by
B. L. Cocherell
Current theological thinking on usury by many Bible scholars
would seem to indicate that charges for interest of an excessive
nature is wrong. But, a careful study of the issue shows that in
the cases where usury is prohibited, the prohibition is against
the charging of ANY interest at all, excessive or not.
This fact leaves the Christian with very difficult questions to
answer, especially if he is in the banking or money lending
business. In fact, if one expects to buy or sell anything in this
society, it is almost impossible to escape paying interest or
being associated in some way with the business of interest paying
or getting, and debt borrowing or lending.
Two questions a Christian must answer are: (1) Does the law of
usury apply to Christians in this day and age? and (2) If the law
of usury does apply today, how does a Christian obey this law?
The Law of Usury can be understood in both a physical and a
spiritual context, and this is exactly how it must be understood
if we are to gain the full impact of it. This Study Paper will
explain some of the spiritual intent and concepts behind each
specific scriptural example.
Although a laborious task, it is necessary to examine most of
these scriptures in minute detail in order to gain a full
understanding of usury. However, this study will be well worth
the effort, as the reader should come into new insights of the
greatness and goodness of our Creator.
1. USURY
There are many, many laws in the Bible. These laws cover the
entire spectrum of human behaviour from birth to death - every
activity that humans can engage in is covered either
specifically or in principle. God has left nothing out of His
instruction book for human survival.
The Creator's laws, precepts and principles are empirical, and do
not depend upon man's acceptance or approval for them to
function. When these laws are obeyed, the end result is good;
when they are disobeyed, the end result is evil, and penalties
are exacted upon the law breaker as well as society as a whole.
Usury is a little-understood law that offers tremendous benefits
for obedience, or the death penalty for disobedience. Usury is a
law whose principles affect all the societies of the world.
DEATH TO THOSE WHO BREAK THE LAW OF USURY
The eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel is a dissertation about the
national and personal sins of Israel. Here Ezekiel gives an
indictment and stern warning from God to the people of Israel.
It is very interesting to note that this warning message was
given to Ezekiel who was a priest and a captive with the nation
of Judah. This warning message was given some 127 years after the
ten-tribed nation of Israel had been taken into its own captivity
by a foreign power:
'And the word of the Lord carne unto me, saying, Son of man,
Put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of
Israel" (Ezek. 17:1-2).
Since Ezekiel was being held captive along with the nation of
Judah, this warning more than likely never reached Israel at that
time, thus making it a warning message and a prophecy for the
future.
Ezekiel 18:4
"Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so
also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sins, it
shall die."
This verse says that a sinner will die. The word 'die' used here
is quite interesting: it is the Hebrew word 'mut' and can mean
"die, kill or have one executed." This word, coupled with the
understanding of the Second Death as revealed in Revelation
chapters 20 and 21, would also add to the validity of this
sentence of death being carried out at a future date after a
person has had the opportunity to choose whether to follow God's
way or not.
THE SECOND DEATH
All people know that they will eventually die. God says through
the apostle Paul: "And it is appointed unto men once to die but
after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27). At this judgment all those
who are not found worthy of eternal life will die the Second
Death.
Revelation 20:11-15
"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it,
from whose face the earth and the heaven fled, away; and
there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small
and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the
dead were judged out of those things which were written in
the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the
dead which were in them: AND THEY WERE JUDGED EVERY MAN
ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS. And death and hell were cast into
the lake of fare. This is the SECOND DEATH. And whosoever
was not found written in the book of life was cast into the
lake of fire."
Revelation 21:5-8
"And he that sat upon the throne said, behold, I make all
things new. and he said unto me, write: for these words are
true and faithful. And he said unto me, it is done. I am
Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto
him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life
freely. He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I
will be his God, and lie shall be my son. But the fearful,
and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars,
shall have their part in the lake which bums with fire and
brimstone: which is the SECOND DEATH."
"BUT IF A MAN BE JUST..."
Ezekiel 18:5-9
"But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and
right" (v. 5)" This verse shows us that there is an
alternate lifestyle that will not lead to this condemnation,
"And has not eaten upon the mountains, neither has lifted up
his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has
defiled his neighbor's wife, neither has come near to a
menstruous woman, And has not oppressed any, but has
RESTORED THE DEBTOR HIS PLEDGE, has spoiled none by
violence, has given his bread to the hungry and has covered
the naked with a garment; He that has not given forth upon
USURY, neither taken any increases, that has withdrawn his
hand from iniquity, has executed true judgment between man
and man. Has walked in my statutes, and has kept my
judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live,
saith the Lord" (vs. 6-9).
