— Balancing Faith, Debt, and Wisdom
📖 Summary
The Bible does not label debt as sin,
but it warns against trusting credit more than God.
Borrowing or using credit can be tools of stewardship—
but when they feed fear, pride, or greed, they become bondage.
1️⃣ Introduction | “Can Christians take loans?”
Mortgages, car payments, credit cards—modern life seems impossible without them.
But for believers, the real question is not financial but spiritual:
“Do I trust God’s provision, or my borrowing power?”
Debt exposes not our income level but our faith level.
2️⃣ Biblical Foundation | God Calls for Wise Restraint
📘 Romans 13:8 (ESV)
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other.”
→ Paul warns that dependence, not debt itself, enslaves.
📘 Proverbs 22:7 (ESV)
“The borrower is the slave of the lender.”
→ Debt can quietly replace God’s authority with financial bondage.
📘 Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
“You cannot serve God and money.”
→ When credit becomes your comfort, it becomes your idol.
3️⃣ Theological Insight | Credit Is a Tool, Not a Master
📜 John MacArthur — Whose Money Is It, Anyway?
“Debt reveals misplaced dependence.
God calls us to rely on Him, not on our credit limit.”
📜 R.C. Sproul — Reformation Study Bible
“Wise use of money preserves freedom;
foolish debt trades it for bondage.”
📜 John Piper — Desiring God: Faith and Finances
“If borrowing is born from fear, it already lacks faith.”
📜 Tim Keller — Counterfeit Gods
“Debt is dangerous not for what it buys,
but for the illusion of control it feeds.”
→ Credit is not evil—but it tests who we trust most.
4️⃣ Misconceptions vs Biblical Truth
| Misconception | Cause | Biblical Truth |
|---|---|---|
| “Debt is always sin.” | Legalistic thinking | Debt is neutral; dependence defines sin (Rom 13:8) |
| “God doesn’t understand my reality.” | Practical unbelief | God meets needs, not greed (Matt 6:24) |
| “Everyone uses credit—it’s normal.” | Cultural conformity | Normal doesn’t equal holy (Prov 22:7) |
| “Leverage is smart faith.” | Pragmatic greed | Trust God’s timing, not financial shortcuts (James 4:13–15) |
5️⃣ Application | Living Wisely with Credit
1️⃣ Shift Perspective
- Loans test faith, not just finances.
- Credit limits should never exceed your faith limit.
2️⃣ Change Attitude
- Borrow only for necessity, not vanity.
- View debt as temporary stewardship, not long-term security.
3️⃣ Act Wisely
- Repay diligently, transparently, and prayerfully.
- Budget around gratitude, not greed.
4️⃣ Reflection Questions
- Is my debt growing from faith or fear?
- Does credit expand my witness or my worry?
6️⃣ Conclusion | Debt Tests Trust, Not Net Worth
God does not condemn borrowing—He examines belief.
Debt is not about money; it’s about mastery.
If money commands your peace, God has lost His place.
“When credit replaces trust, faith is already in debt.” — Revito
Faith. Work. Renewal. — Revito
📧 revito247@gmail.com
🌐 www.revito.co.kr
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