Sermon: Moola
…a
sermon about money –Part 3
by Chris Cumming
It was the famous Jonathan Swift [satirist
and poet] who said: “A wise person should have money in their
head, but not in their heart.”
Today we continue the journey to get wise about money in our heads. We
are going to immerse ourselves into the Word of God to see what is being
said about money. It will be a comprehensive journey as I encourage all
of us to bring the finances of our lives under God’s authority.
Bring your finances under God’s authority.
Notice Luke 16:
Luke 16:10-12
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:
and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who
will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who
shall give you that which is your own?
Notice the meaning here in the commentary.
Who will commit ... - If you are not
faithful in the small matters pertaining to this world, if you do not
use aright your property and influence, you cannot expect that God will
commit to you the true riches of his grace. Men who are dishonest and
worldly, and who do not employ the deceitful mammon as they ought,
cannot expect to grow in grace. God does not confer grace upon them, and
their being unfaithful in earthly matters is evidence that they “would
be” also in much greater affairs, and would likewise “misimprove” the
true riches.
True riches - The graces of the gospel;
the influences of the Spirit; eternal life, or religion. The riches of
this world are false, deceitful, not to be trusted Luke 16:9; the
treasures of heaven are “true,” faithful, never-failing, Matthew
6:19-20. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Luke 16:9
And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of
unrighteousness; that, when ye fail [when
you die], they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Matthew 6:19-20
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
So God is saying to us that He wants us to be experts in the small
matters of the world, as they are the training ground for us becoming
experts in the real riches of the Kingdom of God.
This is going to be an ongoing series of sermons. We will not
necessarily being doing them all in a row but I will be bringing them to
you in the coming months as we schedule them. This will be very
important training for all of us. We will be dealing with worldly
elements; money and finances. From scripture, God will be giving us a
multitude of spiritual principles and concepts to become experts in all
aspects of them. What you are going to see is that what we learn
through money and finances will impact virtually every aspect of our
physical and spiritual lives.
So… Bring your finances under God’s authority.
Here are the twelve elements into which we are going to be immersing
ourselves:
1] Right Attitudes
2] Wrong Attitudes
3] Credit…today's subject
4] Giving
5] Family
6] God’s Blessings
7] God’s Curses
8] Government
9] Investing
10] Planning
11] Restitution
12] Work and Wages
Let us continue. Today we will deal with element Three, “Credit.” The
sub-elements for Credit we will cover today are: Borrowing, Lending,
Interest, Usury, Surety and Paying Debts.
3] Credit
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand
with a stranger. Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art
taken with the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver
thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble
thyself, and make sure thy friend. ~Proverbs 6:1-3
Let me read an excerpt from the book, “What the Bible Says About Money”
by Larry Burkett. This excerpt from the chapter on Credit.
“No single principle from God’s Word has been more commonly violated
than that of credit. Few Christians understand the balance that the
Bible requires in borrowing, lending, charging and interest.
“Even a quick review of the Scriptures referenced under this topic will
reflect that, as in any other area of life, this area must be placed
under God’s authority. Of special interest should be a study of lending
to “brothers,” charging “interest” on loans to brothers, and signing
“surety” for debts.”
2A Borrowing …use of
another’s money
God shows our having to borrow as a
negative thing. He describes it in the Blessings and Cursings chapter
of Deuteronomy 28.
Deuteronomy 28:43-45
…disobey God and become borrower.
43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high;
and thou shalt come down very low.
44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be
the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue
thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou
hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his
commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
Nehemiah 5:1-5
Jews oppressing Jews into having
to be borrowers. The rich oppressing the poor.
1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against
their brethren the Jews.
2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many:
therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands,
vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's
tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as
their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our
daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto
bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other
men have our lands and vineyards.
Sometimes the borrower is the negative element.
Psalm 37:21
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth
mercy, and giveth.
Proverbs 22:7
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the
lender.
