"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us … he that giveth, let him
do it with simplicity" (Rom. 12:6,8).

The apostle is speaking here of gifts and of the manner in which the various duties of Christians,
as members of one body, ought to be performed. He whose gift is riches, and who gives of his
substance for the needs of the poor or the work of the Lord, is to do it with simplicity. Let us
pause and note carefully this weighty caution. Nothing is more difficult than to distribute money
according to this word of the Lord. "Simplicity" here has the same sense as "singleness of heart,
fearing God" (Col. 3:22; Eph. 6:5). How searching is the Word of God! It guards against
ostentation, love of praise, wrong motives, improper objects; and on the other hand, it warns us
against all evasive pretexts, such as, "Not convenient, I receive so many requests, I am not able
to give, etc." (Ed. note:Probably one of the most common of these evasive pretexts today is, "I
cannot claim it as a deduction when figuring my income tax.")

At the same time, the Christian is but a steward, whether he distributes what may be called his
own, of the bounty of the church, and he is entitled to look for "simplicity and godly sincerity"
in the applicant as well as in himself. There are many plausible appeals made for money which,
when carefully examined, are found to be neither simple nor sincere. He must also watch against
the clever pleader who puts his soul in bondage through emotional appeals and makes him
unhappy unless he yields to the appeal.

Ed. note:While the writer of the preceding article refers to one "whose gift is riches," let us note
that Scripture simply refers to one "that giveth" and not necessarily to one who is wealthy. Many
impressive stories are told of Christian millionaires who give 90% of their income to the Lord’s
work and to the poor, and keep only 10% for themselves. But such are not necessarily the ones
referred to in Rom. 12:8. The one who has the gift of giving is one who is sensitive to the needs
of those about him, even when those needs may not be broadcast about and may not be obvious
to most others. Such a one is much before the Lord as to the use of his/her material possessions.
And the one "that giveth" has the God-given wisdom, compassion, liberality, and care for the
sensitivities of the recipients, to effectively meet such needs. It may well be that those whom God
recognizes as having the "gift of giving" are found more commonly among those of lower
economic classes, some of whom perhaps have at one tune known something of poverty
themselves, and who give _ perhaps at some cost to their own comforts and conveniences_to
relieve the needs of others even worse off than themselves. We who feel good about the extent of
our giving to the Lord should be reminded of the Macedonian Christians who, "out of the
abundance of their joy and their deep poverty," gave liberally to relieve the poor, persecuted saints
in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:2-4). There may be a tendency for it to be the other way around with us:
giving out of the abundance of our wealth and deep poverty of joy.

There is only one remedy for all the difficulties connected with giving, as for all other things. The
giver must walk before the Lord with purity of motive, free from all improper designs, and
waiting to do His will with an honest, impartial simplicity. When the eye is single, the whole body
is full of light; perplexity with darkness flees away, the mind of God is discerned, and the clear

light of heaven shines on the steward’s way.

(From Meditations on Christian Devotedness from Romans 12.)

And [Jesus] said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man’s life consisteth
not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15).

How difficult it is to define this "covetousness"! how hard to bring it home to the conscience! It
is, as some one has said of worldliness, "shaded off gradually from white to jet black." It is only
as we are imbued with the spirit and mind of heaven, and thoroughly schooled in the principles
of eternity, that we shall be able to detect its working.

In the parable of the rich man, which the Lord here puts forth as an illustration of covetousness,
we see a character which the world respects and admires. But in this, as in every thing else
brought forward in this searching chapter, we see the difference between now and then_between
time and eternity. All depends upon the light in which you look at men and things. If you merely
look at them now, it may be all very well to get on in trade, and enlarge one’s business, and make
provision for the future. The man who does this is counted wise now, but he will be a "fool" then.
Let us remember that we must make God’s then to be our now; we must look at the things of time
in the light of eternity_the things of earth in the light of heaven.

"The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully" (verse 16). What sin is there in being
a successful agriculturist or merchant? If God blesses a man’s labor, should he not rejoice? Surely
yes; but mark the moral progress of a covetous heart. "He thought within himself." He did not
think in the presence of God but rather within the narrow compass of his selfish heart. Therefore
we need not marvel at his practical conclusion:"What shall I do, because I have no room where
to bestow my fruits?" What! Was there no way of using his resources with a view to God’s future?
Alas! no. Man has a future (or thinks he has) on which he counts, and for which he makes
provision; but self is the only object which figures in that future_self, whether in my own person
or that of my wife or child, which is morally the same thing.

