to those to whom they are due, such as government, spouses, and elders, not just financial obligations.
The Main Thrust: Financial Debt: While the command has a broad scope, its primary application is financial. Believers are to acquit themselves of every obligation except love.
Grammatical Considerations and the Imperative: The Greek word for 'owe' can be indicative or imperative; context favors the imperative, making it a command to live debt-free in every area of life.
The Analogy of Faith: All Biblical Passages on Debt Are Negative: Weaver states that over 70 passages on debt are negative, with none encouraging debt. He cites Proverbs 22:7 to show the borrower is servant to the lender.
Suretyship and Striking Hands Condemned: The Bible generally condemns cosigning or standing surety for others, with multiple Proverbs warning against it. Judah's example illustrates the seriousness of suretyship.
Why Are We So Debt-Oriented?: Weaver discusses historical shifts from cash purchases to financing, inflation caused by government money printing, and spiritual reasons like ignorance, lack of discipline, rebellion, and a slave mentality.
The Borrower Is Servant to the Lender: Using Proverbs 22:7 and Galatians 5:1, Weaver illustrates that debt enslaves, sharing a personal story of financial bondage and the decision to live by a cash-only rule.
Conclusion and Future Topics: Weaver acknowledges that borrowing may sometimes be necessary (to be covered later) but urges believers to stay out of debt to remain free. Closes in prayer.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Romans 13:8 Is a Command, Not a Statement of Fact

The Greek verb 'owe' is best understood as an imperative, making it a divine command to avoid all debts except love.

Weaver says, 'Undoubtedly, the context has to decide, and the context, I believe, decides for the imperative... So in the context then, it is a command.'

The Command Applies Broadly Beyond Finances

Romans 13:7-8 includes rendering fear, honor, and custom, showing the command covers all obligations, not just money.

Weaver says, 'When you're talking about fear, when you're talking about honour, you're referring to something broader than just simply a financial realm.'

All Scripture on Debt Is Negative

With over 70 passages, the Bible uniformly condemns debt; there is no positive endorsement of borrowing.

Weaver states, 'All 70 passages are extremely negative... There is not one passage in the Bible that encourages debt.'

Suretyship Is Foolish and Dangerous

Proverbs repeatedly calls the one who cosigns 'void of understanding' and warns of financial ruin.

Weaver quotes Proverbs 17:18, 'A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.'

Inflation Robs Wealth and Encourages Debt

Government-caused inflation reduces the value of money, making it harder to save and easier to fall into debt.

Weaver says, 'We actually have less, although the appearance is that we have more... We have more, but it is less valuable than that which our grandparents had.'

Debt Reflects a Slave Mentality

A focus on immediate gratification and failure to plan for the future reveals a mindset of slavery rather than freedom.

Weaver says, 'To the degree that we are ignorant, and to the degree that we are undisciplined, and to the degree that we are rebellious, to that degree we have a slave mentality.'

Practical Freedom Comes from Avoiding Debt

Living debt-free allows believers to serve God and pursue their own desires without being obligated to work for lenders.

Weaver shares his personal testimony: 'If you can stay out of debt, you stay free. And you're able then to go and do not only as God would have you to go and do, but whatever you might want to go and do as well.'