Notice the commentary:
And the borrower is servant to the lender; being under obligation to
him, he is forced to be subject to him, and comply with his humours, and
do and say as he would have him; it was a happiness promised to the
Israelites, that they should lend to many nations, but not borrow,
Deuteronomy 15:6. ~John Gill
Quoted verse:
Deuteronomy 15:6
For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt
lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign
over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
Quotes on borrowing:
"Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with
interest is not much better than stealing."
"Before borrowing money from a friend it's best to decide which you need
most."
"Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on
borrowing and debt."
"You cannot just keep borrowing more and more and keep spending more and
more without eventually having a day of reckoning."
2B Lending …Allowing
another to use your money
If you lend, do not be as the person who includes usury.
Exodus 22:25
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt
not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
Lend but do not borrow. God's message to Israel.
Deuteronomy 15:6
For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt
lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign
over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
Does God say this again anywhere?
Deuteronomy 28:12
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the
rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine
hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
The Godly person lends.
Psalm 37:23-26
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in
his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD
upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous
forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and
lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
God blesses the lender.
Psalm 112:5
A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with
discretion.
Be a lender who has pity, compassion and empathy.
Proverbs 19:17
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he
hath given will he pay him again.
There is a passage in Ezekiel 18 that says:
---the good lender restores that which was put in trust [verse 7].
---the good lender does not invoke usury or interest [verse 8].
--the evil lender does not restore that which was put in trust [verse
12].
--the evil lender invokes usury and interest [verse 13].
--the good lender does not use oppression, does not hold the pledge,
does not use violence. He blesses the borrower. He, again, does not
invoke usury or interest. He follows God [verses 16-17].
Ezekiel 18:7-17
7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his
pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the
hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any
increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true
judgment between man and man,
9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly;
he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that
doeth the like to any one of these things,
11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the
mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not
restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath
committed abomination,
13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then
live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall
surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he
hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his
eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his
neighbour's wife,
16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither
hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and
hath covered the naked with a garment,
17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received
usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my
statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall
surely live.
What did Jesus say about lending?
Luke 6:34-35
34 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.
35 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: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
In addition to being a good lender, invoke providence.
1 Timothy 5:8
[See
Lesson]
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.
Quotes on Lending:
"Why don't we call on the credit card companies to be accountable? They
need to be held accountable for their predatory lending practices."
"The surest way to ruin a man who doesn’t know how to handle money is to give him some."
"Neither a borrower nor a lender be, For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry." ~William Shakespeare
"It is easier to refuse a friend a loan than to press him for payment."
"Lend money, and acquire an enemy."
~Yiddish proverb
2C Interest …Premium
for the use of money
Does God honor a person who does not
invoke usury or charge interest.
Psalm 15:4-5
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned [despised]; but he honoureth
them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth
not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against
the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Do not be a surety for a debt.
Proverbs 22:26-27
26 Be not thou one of them that
strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from
under thee?
It is wrong to invoke usury or
interest.
Proverbs 28:7-8
7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise
son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.
8 He that by usury and unjust gain
increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the
poor.
Do not take usury of the poor or
interest
Leviticus 25:35-37
35 And if thy brother be waxen
poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea,
though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy
brother may live with thee.
37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy
victuals for increase.
Deuteronomy 23:19-20
19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury
of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
20 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.
Quotes on charging interest:
"Lenders, including major credit companies as well as payday lenders,
have taken over the traditional role of the street-corner loan shark,
charging the poor insanely high rates of interest."
"Nobody had a credit card when I was a kid. No one had credit card debt. But these big companies and banks wanted to know how to get more money out of people - get them charging things."
“Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't ... pays it.”
“A banker is a man who will lend you the short
sleeve shirt off his back and demand a long sleeve one in return.”
2D Usury …Excessive
interest
The definition of, “usury” is:
--The illegal action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high
rates of interest.