The great object in God’s future is Christ, and true wisdom will lead us to fix our eye on Him,
and make Him our undivided object for time and eternity_now and then. But this, in the judgment
of a worldly man, is nonsense. Listen to the wisdom of earth, and the wisdom of those who are
under the influence of earthly maxims and habits:"And he said, This will I do:I will pull down
my barns, and built greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods." What a
miserable treasure house to contain the "all" of an immortal soul! God was not an item in the
catalogue. God was neither his treasury nor his treasure. "And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou
hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." Thus we see
that a worldly man’s provision is only "for many years." Make the best of it; it cannot go beyond
that narrow span of time. And this provision he offers to his never-dying soul as the basis of its
ease and merriment. How senseless! "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall
be required of thee:then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?" And then mark
the moral of all this:"So is he [no matter who_saint or sinner] that layeth up treasure for himself,
and is not rich toward God."

My main object in this paper is to deal with Christian consciences. I ask the Christian reader,

therefore, whether it is in keeping with Christ’s doctrine, as set forth in the gospel, for His
disciples to lay up for themselves treasure on the earth. It seems almost an absurdity to pose such
a question in the face of Luke 12 and parallel scriptures. "Lay not up for yourselves treasure on
the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay
up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves
do not break through and steal." This is plain enough and only wants an honest conscience to
apply it in order to produce its proper results. It is directly contrary to the doctrine of the kingdom
of God, and perfectly incompatible with true discipleship, to lay up "treasure" in any shape or
form "on the earth." In this we have only to remember that we are in the kingdom of God in order
to know how we should act. The principles of that kingdom are eternal and binding upon every
disciple of Christ.

"And He said unto His disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what
ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body
is more than raiment" (verses 22,23). "Be careful [or anxious] for nothing," says the Spirit by the
apostle Paul. Why? Because God is caring for you. There is no use in two thinking about the same
thing when One can do everything and the other can do nothing. And after relieving the minds of
His disciples in reference to present supplies and future treasure, He says, "But rather seek ye the
kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you" (verse 31). That is, I am not to
seek the kingdom with the latent thought in my mind that my wants will be supplied in
consequence. That would not be true discipleship. A true disciple never thinks of anything but the
Master and His kingdom; and the Master assuredly think of him and his wants. That be free,
perfectly free, from care.

The Lord then adds, "Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not
old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." If I have treasure on earth, no matter
in what shape, my heart will be there also, and I shall be a downright worldly man. How shall I
most effectually empty my heart of the world? By getting it filled with Christ. He is the true
treasure which neither the world’s "bags" nor its "storehouses" can contain. The world’s barns
will fall and its bags will wax old:and then, what will become of the treasure? Truly "they build
too low that build beneath the skies."

Yet people will build and hoard up, if not for themselves, at least for their children, or in other
words, their second selves. And in numberless cases, the hoard, in place of proving a blessing,
proves a positive curse to the child by taking him off the proper ground appointed for him in
God’s moral government, namely, "working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may
have [not to hoard up for himself or for his second self, but] to give to him that needeth" (Eph.
4:28). This is God’s appointed ground for every man.

But why need I hoard up for my children? If I can trust God for myself, why not trust Him for
them likewise? Cannot the One who has fed and clothed me feed and clothe them also? Let not
the truth be misunderstood or misinterpreted. I am bound, by the powerful obligations of the word
and example of God, to provide for my own, for "if any provide not for his own, and specially
for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel" (1 Tim. 5:8).

This is plain enough. And, moreover, I am bound to fit my children, so far as God’s principles
admit and my province extends, for any service to which He may be graciously pleased to call
them. But I am no where instructed in the Word of God to give my children a hoard in place of
an honest occupation, with simple dependence upon a heavenly Father. As a matter of actual fact,
few children ever thank their fathers for inherited wealth; whereas they will ever remember, with
gratitude and veneration, having been led, by parental care and management, into a godly course
of action for themselves.

