Ps 37:21 - The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives. The Bible is clear that when something is borrowed is should be paid back. Someone refusing to repay reveals a wicked heart and not the generous and giving heart God wants us to have.
Borrowing money and failing to repay is not a crime, UNLESS there was some deception or fraud in your part that led your friend to give you the money.
Borrowing money is not a sin. But it isn't God's best either. Everything in God's Word is designed to keep you at the top in every area of life—including financially. You are called to be the head, not the tail; above, not beneath; and the lender, not the borrower (Deuteronomy 28:12-13).
Romans 13:8
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
The Bible never says that going into debt is a sin. However, it issues a very stark warning: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender”.
By: Rob West & Jim Henry. “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” - Psalm 37:21.
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.
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.
Borrowing money is a lot easier than paying it back. Smart borrowing can be convenient and help you achieve important goals like buying a home, buying a car, or going to college. Having too much debt can make it difficult to save and put additional strain on your budget.
Failing to pay could result in your account going into default, the balance being sent to collections, your lender taking legal action against you and your credit score dropping significantly.
Legally speaking, in order to be found guilty of theft, you must have had the specific intention to never return what you borrowed to the owner when you initially borrowed the item in question. If you simply forgot to return the item you borrowed, you do not meet the criteria for specific intent.
Similarly, in Deuteronomy 15, God says that every seven years, creditors should “remit the claim that is held against a neighbor” because “the Lord's remission has been proclaimed.” In the New Testament, Jesus instructs his followers to pray “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12, ...
“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.
The Bible makes it clear that people are generally expected to pay their debts. Leviticus 25:39. No one will or should advance any argument against this general proposition.
When you borrow your neighbors tools or a cup of sugar, you are incurring a debt to return what was borrowed. Hence, incurring a debt is not a sin. While being in debt is not a sin, Romans 13:8 tells the Christian to avoid being in debt.
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.
The Bible teaches that when money is borrowed there should also be a secure repayment plan. Psalm 37:21 says, “The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.” This text is clear. It does not say the person who borrows is wicked, but rather the one who borrows and does not pay back.
You might say to God: “Heavenly Father, I lift this person up to you and put this situation in your hands. Please give me wisdom. Please bless this person financially so they will never feel the need to borrow in the future. Your ways are not our ways.
Proverbs 22:26-27 ERV. Don't promise to pay someone else's debt. If you cannot pay, you will lose everything you have. So why should you lose the bed you sleep on?
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.”
Paul writes in Romans 13:8 that we are to owe no man anything except love. If you have any doubts about it, we can assure you that borrowing and lending between family members will almost certainly get in the way of love at some point or other.
A Powerful Prayer for Getting Out of Debt
Dear God, I pray for relief from the burden and unbearable weight of debt. I'm so thankful that even though I may have made bad choices that got me into debt, You are much bigger than my mistakes. I ask for deliverance from the stress of debt.
Turning to Bible verses for financial struggles can be incredibly helpful. Verses such as Philippians 4:19, which states, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus,” are a reminder that God is a faithful provider.