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Christian
Topic: Lending To Other Christians
November 15, 2004 - by Crown Financial
Ministries
With regard to lending to Christians, God’s
Word directs us to lend to anyone to whom God directs,
interest free, expecting never to be repaid.
Christians and lending money
There is no record of a society that operated
for any period of time without borrowing and lending.
Our society is a very rare instance where the laws
favor the borrowers over the lenders.
So, lending is not a new principle. It is historically
as old as man’s written record.
Christians should be concerned about two areas when
it comes to lending money: (1) lending to Christians
and not charging any interest at all, and (2) lending
to non-Christians and charging a fair rate of interest.
Since Scripture does not prohibit lending to another
person, Christians can lend money both to Christians
and to non-Christians.
However, according to Luke 6:34-35, Christians should
be willing to lend even to those who can never repay.
“If you lend to those from whom you expect
to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners
lend to sinners in order to receive back the same
amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and
lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward
will be great, and you will be sons of the Most
High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil
men.”
This doesn’t mean that Christians should indiscriminately
lend money, but it does imply that they must be
willing and able to lose it, if necessary.
Even so, the obvious meaning of this passage is
to give to those who have needs—regardless
of whether they ever have the ability to repay or
reciprocate.
Charging interest
Although the implication throughout the
Bible is that a loan can be made to anyone, there
is little Scripture dealing with the specifics of
lending and charging interest.
However, what is recorded on the subject seems to
be very clear: do not charge interest to your “brothers.”
“You shall not charge interest to your countrymen:
interest on money, food, or anything that may be
loaned at interest” (Deuteronomy 23:19).
For a Christian to lend to another Christian and
charge interest violates a basic principle of God’s
Word. Christians witness to others by their willingness
to lend money to fellow Christians without profit.
Although there is no such admonition against Christians
charging interest to non-Christians, they are directed
to avoid excessive amounts of interest and to be
fair (see Philippians 2:3).
Even though Christians are permitted by Scripture
to charge interest on loans to non-believers, that
does not mean a Christian has to charge interest.
God may well convict someone to extend a loan at
no interest as a testimony and a door-opener to
be able to share the message of Christ.
Consequently, Christians must seek the balance between
being a good steward and being a good witness.
Repayment of money lent
God’s principles of lending and collecting
do not require a Christian to sit passively by if
someone refuses to pay what is due. However, neither
do they allow Christians to use the devices of the
world, such as collection agencies and lawsuits,
to collect debts.
Christians have the right to collect money owed
but only under biblical guidelines. Nevertheless
all means, short of a lawsuit, may be pursued in
trying to resolve the situation.
Since Christians are clearly admonished in Paul’s
first letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 6:1)
never to take another Christian before the secular
court for any reason, if a Christian lender feels
that a Christian debtor has the capacity to pay
the money owed but refuses to pay, the lender should
confront that person as prescribed in Matthew 18:15.
This does not in any way involve collection of the
debt but, rather, discipline in the faith to correct
the “sin.”
There are boundaries within which Christians are
to operate that are much narrower than those of
the world. As a example, in Matthew 12:7, God says
He desires compassion from His people more than
He demands sacrifices of them. This means that when
in doubt, lean more toward mercy than justice.
If Christian debtors say they can’t pay, a
Christian financial counselor could act as a intermediary,
to prepare a budget review for them, to determine
exactly how much they can pay, and to have the debt
adjusted accordingly, if necessary.
However, once these options have been exhausted
and the situation is still not resolved, God’s
Word teaches that the debts should be forgiven,
written off, and forgotten, leaving the results
in the hands of God.
Conclusion
There are four simple guidelines that a
Christian should understand with regard to lending:
(1) Lend to anyone to whom God directs, expecting
never to be repaid. The person who truly is in need
will, in all probability, never be able to repay.
(2) Do not charge fellow believers interest on money
that is lent. It is permitted to charge non-believers
interest but only if led by God to do so. (3) Do
not sue anyone or use secular methods to collect
money owed (see Luke 6:34-38). (4) A Christian must
follow biblical principles and guidelines when dealing
with a fellow believer who will not pay his or her
debt to the lending Christian.
© Copyright
2004, Crown
Financial Ministries. All rights reserved.
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