I shall only add, before closing this paper, that the Lord Jesus, who has sought to raise_by His
unearthly principles_the thoughts and affections of His disciples to their proper center and level,
gives them two things to do; and these two things may be expressed in the words of the Holy
Spirit:"To serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven" (1 Thess. 1:9,10).
The teaching of Luke 12, from verse 35 to the end, falls under these two headings. We have no
one else to serve but "the living God" and nothing to wait for_nothing worth waiting for_but
"His Son." May the Holy Spirit clothe His own Word with heavenly power so that it may come
home to the heart and conscience, and tell upon the life of every child of God, that the name of
the Lord Christ may be magnified and His truth vindicated in the conduct of those that belong to
Him. May the grace of an honest heart, and a tender, upright, well-adjusted conscience, be largely
ministered to each and all of us, so that we may be like a well-tuned instrument, yielding a true
tone when touched by the Master’s hand, and harmonizing with His heavenly voice.

(From "Now and Then, or Time and Eternity" in Miscellaneous Writings, Vol. 1.)

"Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered
him" (1 Cor. 16:2).

It is an interesting fact that immediately following the great resurrection chapter in this first epistle
to the Corinthians, the apostle gives instruction to the saints concerning the use of their money.
With many this is always a touchy question, and yet he who sings from the heart,

"Naught that I have my own I’ll call;
I hold it for the Giver:
My heart, my strength, my life, my all
Are His, and His forever,"

should surely not be averse to facing honestly in the presence of God what He has said in His
Word concerning the Christian and his money.

In the Old Testament God gave to Israel very definite instructions as to this. The tithe of all that
they received was to be definitely set apart for Himself and devoted to the upkeep of His house
and the support of His priests; but even before the law was given, God indicated His mind in
regard to the tithe by what He caused to be recorded concerning Abraham. When the patriarch
returned from the slaughter of the kings and the deliverance of his nephew Lot, he was met by
Melchizedek, King of Salem, who was priest of the most high God. In response to the blessing
of this mysterious personage, who was a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are told that Abraham
"gave him tithes of all." Our attention is directed to this in the Epistle to the Hebrews as indicating
the preeminence of the Melchizedek priesthood over the Levitical, inasmuch as Abraham was the
father of all the Hebrews and therefore of the sons of Levi who, in him representatively, paid
tithes to Melchizedek.

When God’s earthly people were going on happily with Himself they gladly brought their tithes,
together with additional offerings, thus honoring the Lord and recognizing His authority over their
lives and possessions. When declension set in and they drifted away from Him and followed the
ways of the surrounding nations, they selfishly kept the tithes for themselves, robbed God of what
properly belonged to Him, left His priests to suffer, and neglected the upkeep of His temple.
Whenever there was a return to Himself, there was always a new recognition of their
responsibility regarding the tithe.

In the last book of the Old Testament, the little book of Malachi, God speaks scathingly of their
neglect of the law of the tithe. He says in Chapter 3, verses 8 and 9:"Will a man rob God? Yet
ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are
cursed with a curse:for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation." It was not that God needed
their money. He Himself had told them in the fiftieth Psalm that every beast of the forest was His
and the cattle upon a thousand hills. The world was His and the fulness thereof. He had no need
of anything that His people could bring to Him, but their faithful observance of the law of the tithe
was an evidence of their loyalty to Himself, and their neglect of it told out their indifference to

His will. In the verse following those we have quoted from Malachi, He calls upon them to bring
their tithes, and promises blessing when they obey. We read:"Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord
of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there
shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall
not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the
field, saith the Lord of hosts." Material blessing always followed obedience to the command of
the Lord.

When our Saviour Himself was here on earth, He sternly rebuked certain hypocritical legalists for
observing great care in tithing while neglecting true spirituality toward God and charity toward
men. He speaks scornfully of their habit of tithing the smallest possible herbs and yet forgetting
the weightier matters of the law such as loving their neighbors as themselves. But He does not
thereby deliver from the law of the tithe, or in any sense decry tithing, for He immediately adds,
"These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone." That is, He did not relieve them
of the responsibility of tithing even mint and rue, insignificant herbs as they were, but He stressed
their responsibility to keep the whole law and put His special emphasis upon its spiritual side.