Notice how these verses are translated in the Living Bible,
Paraphrased Edition: "And has not gone out to the mountains to
feast before the idols of Israel and worship them, and does not
commit adultery, nor lie with a woman during the time of her
menstruation, and is no robber, but gives food to the hungry and
clothes to those in need, and grants LOANS WITHOUT INTEREST, and
stays away from sin, and is honest and fair when judging others,
and obeys my laws: That man is just says the Lord, and he shall
surely live."
Ezekiel lists here a number of positive things that are just and
right for a person to do that will lead to life. Notice the
reference to the usury law in verse 7 - "but has restored to the
debtor his pledge" - referring to a merciful creditor who does
not hold on to the items given to him in pledge by the poor
debtor. (See also Ex. 22:25-26).
Ezekiel 18:10-13,16-17
"If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and
that does the like to any one of these things, And that does
not any of those duties but even has eaten upon the
mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife," (vs.10-11).
"Has oppressed the poor and needy, has spoiled by violence,
has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to
the idols, has committed abomination," (v.12).
"Has given forth upon USURY, and has taken INCREASE; shall
he live? He shall not live; he has done all these
abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon
him" (v.13).
Here God equates 'usury' and 'interest' with abominations, which
are the most detestable of things to Him. He asks, "Is one worthy
of life who loans for usury?" God answers His own question and
says this person shall die, and it shall be his own fault. Notice
the opposite attitude in the next verses: God will give life to
those who execute His judgments and abide in His statutes.
Ezekiel 18:16-17
"Neither has oppressed any, has not withheld the pledge,
neither has spoiled by violence, but has given his bread to
the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment, That
has taken off his hand from the poor, that has not received
usury nor increase, has executed my judgments, has walked in
my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his
father, he shall surely live."
Ezekiel 22:6-12
"Behold the princes of Israel, every one were in you to
their power to shed blood. In you have they set light by
father and mother. In the midst of you have they dealt by
oppression with the stranger. In you have they vexed the
fatherless and the widow. You have despised my holy things,
and have profaned my Sabbaths. In you are men that carry
tales to shed blood: and in you they eat upon the mountains:
in the midst of you they commit lewdness. In you they have
discovered their fathers' nakedness: in you they have
humbled her that was set apart for pollution. And one has
committed abomination with his neighbor's wife; and another
has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in you
has humbled his sister, his father's daughter. In you have
they taken gifts to shed blood; you have taken USURY AND
INCREASE, and have greedily gained of your neighbors by
extortion, and have forgotten me, saith the Lord God."
USURY IS A CAPITAL CRIME
There were few laws given to the nation of Israel that required
the death penalty. It is easy to understand why the death penalty
should be administered to those who murder, rape, and kidnap
another person. The death penalty for adultery is even
understandable. But the lending of property or money for interest
hardly seems worthy of the death penalty to most people. And yet,
the Creator of all that exists says that usury is a CAPITAL
CRIME, and those who commit it SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH!!
On the surface the law of usury may seem harsh and unfair. But as
we go through this study, we shall see that this one
little-understood law reveals the great love, concern, and
compassion that our Creator has for each and every individual.
Some people think the law of usury was imposed because the
Israelites were an agrarian society. It is true they were
basically an agrarian society; however, we must understand that
the laws of God will work in any type of societal technology,
whether agrarian or industrial. God's laws, precepts and
principles will work anywhere there is a sincere desire to obey
them, because the Creator God will help those who truly desire to
obey Him.
We should also remember that nothing is impossible with God; to
impose limitations on Him shows a total lack of understanding of
His awesome power. If the nation of Israel had continued in
obedience to God, it would surely have advanced into a
technological society with all the industrial capacity of a great
and prosperous people. To say the law of usury was instituted
because of an agrarian society is ludicrous, to say the least. A
far more profound reason than this dictated the issuance of this
law.
TO WHOM IS THE BIBLE WRITTEN?
It must be understood to whom the Bible is written in order to
understand to any degree the Plan of God as it relates to
humanity. Although the following statements may not be believed
by most, they are true nonetheless. For those who use logic and
an open mind in this study, these statements will not be a
problem.