--The lending of money at exorbitant interest rates.
Leviticus 25:36
…mentioned above
Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that
thy brother may live with thee.
Proverbs 28:8
…mentioned above
He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall
gather it for him that will pity the poor.
Quotes on Usury:
"To borrow upon Usury, bringeth on Beggary."
"The true spirit of usury lies in taking an
unjust and unreasonable advantage of their fellow creatures."
"Usury dulls and damps all industries, improvements, and new inventions,
wherein money would be stirring if it were not for this slug."
"A money-lender. He serves you in the present tense; he lends you in the conditional mood; keeps you in the subjunctive [keeps you in the present in a doubtful state]; and ruins you in the future!"
"Usury is the land-shark and devil-fish of commerce."
"The synonym of usury is ruin."
Aristotle said: "...those who ply sordid trades, pimps and all such people, and those who lend small sums at high rates. For all these take more than they ought, and from the wrong sources. What is common to them is evidently a sordid love of gain..."
He also said:
"The most hated sort (of
wealth getting) and with the
greatest reason, is usury, which makes a gain out of money itself and
not from the natural object of it. For money was intended to be used in
exchange but not to increase at interest. And this term interest [the
word tokos, which in Greek also means 'breed' or 'offspring'],
which means the birth of money from money is applied to the breeding of
money because the offspring resembles the parent. Wherefore of all modes
of getting wealth, this is the most unnatural."
2E Surety …Personal
liability for a loan
The definition of, “surety” is”
--A person who takes responsibility for another’s performance of an
undertaking.
--Money given to support an undertaking that someone will perform a
duty, pay their debts, etc.; a guarantee.
--A person who is legally responsible for the debt, default, or
delinquency of another.
Exodus 22:26
If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt
deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:
New International Version
If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset,
Do not become surety.
Proverbs 22:26-27
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are
sureties for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from
under thee?
Do not become surety for a stranger.
Proverbs 11:15
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth
suretiship is sure.
Notice the commentaries:
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it - He shall find evil
upon evil in it. ~Adam Clarke
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it - Or in "breaking shall be broken" (q), ruined and undone; he engaging or becoming a bondsman for one whose circumstances he knew not; and these being bad bring a load upon him, such an heavy debt as crushes him to pieces ~John Gill
Quotes on Surety:
“I say to you never involve yourself in debt, and become no man’s
surety.” ~Andrew Jackson
"Never cosign a loan. Once you have cosigned, you cannot get out of it - even on your deathbed."
"One thing that always makes me cringe is when
I hear about someone who has been asked to co-sign on a loan for a
friend or family member. I cringe because I know just how often those
situations can turn bad, and how the co-signer can often be left holding
the bag."
2F Paying Debts …Returning borrowed money
Pay your debts when due.
Proverbs 3:27-28
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the
power of thine hand to do it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will
give; when thou hast it by thee.
Make friends with lenders.
Matthew 5:25-26
[see
also Luke 12:58-59]
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with
him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the
judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till
thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Owe no man anything.
Romans 13:8
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth
another hath fulfilled the law.
When you take on a debt or use your credit card, you are promising to
repay.
Ecclesiastes 5:5
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow
and not pay.
A righteous man pays his debts.
Psalm 37:21
...mentioned above
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth
mercy, and giveth.
What we learned today:
1] Have money in your head rather than your heart.
2] God is testing us in physical things before we receive the true
riches of the Kingdom.
3] Disobey God and become a borrower.
4] The borrower is the servant of the lender.
5] Before borrowing money from a friend it's best to decide which you
need most.
6] If you lend, be a lender who has pity, compassion and empathy.
7] For the most part, the credit card is not your friend.
8] Do not charge interest or invoke surety.
9] “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who
understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't ... pays it.”
10] Exorbitant interest is destroying or damaging individuals, families,
the economy and the nation.
11] "The synonym of usury is ruin."
12] Do not cosign loans.