When we pass out of the atmosphere of the four Gospels into the Book of Acts and thence into the
epistles of the New Testament, we never again read of tithing, except in the passage already
referred to_Hebrews 7:5-8. Hence some have jumped to the conclusion that the law of the tithe
in no way affects Christian responsibility, and at first sight it might seem that they who so reason
are correct; but there is a passage often overlooked which would appear to negate this conclusion.
In Romans 8:3,4, we are told:"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the
flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin [that is, as a sacrifice
for sin], condemned sin in the flesh:that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Here is a principle of all importance if one would so live as to glorify God in this dispensation
when believers are not under law but under grace. The Christian standard of righteousness is not
a lower one than that of the Jew in the legal dispensation. It is really a far higher standard.
Therefore, we may well say, if we were Jews living under law, we would be obligated to give to
God a tenth of all our income as recognizing His Lordship over all our possessions. Shall we then,
as Christians in the reign of grace, allow ourselves to be outdone in this respect by a Jew under
law? Shall we not rather gladly render to God as the very minimum a tenth of all that with which
He entrusts us and, as He enables, gladly give more in order to show our appreciation of His
loving kindness?

When Paul called upon the Corinthians to lay by in store as God had prospered them, he
necessarily had in mind some kind of standard. What is that standard? Surely it cannot be less than
that which was ordained under law, but it is evident that some definite proportion of our income
must be taken into consideration if we are to give as God hath prospered.

He who says, "I am not under law, and therefore I am not concerned about tithing my income;
I will give as I feel led of the Lord," generally winds up by giving the merest pittance as compared

with what the Lord entrusts to him. He, on the other hand, who says, "I shall begin with a tenth
and, as God enables, will do better," becomes a consistent giver and finds joy in thus rendering
glad obedience to the Word of the Lord.

Let no Christian think that he gains by withholding from God, but rather remember that He who
has said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive," will always have the most blessed part. He
will be no man’s debtor. As we give to Him we can be certain that He will fulfill to the letter that
word which says, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory through
Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19).

One thing our text suggests that we are often inclined to overlook is that there is an orderly
method both as to the time and place of setting aside that portion of our means which we devote
to the work of the Lord. This work, of course, is of a two-fold character. It involves the care of
His servants who are entirely engaged in the ministry and thus have to live of the gospel as
Scripture tells us (1 Cor. 9:14); but it also includes helping to meet the needs of those in difficult
circumstances. In fact, it was this latter phase of giving to God which was particularly in the
apostle’s mind when he gave the Corinthians the instructions as to systematic and proportionate
giving. Our Lord has said that anything done for one of His own is reckoned by God as done for
Himself.

But what I want especially to draw attention to is the time element referred to in the opening
words of the verse:"Upon the first day of the week.” Most of us receive our income on a regular
weekly or possibly monthly basis/The import of this passage clearly is that when we thus receive
our wages or other form of income, we should at that time set aside a proper proportion for the
work of the Lord. It is not necessary that it should all be immediately contributed to any particular
cause, but he who consistently lays by in this sense will always have something that he can
contribute when occasion demands. There is the laying by in store at home, but there is also the
"collection for the saints." This, of course, suggests bringing our gifts to the assembly of God’s
people where we join with others in making up a collection of our varied offerings.

Thus, he who learns to act in partnership with God in money matters can be assured of the divine
blessing when he himself has to face times of stress and difficulty; but even if this were not so,
it should be our joy and privilege to fulfill our responsibility in these things to the glory and praise
of God.

"Ye have well done" (Phil. 4:14).

This was a precious commendation of the Philippian assembly. Paul had told them he was not
anxious about daily needs, and that he was gladly a learner in God’s school by the trials of the
way. But they had "well done" in taking part in his affliction. A testimony of impatience with the
assemblies and of distrust toward God was far from him. The assembly of Philippi had sent once
and again to his necessity (4:16). Paul rejoiced because he sought fruit that would abound to their
account.

