5289 debt

God is the Maker and sustainer of all things and therefore all creatures owe everything to him. Scripture provides guidance concerning both debt and debtors.

Everyone is in debt to God as Creator

1Co 4:7 See also Dt 8:17-18; 1Ch 29:11-13; Ps 24:1-2; Ecc 5:19; Ac 14:17; Ac 17:25; 1Ti 6:17

Everyone is in debt to God as law-giver

Ro 3:19; Jas 2:10 See also Dt 27:26; Ps 49:7-8; Mal 3:8-10; Lk 7:41-42; Gal 3:10; Gal 5:3

Believers are in debt to God as Redeemer

He has paid their debt Gal 3:13 See also 2Co 8:9; 1Pe 1:18; Rev 5:9

A sense of debt inspires devotion to God Ps 116:12 See also Lk 7:41-47; Ro 8:12; 1Co 6:20

Indebtedness to God affects attitude to others Mt 10:8 See also Mt 6:12 pp Lk 11:4; Mt 18:21-35; 1Jn 3:16; 1Jn 4:11

Examples of people in debt

1Sa 22:2; 2Ki 4:1; Ne 5:4; Mt 5:25-26; Mt 18:23-35; Lk 16:1-8; Ro 4:4; Jas 5:4

Debts must be paid

Lev 19:13; 2Ki 4:7; Ps 37:21; Ro 13:7-8

Social ills result from debt

Ne 5:3-5; Job 24:3,9; Ps 109:11; Eze 18:12-13; Eze 22:12; Am 2:6

OT laws sought to minimise debt

By commanding generous lending to the poor Ex 22:25; Lev 25:35-36; Dt 15:7-11; Ps 15:5; Pr 19:17

By curbing exploitation of debtors Lev 25:37-43; Dt 24:6

By cancelling debts every seventh year Dt 15:1-3; Dt 31:10; Ne 10:31

Preventatives against needless debt

Keeping short accounts Mt 5:25; Ro 13:8

Remembering the evil consequences Pr 22:7; Mt 5:26

Debts to the state

Paying taxes Mt 22:17-21 pp Mk 12:14-17 pp Lk 20:22-25 See also Ro 13:6-7

Civic honour Ro 13:7

Debts to employees

Ro 4:4 See also Lev 19:13; Jas 5:4

Debts within the church

Towards Christian workers Phm 18-19 See also 1Co 9:7-12; Gal 6:6

Towards the unsaved Ro 1:14

The indebtedness of the Gentile church towards the Jerusalem church Ro 15:26-27

Debts to be cancelled

Mt 6:12 pp Lk 11:4 See also 1Co 13:5

Debts one should never pay

Ro 12:17 See also 1Pe 3:9

A debt one can never cease paying

Ro 13:8-10

See also