The Bible was written almost totally to and for the physical and
spiritual nation of Israel as they existed anciently and as they
exist in this modern age. The Bible only speaks to other peoples
and nations as they affect and interact with Israel. The plain
truth is that God is only dealing with humanity through
physical (national) Israel and spiritual Israel (Christians).
Therefore we must view God's laws, statutes, judgments and
ordinances as they pertain to physical and spiritual Israel and
as they pertain to the plan of God that is being worked through
them for humanity. When God offered to make a contract (covenant)
with the Israelites in Exodus 19:5-6, He offered to make them a
nation of priests and a holy people. After Israel ratified the
contract, God gave them laws, principles and precepts to live by.
Later He told them that no other nation had laws as great or as
good as the ones He gave them.
Deuteronomy 4:5-5
"Behold I [Moses] have taught you statutes and judgments,
even as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do so
in the land whither you go to possess it. Keep therefore and
do them; for this is YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING in
the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these
statutes, and say, surely this great nation is a wise and
understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who
has God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all
things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there
so great, that has statutes and judgments so righteous as
all this law, which I set before you this day?"
But why did He give these laws to this people only? Why didn't He
give them to all mankind at the same time? The reason is really
quite simple: God was, and is, using Israel as an example for all
humanity as a witness and a teaching device. He gave them a
perfect set of laws by which to govern their behaviour. If they
had obeyed these laws, they would have been blessed beyond and
above anything any other nation that lived outside of these laws
could remotely hope for (Deut.28:1-14). The Israelites' obedience
and resultant blessings would be a tremendous example to the
nations around them. Of course the converse would also be true if
they disobeyed; but, nevertheless, God chose them for an example
- either good or bad.
2. DEFINITION OF USURY
Prior to launching into more scriptures containing the words
'usury' and 'increase,' it is necessary that we know, exactly
what each word means in the original Hebrew or Greek. This must
be done in order to clarify each scripture containing these
words, and to eliminate any preconceived ideas as to their
meanings.
Hebrew words for USURY:
The prime word is 'nashak' which literally means "bite."
The derivatives are 'neshek' - interest, usury; and, 'nashak' -
lend for interest, usury; a denominative verb.
1. Nashak (bite)
Whenever the verb "to bite" occurs in its literal physical sense
in the biblical Hebrew, it has a snake or serpent as its subject.
In one case, men (false prophets) are the "biters" (Micah 3:5).
2. Neshek (usury)
The relationship of this noun to the basic verb "bite" is
sustained by evident usage [Ugaritic, i.e., a Semitic language
closely related to Phoenician and Hebrew - verb: "bite" (of
serpent), noun: "interest"].
3. Nashak
Denominative verb, favored as correct sense (e.g., Hebrews 2:7)
where some translators have used "bite," others use "lend upon
usury" or "lend upon/for interest."
Hebrew words for INCREASE: 'marbit' (multitude, greatness, larger
part, increase or interest) - 'tarbit' (increase, usury,
interest).
1. Marbit
The principle form of the root 'raba' which appears five times in
the Old Testament. The initial occurrence in Leviticus 25:37
interest "usury" in connection with 'nesek' "usury," and 'tarbit'
"increase."
2. Tarbit
This is a feminine noun developed from the root 'raba.' It
appears four times in Ezekiel. In all cases it appears with the
masculine noun "nesek," q.v. the association with 'nesek'
"usury," which derives from the verb "to bite" suggests
oppressive exorbitant interest.
Greek word for USURY:
'Tokos' from the base word 'tikto' interest on money loaned as a
product, i.e., usury.
WHAT USURY IS NOT
The Hebrew and Greek leave no room for doubt as to the meaning of
the word usury as used in the Bible. It means "something to be
returned with what is lent in excess of what was lent."
Most of the past and current thinking defines usury as EXCESSIVE
interest or an interest that is charged which is above and beyond
that which is just and legal. Although this may be the legal
definition of usury today, it is NOT the meaning of the law of
usury in the Bible. The biblical principal of usury has almost
nothing to do with excessive interest - plain, simple or
compounded - and has a far more profound meaning for humanity.
3. YEAR OF RELEASE, LAND REST, AND THE JUBILEE
The year of Release, Land Rest and the Jubilee are as little
understood by most professing Christians as the subject of usury.