There is something instructive in the reference to no other church having helped him at that time.
The New Testament contains no letter of admonition to any such assembly by him or by any other
apostle; only this brief general mention of the neglect. Are we not to gather instruction from this?
Are we not taught delicacy in dealing with this subject, while at the same time graciously and
gently warned as to neglect?

Under law the order was, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in
my house, and prove me … if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a
blessing" (Mal. 3:10). That is, under law, obey and be blessed is the order; while under grace it
is:you have been blessed, therefore let the heart overflow. "Freely ye have received, freely give"
(Matt. 10:8). "As the elect of God, holy and beloved," we are to have "bowels of mercies,
kindness" (Col. 3:12). Love flows forth from hearts happy in the knowledge of God’s rich
goodness and grace.

Nevertheless, in the liberty of grace, exhortation has its place on this subject, and Paul very
freely, as graciously also, exhorts and encourages and incites the assembly at Corinth not to fall
short of liberality. Chapters 8 and 9 of 2 Corinthians truly warn and cheer the heart, and in how
much they rebuke us let us judge. And in what we may call his farewell words to the church, Paul
closes with the words, "I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support
the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give
than to receive. And when He had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all" (Acts
20:35).

This exhortation is written specially to encourage more giving by assemblies. Such giving calls
for love and unity in the assembly, and fellowship in the gospel, and self-denial. The scriptural
example of Philippi is not given to be slighted; but in giving in this way the assembly acts in faith
and in loving exercise toward the laborer, and he in turn has his heart drawn out to them. And
hearts are cheered by a heartfelt report from the field of work to those whose fellowship in the
gospel draws it out. Note the tone of the Epistle to the Philippians in this respect. May our hearts
be stirred to this great and holy service.

It is good to send abroad to laborers and not to give only when they come to us, nor does the
coming of a laborer to an assembly call necessarily for help from that assembly. Such a thought
is bondage. Help might have come from another quarter, leaving the brother the more free

(especially in a low state in an assembly) to minister in full liberty before the Lord_however
blessed a privilege it would also be for an assembly to minister to one laboring in their midst.
Still, to confine our giving to those laboring in our midst would surely not be right. It would tend
to hinder going to "regions beyond," and lay a snare for the feet of the laborer.

When we consider the dangers we are exposed to, we should walk in fear and trembling. We are
unfit for God’s service unless we take unto us His whole armor. We cannot give or receive for
His glory but by His grace and by His Spirit. May we love His name, and love those who serve
Him. And may we have such trust in the living God that we shall be ready and glad to give_ready
to share the burden of the conflict.

(From Help and Food, Vol. 15.)

Much counsel and advice is being offered us_indeed, showered upon us_daily, concerning what
to do with our money:how to save it, how to spend it, how to make the best use of it, how to get
the best bargains, how to get more of it, how to purchase things without having it presently in
hand, etc. The radio, television, newspapers, and magazines are bombarding us with not only
cleverly wrought advertisements and commercials designed to separate us from our money, but
also with "legitimate and unbiased" advice from "experts" as to how to handle our money wisely.
Yes, the world has much to advise as to such things, and we hear the advice repeated so often that
we begin accepting the world’s wisdom without giving it much thought. The counsel of the world
includes such things as:"Buy now, pay later"; "spend now before inflation eats it up"; "you owe
it to yourselves to get the best (have a good time, have as nice possessions as your neighbor)"; and
so forth. But listen to God’s Word:"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the
ungodly…. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and
night" (Psalm 1:1,2).

What is the source of our counsel as to the various matters of everyday life? Are we turning daily
to God’s Word to guide us or are we allowing the world’s counsel_"the counsel of the
ungodly"_to influence our thoughts and deeds? Scripture has a good deal to say on matters of
finance, and we wish now to examine what Scripture has to say on the topics of borrowing and
lending.

Borrowing

Perhaps the key verse for this topic would be, "Owe no man anything, but to love one another"
(Rom. 13:8). Let us seek to discover what this verse means and how far it should be applied by
looking at it in connection with other scriptures.

1. The very context of this verse gives some light as to its meaning and application. "Render
therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom
fear; honor to whom honor" (v. 7). When we borrow money from a bank or a credit agency, we
contract to pay back a certain amount of the principal, along with the accrued interest, each month
or week. So certainly a minimum application of Rom. 13:8 would be that we should not allow
ourselves to fall behind in our loan or mortgage payments, and thus violate the terms of the
contract into which we have entered.