Scripture References

Romans 13:8: The central text of the sermon: 'Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.'
Matthew 6:12: Used to show we are debtors to God, as the Lord's Prayer says, 'forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.'
Romans 8:11-14: Paul says believers are debtors, not to the flesh, but to the Spirit, indicating a perpetual spiritual debt.
Romans 1:14: Paul declares, 'I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians,' showing an obligation to preach the gospel.
Romans 15:26-27: Gentile believers are debtors to the Jerusalem saints because they received spiritual blessings from them.
Galatians 6:6: Those taught in the word should support their teachers, indicating a debt of gratitude and material support.
Romans 13:7: The immediate context of verse 8, commanding to render tribute, custom, fear, and honor to whom they are due.
1 Peter 3:5-6: Sarah called Abraham 'lord,' showing the debt of reverence and submission a wife owes her husband.
Ephesians 5:33: The wife is to reverence her husband, indicating a non-financial debt of honor.
1 Corinthians 2:13: Used to establish the principle of comparing spiritual things with spiritual to interpret Scripture.
Proverbs 22:7: Key verse: 'The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.'
Job 17:3: Job asks God to be his surety, introducing the concept of suretyship.
Proverbs 6:1-5: Warns against being surety for a friend or striking hands with a stranger, urging deliverance from such snares.
Proverbs 11:15: 'He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.'
Proverbs 17:18: 'A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.'
Proverbs 20:16: 'Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.'
Proverbs 22:26: 'Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.'
Proverbs 27:13: Repeats the warning of Proverbs 20:16 about taking a garment from one who is surety for a stranger.
Genesis 43:8-9: Judah becomes surety for Benjamin, promising to bear the blame forever if he does not bring him back.
Galatians 5:1: 'Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.'

Historical References

C. H. McIntosh, 1864: Weaver quotes McIntosh's commentary on Romans 13:8, emphasizing the plainness of the command and the duty to do without rather than go into debt.
1929 housing statistics: In 1929, 95% of homes were bought for cash; only 5% were financed.
1999 housing statistics: By 1999, 95% of homes were financed and only 5% bought with cash.
Pre-1945 car financing: Before 1945, practically no cars were financed; our forefathers considered borrowing immoral.
Bill Clinton's presidency: Weaver mentions the claim that economic upswing was due to Clinton's presidency, contrasting it with the reality of inflation.
1930s car prices: A brand new car could be bought for $1,000 in the 1930s, equivalent to $20,000-$30,000 in Federal Reserve notes today.

Important Quotes

Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

The foundational verse of the entire sermon, establishing the command to avoid all debts except love.

There is not one passage in the Bible that encourages debt. There is not one passage in the Bible that speaks positively about the benefits of being in debt. All are negative.

Summarizes the uniform biblical witness against debt, a key argument for debt-free living.

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Proverbs 22:7, the central Old Testament proof text that debt leads to slavery.

A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

Proverbs 17:18, used to show that cosigning is foolish and condemned by God.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1, linked to debt-free living as an expression of Christian liberty.

Owe no man anything is a precept so plain that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. What right have I before God and man to wear a coat or a hat not paid for?

C. H. McIntosh's quote emphasizing the clarity and moral weight of the command.

If you can stay out of debt, you stay free.

Weaver's practical conclusion that financial freedom comes through avoiding debt.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways does the command 'Owe no man anything' extend beyond financial debt to other areas of life?

[Context]

Weaver discusses rendering fear, honor, and respect to those to whom they are due, such as government, spouses, and elders.

[Question]

How does the analogy of faith (comparing Scripture with Scripture) help us understand Romans 13:8?

[Context]

Weaver introduces the principle from 1 Corinthians 2:13 and applies it by surveying all biblical passages on debt.

[Question]

Why does the Bible speak so negatively about suretyship and cosigning?

[Context]

Weaver cites multiple Proverbs and the story of Judah to show the dangers and foolishness of standing surety for others.

[Question]

What role does government-caused inflation play in our society's debt problem?

[Context]

Weaver explains that inflation devalues money, making it harder to save and easier to fall into debt.

[Question]

How can a 'slave mentality' contribute to financial bondage?

[Context]

Weaver argues that focusing only on present comfort and failing to plan for the future reflects a mindset of slavery.

[Question]

What practical steps can believers take to live by a 'cash only' rule?

[Context]

Weaver shares his personal story of getting out of debt and adopting a cash-only lifestyle.

[Question]

In what sense are we always in debt to God and to others, and how does that relate to financial debt?

[Context]

Weaver distinguishes between perpetual spiritual/moral debts and avoidable financial debts.

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