These three periods of time have great physical, spiritual and
prophetic meanings attached to them and are extremely important
to the fulfillment of the plan God has for humanity, as well as
having a very direct impact upon the meaning of the law of usury.
In Exodus 12:2 God instructed the Israelites: "This shall be unto
you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the
year to you." (Also see Dent.16:1). This month of Abib also began
Israel's first year as a nation, and this month was to be used as
a starting point from which to calculate all the events that God
commanded Israel to observe.
THE YEAR OF RELEASE
Every seventh year all debts were commanded to be released
(except for those of foreigners). That meant that everyone who
was indebted to another person could have a fresh start
economically. It meant that a person, because of circumstance or
poor judgment, had the opportunity to cast off all economical or
physical bondage and put his energy into benefiting himself or
his family.
Deuteronomy 15:1-5
"At the end of every seven years you shall make a release.
And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that
lends aught unto his neighbor shall release it; he shall not
exact it of his neighbor, or of his brother; because it is
called the Lord's release. Of a foreigner you may exact it
again: but that which is yours with your brother your hand
shall release; Save when there shall be no poor among you;
for the Lord shall greatly bless you in the land which the
Lord your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it.
Only if you carefully harken unto the voice of the Lord
your God, to observe to do all these commandments which I
command you this day."
Notice the proviso in verse 4: when there are no more poor among
Israel, the law of usury is to be suspended. This proviso will be
discussed in detail later in this paper.
LOAN DURATION
God in his wisdom covers the entire spectrum of the lending
process. Understanding human nature far better than the most
astute psychologist, God understands the mental and physical
burden that the borrower is under. King Solomon was inspired to
write: "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant
to the lender" (Psalm 22:7). God also understands the greed,
power and oppression factors of one who lends for the wrong
purposes. Therefore he placed limitations on the length of time a
person could be held responsible to pay a debt back and this
length of time was seven years, and was a great benefit to the
lender and the borrower alike.
Although some might take exception with the year of release and
side with the lender, we must remember that our Creator promises
over and over again to bless tremendously if we will obey Him,
and even more so if we do it in the right attitude.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11
"If there be among you a poor man of one of your brethren
within any of your gates in your land which the Lord your
God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut
your hand from your poor brother. But you shall open your
hand wide unto him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for
his need in that which he wants. Beware that there be not a
thought in your wicked heart, saying, the seventh year, the
year of release, is at hand; and your eye be evil against
your poor brother, and you give him nought; and he cry unto
the Lord against you, and it be sin unto you. You shall
surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when
you give unto him: because that for this thing the Lord your
God shall bless you in all your works, and in all that you
put your hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of
the land: therefore I COMMAND YOU, saying, you shall OPEN
YOUR HAND WIDE unto your brother, to your poor, and to your
needy, in your land."
The commandment here is to lend to the poor, and moreover not to
lend just enough for the poor to get by on, but enough for the
immediate needs plus some extra. God is commanding us not to be
stingy with what is loaned to a poor person.
God also tells the lender not to worry about getting paid back,
[because of the year of release]. Here He reminds the lender that
if he does not lend, it will be counted as sin to him. And He
again commands us to lend and promises blessings for compliance.
GENEROSITY IS COMMANDED
When it comes to the needs of the poor and unfortunate, God did
not SUGGEST that the Israelites be generous. He COMMANDED and
demanded that they be generous under penalty of punishment for
disobedience.
Deuteronomy 15:9
"BEWARE that there be not a thought in your wicked heart, saying,
The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye
be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nought; and
he cry unto the Lord against you, and it be sin unto you."
ECONOMIC SLAVERY
All people want to prosper and live happy, abundant and
successful lives. Although this is the dream of most, the reality
is that things do not always go the way we would like them to,
especially in the area of economic desires versus economic
reality. Most of the time desires can be coped with rationally,
but needs for survival are quite another matter. When a person's
basic needs are not met, all other things seem to take a lesser
position. The year of release guaranteed that perpetual monetary
slavery could not exist in Israel.
THE LAND REST
Every seventh year the land was to rest from intensive
agricultural production. Most organic farmers and gardeners well
understand the benefits of such a land rest. Since the Israelites
were basically an agrarian society, the land rest had a profound
and dramatic impact upon their economy. In the seventh year there
would not be major profits from the land, so thus it would be
very difficult for a person to pay back a debt during this land
rest. Therefore God cancelled these debts.