2. "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there
a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For
what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away"
(James 4:13,14). It might reasonably be inferred from this passage in conjunction with Rom. 13:8
that we should never borrow beyond our ability at any time to repay to the fullest. Another way
of expressing this is that we should not borrow money in order to purchase depreciating items.
The sorts of things which fall into this category of depreciating items might include vacation trips;
home furnishings or appliances which would immediately lose a large portion of their value to the
vender upon installation in the home; home improvement services such as painting, wallpapering,

or building an addition such that there would be nothing that could be returned to the provider if
the loan could not be paid off; and such items as automobiles for which depreciation is occurring
at a faster rate than the principal of the loan is being paid off. The point to be made in all of this,
as expressed in the passage from James, is that our life is a vapor and may be taken away at any
time. Or we may lose our job or incur large, unanticipated expenses, so that we become unable
to pay off our creditors. This causes our creditors to suffer loss and it puts a blot on our Christian
testimony.

Now by no means do we seek to deny the wonderful truth that "my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19). Surely, it is wonderful that we as
Christians can rely on such a One who has not only infinite resources but also infinite goodness
and desire to help His children. But can we count upon Him to wink at our foolishness and
indiscretion in spending beyond our means to repay, going into debt to buy a new car when our
old one would have served us well another few years (thus giving us time to save up for a new
one), or spending freely just because we have the necessary credit cards? If such things be true
of me, can I be confident that the Lord will bail out me and my family if I were to lose my job,
or incur massive medical expenses, or if my life were to be taken suddenly away? While God is
certainly a God of grace, let us not be deceived, "God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).

There are certain items for which borrowing may be appropriate, such as buying a home which,
in these days of inflation, tends to increase in value, and which, if we were not able to keep up
with the payments, could be turned back to the creditor for resale without any loss to him. But in
summary, we should be careful to borrow only to the point that under any contingency we or our
survivors will be able to pay our creditors all that is due to them when it is due.

3. "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied
the faith, and is worse than an infidel" (1 Tim. 5:8). This ties in with the points made in the
previous section. We (speaking for the family providers) can be thankful that we can entrust our
families to the Lord’s care and provision in case the Lord allows something to happen to us and
our ability (as dependent on Him) to provide for them. But would we be accounted good providers
if our survivors_even after selling the house and moving into an apartment, trading in the car for
an older, less expensive model, and constricting themselves and reducing expenses in other
ways_were to be saddled with a large indebtedness due to free and extravagant spending in the
past?

4. "The borrower is servant to the lender" (Prov. 22:7). "No servant can serve two masters; for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [or riches]" (Luke 16:13). The one who succumbs to
the world’s philosophy of "Buy now, pay later" ends up as the servant to the lender(s). The whole
life is centered about finding ways to pay the bills on time. Such a one is not free to serve God
with his money and possessions. If, on the other hand, we were in the habit of saving up for
purchases, this would provide more opportunity for us to think_and pray_about whether we
really need such and such an item, or whether we need a model with so many frills, etc. It would
also provide an opportunity for the Lord to test us as to whether we are truly serving Him or

money (and what money can buy). He is able to do this, for instance, by laying before us the
needs of others (usually much greater than our own) and suggesting that we put off our intended
purchase for a while and use part or all of our savings to help our brother or neighbor in his
present need. If we would like to experience the blessing and joy derived from such a testing
(James 1:3,4), and are interested in laying up treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21), then let us take
care that we do not tie up all of our assets for the present and much of the future in paying off our
creditors.

5. "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household,
to give them their portion of meat in due season. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he
cometh shall find so doing" (Luke 12:42,43). "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the
unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been
faithful in that which is another man’s [that is, our material possessions which are on loan from
the Lord], who shall give you that which is your own [that is, our heavenly blessings won for us
by Christ}? (Luke 16:11,12). While the principle suggested in section 2 above would seem to
allow for borrowing for certain purchases such as a home, let us remember that with regard to all
of our purchases, we are to be "faithful and wise" stewards of the income and material possessions
which God has been pleased to entrust to our care. We are to use our money wisely and
prayerfully, not with the idea of keeping up with our neighbor (who himself is going deep into
debt to keep up with us and his other neighbors), or of keeping up with our parents (that is,
thinking that we, if we are newlyweds, have to start out with as large and expensive a house as
our parents have), but with the thought of being faithful with the riches and possessions which God
has given to us, that we might return them to Him with interest (Luke 12:19-26), and that we
might lay up treasure in heaven.

