In Romans 13:8 Paul says, “Owe no one anything.” Elsewhere in Scripture, debt is portrayed negatively.
Does this mean debt is unbiblical? Should Christians not have credit cards or car payments? What about so called “good debt” like a mortgage?
What does Scripture say?
The Bible is clear about the dangers of debt.
Proverbs 22:26-27 says:
Be not one of those who give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should your bed be taken from under you?
And Proverbs 22:7 says, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
These passages certainly warn of the dangers of debt. However, they don’t teach that debt is a sin outright. Jesus permits debt in Matthew 5:42 when he says, “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
In Deuteronomy 15:7-8, God commands his people not to harden their hearts toward the needy, but to “lend” them what they need.
Therefore, Paul in Romans 13:8, doesn’t seem to be instructing Christians to avoid all debt, but rather to pay it promptly. Paul’s imperative is a restatement of Proverbs 3:28 which says: “Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it’—when you have it with you.”
The avoidance of debt entirely could also affect our ability to obey Scripture. For example, many Christians wouldn’t be able to buy a car cash, but if they don’t have a car how will we get to work in order to provide for themselves (2 Thess. 3:10), their family (1 Tim. 5:8) and support the church (Eph. 4:28; 1 Cor. 16;12; 2 Cor. 9:7)? It will also impede travel, limiting opportunities to fellowship and spread the gospel. Similarly, never buying a house could inhibit our generosity long-term, and even renting requires signing a lease and owing a landlord each month.
Conclusion
We must be wise financially and not jump cavalierly into debt. It can be very destructive financially. But we also must be wise with regards to the rest of our lives. There are other biblical issues we must prioritize as we make financial decisions.
Additionally, we must allow for freedom of conscience among believers in how debt is approached. Some may use credit cards, while others adamantly oppose them. We can discuss the wisdom of such issues with charity while maintaining unity in the spirit of Romans 14.
So, Paul’s command to owe no one anything doesn’t forbid Christians from incurring debt, but it does require us to be wise about debt and to repay it promptly.
Finally, the one debt we will always owe according to Paul is to love others: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other.” But we pay that continual debt gladly, motivated by the love of Christ showed most gloriously in how he paid our debt on the cross.
Mike McGregor
Mike McGregor (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is Director of College Ministry at First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. You can follow him on Twitter at @m5mcgregor.