THE JUBILEE
The Jubilee Year [every fiftieth year] insured that economic
equilibrium could be maintained in the nation. All indebtedness
should be released, and all lands were to be returned to the
original owners, allowing the economy to be brought back into
balance.
By the observance of these three laws, the nation of Israel would
always have a balanced economy, with a relatively debt free
population, creating the environment for prosperity to flourish.
............
TO BE CONTINUED
The Law of Usury - Lending - Giving #2What the heart of God says by
B. L. Cocherell
4. WHY LEND TO ANOTHER PERSON?
Why do we lend something to another person? There seem to be two
basic reasons for lending: 1. Personal gain: To loan something
where there is an expectation of a return of whatever was loaned,
PLUS something added to it, which amounts to an increase.
Whatever the gain that is desired, this gain constitutes a
benefit to the person doing the lending. 2. Charity: To loan
something because of an outgoing concern for another's
well-being, with no motive for gain above the return of the thing
loaned.
The first type of lending is a purely selfish act of lending, and
the second type is an unselfish act of lending. Of course there
can be a blend of both attitudes.
LOANING TO THE POOR BROTHER, STRANGER, or SOJOURNER
Leviticus 25:35-38
"And if your brother becomes poor, and falls in decay with
you [cannot maintain himself with you], then you shall
relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner;
that he may live with you. Take you no usury of him, or
increase; but fear your God; that your brother may live with
you. You shall not give him your money upon usury, nor lend
him victuals for increase. I am the Lord your God, which
brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the
land of Canaan and to be your God."
To gain a clear understanding of this scripture, we need to know
who the brother, stranger and sojourner refer to.
Brother
The Hebrew word for brother is "ah" and can mean brother,
relative, fellow countryman or a friend. In this verse the
inference is that of a fellow countryman who is considered a
friend or brother.
Stranger
The Hebrew for stranger is "ger" and can mean an alien, sojourner
or stranger. It referred to someone who did not enjoy the rights
usually possessed by a resident. The "ger" in Israel was largely
regarded as a proselyte. He was to be present for the solemn
reading of the law (Deut.31:12), and a circumcised "ger" could
keep the Passover. The Israelites were not to oppress them and
were to love them as they loved themselves (Lev.19:34).
The stranger mentioned here should not be confused with the
"stranger" mentioned in Deuteronomy 23:20. The status of these
individuals is quite different before God as will be explained
later in this paper.
Sojourner
The word for sojourner is "toshab" and means a sojourner - the
temporary landless wage earner, sometimes referred to as a hired
servant. This is in contrast to the term "ger" which refers to
the permanent resident alien. The "toshab" could not take the
Passover and his children could be sold as slaves. Although he
shared some of the same privileges as the "ger," his freedom was
not as great.
In verses 35-38 of Leviticus 25, it specifically states that the
law has reference to the poor, and moreover, to the poor
fellow-believers or covenant members. This scripture is in part a
summary of the law, and the point is that the command here is a
strict prohibition against lending money or food at interest to a
poor relative or countryman. This prohibition also included those
who were proselytes, and those who were under the authority or
within the service of an Israelite.
But why is the Creator so concerned about debt borrowing? Is
there some logical reason why He placed such stringent rules on
the lending of property or money to another person?
Yes, there are some very good reasons why God is concerned and
why He placed hard and fast rules on debt borrowing and lending.
God is extremely concerned about our welfare and these reasons
show His tremendous love, concern and compassion for humanity.
AN ATTITUDE
The parable of the wicked servant who would not forgive the debts
of one who owed him is an excellent example of the attitude with
which God is not happy. Read the account in Matthew 18:23-35.
5. LENDING TO AND COLLECTING FROM A FOREIGNER or STRANGER
Deuteronomy 15:1-3
"At the end of every seven years you shall make a release.
And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor lends
any thing to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not
exact it of his neighbor, or his brother; because it is
called the Lord's release. Of a foreigner you may exact it
again: but that which is yours with your brother your hand
shall release."
Deuteronomy 23:19-20
"You shall not lend upon usury unto your brother: usury of
money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent
upon usury: Unto a stranger you may lend upon usury; but
unto your brother you shall not lend upon usury, that the
Lord your God may bless you in all that you set your hand to
in the land whither you go to possess it."
