Jesus doesn't directly forbid interest but encourages compassion and generosity in lending, often through parables like the Parable of the Talents, where a servant is rebuked for not earning interest, suggesting investment is good, while Luke 6:35 encourages lending without expecting repayment, contrasting self-interest with radical love for all, including enemies, implying that while business interest may be acceptable, exploiting the poor with high rates is contrary to Christian ethics.
Deuteronomy 23:19 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“You shall not charge interest to your fellow Israelite—interest on money, food or anything that may be loaned for interest.
A conclu- sion from these teachings is that Jesus does not expect lenders necessarily to receive back the full amount of their loans and certainly nothing in excess of the loan. Interest is therefore precluded. The meanings of interest in biblical terms and in con- temporary parlance are similar (Ballard, 1994).
For the most part, Christians have concluded that interest is not inherently prohibited in modern societies, but that lending practices— including interest rates and collateral—must not take advantage of vulnerable people or make people destitute.
The Hebrew word neshekh is from a root which means "to bite"; thus interest is "something bitten off." The other word, mashsa', means "lending on interest." The Greek term is from the root tikto, "to produce" or "beget," hence, interest is something begotten or produced by money.
To sin is to say "no" to God and God's presence by harming others, ourselves, or all of creation. 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.
The usual answer is something like, “It's okay to have hobbies if they aren't sinful.” For example, gotquestions.org concludes this. So yes, Christians can have hobbies, but we have to make sure they never replace Christ. That is the temptation, and we must be sure to avoid it. That's true.
Most biblical texts that address lending at interest are negative. There's only one that allows it under specific circumstances. On a straightforward reading, it seems clear that charging interest is prohibited. Also, lending in the ancient world was often exploitative.
There's no single #1 worst sin; it depends on the religious or moral framework, but pride is often called the root of all evil (Christianity/Islam), while the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (unforgivable sin) is considered the gravest in the Bible. Other severe sins include child abuse (Catholicism) and sins that "cry to Heaven" (like shedding innocent blood or oppressing the poor).
Romans 12:19 tells believers not to seek personal revenge but to leave vengeance to God, stating, "Never take your own revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord". This verse encourages Christians to trust God as the ultimate judge, who will handle justice, instead of retaliating against wrongs, often by returning good for evil as described in the subsequent verses.
The Bible uses the word usury in many places, and the practice is unequivocally condemned. The text suggests that charging any interest, particularly to a poor borrower, is usury.
The gifting and calling were from God (Exodus 35:30-35). He created each of us as individuals, with different interests and skills and talents, and using them to His glory is part of being a good steward.
Making extra income is never a terrible idea, and one way to do that with a loan agreement would be by charging interest. However, if you decide to charge interest, you may be liable to pay tax, depending on your individual tax position. This is because it will be seen as taxable income and so must be declared to HMRC.
Proverbs 17:22 states, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones," meaning a joyful attitude promotes health and well-being, while persistent negativity and despair are damaging to both the mind and body, affecting physical vitality. It highlights the strong connection between one's inner emotional state (heart/spirit) and physical health, suggesting that inner happiness acts like healing medicine, while a broken spirit weakens a person.
Jesus' mission did not include marriage to a human being—his bride is the Church (Eph. 5:25–33)—so there was no apparent purpose for him to feel romantic attraction. Therefore, while we cannot know with certainty, it is unlikely he felt romantic attraction for Mary Magdalene or any other woman.
The unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy includes ridicule and attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil.
The unforgivable sin in Christianity, known as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, refers to a persistent, hardened refusal to accept God's salvation and grace, often exemplified by attributing Jesus' miracles to demonic power (Beelzebul) despite clear evidence. It's not a single act but a final, willful rejection of the Spirit's work, making repentance impossible, rather than God being unable to forgive. Anyone genuinely seeking forgiveness for it likely hasn't committed it, as true blasphemy involves a complete turning away from God.
The legal rate of interest caps what lenders can charge, and exceeding it is considered usury, which can lead to penalties such as fines or loss of interest or principal.
In Deut. 23:20-21 the text reads, "You shall not lend upon interest to your brother, interest on money, interest on victuals, interest on anything that is lent for interest.
Jesus gives some credence to interest charges in Matt. 25:14–30; Luke 19:12–27. If we are living in an actual Christian society, Usury would be against the law and anyone who practices it would be put through a trial and if convicted, sentenced to death.
The "80% rule" for churches refers to two main concepts: either a growth limit (when average attendance hits 80% of sanctuary capacity, growth slows due to crowding in parking, seating, or kids' areas) or the Pareto Principle (80% of results come from 20% of efforts, meaning a few volunteers do most of the work). Both highlight potential issues: the first suggests building or adding services, while the second points to volunteer burnout and inequitable work distribution, prompting a need for leadership development to engage more people.