Sermon: Moola …a sermon about money –Part 3                              printer-friendly    MP3
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.

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