Lending

The Old Testament principle given to Israel concerning lending is stated thus:"Thou shalt not lend
upon usury to thy brother; . . . Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother
thou shalt not lend upon usury; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine
hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it" (Deut. 23:19,20). Also, "If thou lend money
to my people, the poor with thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer; ye shall charge him no
interest" (Exod. 22:25 JND). While "usury" today has the connotation of charging an excessive
interest rate, in the Old Testament it referred to charging interest of any rate or amount. As a
further commandment, lenders among the people of Israel were enjoined every seven years to
release all debtors among their own people from their obligations (Deut. 15). This had the effect
of maintaining approximate economic equality among the people of God’s chosen nation, and
tending to prevent the rich from getting richer and the poor from becoming poorer. (See also Lev.
25:35-37 and Neh. 5:1-13 for further Old Testament references to lending.)

In the New Testament these principles are extended even further:"Give to him that asketh thee,
and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away" (Matt. 5:42). "And if ye lend to
them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive
as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and
your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest" (Luke 6:34,35). Thus, we

as Christians are enjoined to lend as if we were giving our money away, not expecting repayment.
It is not that we should refuse repayment if offered to us, but that we ought not to fret and worry
and, particularly, harass the borrower if the payments have not been made on time.

While we are enjoined to "give to him that asketh thee," this does not necessarily mean that we
are to be indiscriminate in our lending or giving. Our giving, as in every aspect of our lives, must
be governed by God’s Word and must be taken to Him in prayer. One should consider whether
there is truly a need on the part of the asker or borrower, and that he is not seeking the "loan" in
order to obtain more status symbols or a higher station in life, or to feed a sinful habit. If the
borrower is truly poor and needy, then it is indeed our privilege, as directed by the Lord, to
minister to that need. And this is "not that other men be eased, and ye burdened; but by an
equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their
abundance also may be a supply for your want; that there may be equality" (2 Cor. 8:13,14).

Cosigning for the Loans of Others

Scripture is quite clear and explicit on this point:Don’t do it! that is, unless you have counted the
cost and are ready to pay the uttermost farthing (Prov. 6:1-5; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26). With
regard to Prov. 6:1-5, H. A. Ironside makes the following comments:"Unlikely as it may seem
on the face of it, pride is generally the incentive to suretyship. A desire to be thought well of^ to
be accounted in easy circumstances, has led many a man to ‘strike hands,’ or go on another’s
bond, who was quite unable to assume so serious a responsibility and yet discharge his obligations
to those properly dependent on him. With others it is an easy-going disposition that leads one to
thoughtless pledges, the performance of which would be ruinous. In either case, if thus entrapped,
it is well if the command here given is heeded (v. 3); and humbling though it may seem to be, the
confession should be made that one has undertaken more than righteousness and foresight would
advise. Far better a little temporary embarrassment and misunderstanding, even ill-will, than to
find out later that we and our families have to suffer for the maintenance of a foolish and sinful
pride" (Notes on Proverbs).

On the other hand, we may be led of the Lord, out of love for our neighbor or brother, and a
sense of his need, to become surety for his loan with the thought that if he cannot pay it, we will
be both able and happy to pay it for him. As a beautiful example for us, the apostle Paul became
surety for the runaway slave, Onesimus, telling Philemon, the master, "If he hath wronged thee,
or oweth thee aught, put that on mine account" (Philemon 18). An even greater example is to be
found in "our Lord Jesus Christ, [who,] though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor,
that ye through His poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. 8:9).

So, in conclusion, may we become more sensitive to the instruction of God’s Word and less
influenced by the "counsel of the ungodly" as to the matters of borrowing and lending. And may
our lives with respect to these and all other matters be strongly influenced by Him who "hath
loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling
savor" (Eph. 5:2).