Deuteronomy 15:8 says, “You shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.”Turning to the New Testament, in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:42, Jesus says, “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”And finally, a verse that ...
So, here is our first conclusion. The Bible does not teach that borrowing money is a sin. However, it discourages debt and clearly warns against its practical and spiritual dangers, thus compelling us to be wise stewards in the way we manage our finances. The basic conclusion is this. If you can avoid debt, avoid it.
Charging interest is indeed sinful when doing so takes advantage of a person in need as well as when it means investing in corporations involved in the harming of God's creatures.
That is, Christians could not lend to Christians at interest, Jews could not lend to Jews, and Muslims could not lend to Muslims. So while Christians were not prohibited from being money lenders as such, those Christians who were surrounded by other Christians were practically prohibited from taking any customers.
It doesn't say that it's a sin to borrow
While the Bible offers many warnings about the dangers of debt, it never says that you are out of God's will or violating one of God's commandments when you borrow. We can debate the wisdom of incurring debt under certain circumstances, but it's never a black-and-white issue.
A common interpretation is that Jesus was reacting to the practice of money changers routinely cheating the people, but Marvin L. Krier Mich observes that a good deal of money was stored at the temple, where it could be loaned by the wealthy to the poor who were in danger of losing their land to debt.
Luke 6:34-35
Here we have Jesus saying, “lend, expecting noth- ing in return,” again to the crowds as well as to Jesus' disciples (Lk 17, 7:1). Garland (2011) suggests that Jesus says this because his teaching reaffirms the essence of the Old Testament prohibition against interest.
"`Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams, you may eat any that have fins and scales. But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales--whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water--you are to detest.
“You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.” What does the Bible say about tattoos? That's it—that one line in Leviticus 19:28 of the Old Testament. But context is key—and this scripture may not apply to us in the way it looks.
If you're in debt, tithing should still be a priority. Listen, I know it's tempting to throw that money at your debt, but the discipline and faith that tithing brings are so worth it. Even while you're paying down debt, you can still have an attitude of generosity.
Deuteronomy 15:6 Amplified Bible (AMP)
When the LORD your God blesses you as He has promised you, then you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.
While borrowing isn't sinful, churches must carefully consider the financial and spiritual implications before taking on debt. By following biblical principles and partnering with the right institutions, churches can make informed decisions that support their mission to advance the Gospel.
Biblical prohibitions on usury were later redefined as prohibitions on lending at excessive interest rates. Today, charging interest on loans is an everyday part of life. Modern Christian leaders condemn excessive interest rates, but not the lending of money itself.
If we're struggling with our finances, we must remember that God is our refuge, and that He cares for those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:7). We shouldn't be anxious about money problems (Philippians 4:6). We must do our part—to not overspend, but to save and invest our money in what has eternal value.
The story is straightforward: a moneylender forgives two debtors; the man who owed more loves the moneylender more (Luke 7:42). One denarius was roughly the daily wage of a laborer or soldier. The lesser debtor would have owed about two months' wages and the greater owed nearly two years' wages.
1 Peter 3:10 tells us that "whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech." God commands us to keep our tongue from all obscene words, filthy and corrupt communication, lying, swearing, cursing, and any evil speech.
According to most Biblical study websites, there is no explicit scriptural command for or against cremation. There are no passages that forbid cremation, according to most Biblical scholars.
The relevant biblical verses (Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:11) prohibit wearing wool and linen fabrics in one garment, the blending of different species of animals, and the planting together of different kinds of seeds (collectively known as kilayim).
In Luke 6:34-35a, Jesus tells a crowd of people, “And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.”
What the Bible says about borrowing: Exodus 22:14 - If anything is borrowed, it should be paid back. If what is borrowed is lost or injured, full restitution must be made. Ps 37:21 - The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.
In fact there is no direct condemnation of interest-taking in the New Testament; it is even tolerated in the Parable of the Talents.
As stewards of God's resources, the Bible says that maintaining a reserve of savings is important. “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets” (Proverbs 21:20, TLB). Saving a portion of all the money that flows into our lives makes sense as a practical matter.
This spirit of compassion undergirds the line from the most famous prayer of the Gospels, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Are these biblical examples also violations of justice? Conversely, Psalm 37 is a different genre and a different context.