Here we see the example of lending to foreigners and strangers.
Why did God allow the Israelites to lend at interest to them, and
not to those of their own nation? It is apparent from the
scriptures that if a foreigner or stranger obeyed God, he could
and would receive many of the blessings the Israelites received.
One of these blessings was that he could not be charged interest
on a loan of necessity. This blessing came directly because of
his obedience to and/or submission to the laws of God. But those
not of the nation of Israel or under the authority of an
Israelite could not partake of this blessing, the reason being
that blessings come from obedience to the laws, principles and
precepts of God.
"Citing their deliverance from Egypt, 'And you shall
remember that you were a bondman in the land of Egypt, and
the Lord your God redeemed you: therefore I command you this
thing today' (Deut.15:15). God reminds His people that the
purpose of His law is to deliver man into freedom, even as
He delivered them from slavery to freedom. The purpose of
the laws governing interest, and the purpose of the whole
law, is man's freedom under God. To speak of deliverance
from the law is to speak of deliverance from freedom. The
law cannot be freedom to the sinner, but rather a sentence
of death for his failure to keep it. The law-breaker is a
man in slavery to his sin, a man unable to live in terms of
freedom. The law therefore is a continual indictment and
death sentence to him, in that he underscores his impotence
and his inability to rule himself' [Institute of Biblical
Law (I.B.L.)].
"The unbelieving are excluded from the charity required by
this law, both interest-free loans and the termination of
the debt in the sabbatical year. The ungodly are already
slaves to sin by nature; the true slave cannot be weaned
from slavery, and it is foolish to treat him as a freeman.
The godly are free men by the grace of God and in times of
need, they need relief to retain their freedom. Freedom
cannot be given to a person who loves slavery, and it is
foolish to attempt it by means of money. Regeneration is the
only solution" (ibid., I.B.L.).
LOANS FOR CHARITABLE REASONS
Should a person keep lending to someone who will not repay or
refuses to work? God says if a man will not support his family,
he is worse than an infidel: "But if any provide not for his own,
and especially for those of his own house, lie has denied the
faith, and is worse than an infidel" (1 Timothy 5:8).
The principle is that a person who is capable of earning his own
way and does not, should not be given assistance until his
attitude changes. The scriptures are abundant with examples of
what God thinks of a lazy person, and what the end result of
physical and spiritual laziness is.
But there are those who because of circumstances and real
emergencies cannot provide for themselves or their families. And
these are the ones who are worthy of loans without interest, and
in many cases outright gifts if their situation warrants it.
Some could say that an unscrupulous person could use the law of
usury to take advantage of the lender. And they are absolutely
right. The lender can be taken advantage of by the dishonest
borrower. However, we must remember that the third party involved
in the transaction between the lender and borrower is the Creator
God who knows the thoughts, intentions, and motivations of all
people. God inspired the Psalmist to write: "The wicked borrows,
and pays not again; but the righteous shows mercy, and gives"
(Ps.37:21).
Just because a person is poor does not cancel his responsibility
to pay back what he owes to another, that is if it is at all
within his power to do so.
FORGIVENESS OF FRAUD
1 Corinthians 6:6-9
"But brother goes to law with brother, and that before the
unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among
you, because you go to law one with another. Why do you not
rather take wrong? Why do you rather not suffer yourselves
to be defrauded? No, you do wrong and defraud, and that your
brethren. Know you not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God?... "
The Creator wanted Israel to prosper and to be an example to the
other nations around them. He wanted to show through the example
of the Israelites that obedience to His laws, principles and
precepts would bring tremendous blessings. During the reign of
King Solomon Israel prospered and reached the zenith of physical
wealth as a nation of that age. The people were very happy and
prosperous as long as they were in obedience to God.
THE PLEDGE OR LOAN COLLATERAL
Deuteronomy 24:10-13
"When you do lend your brother any thing, you shall not go
into his house to fetch his pledge. You shall stand abroad,
and the mart to whom you do lend shall bring out the pledge
abroad unto you. And if the man be poor, you shall not sleep
with his pledge: In any case you shall deliver him the
pledge again when the sun goes down, that he might sleep in
his own raiment, and bless you: and it shall be
righteousness unto you before the Lord your God."
The context surrounding these scriptures seem to be centered
around the theme of being equitable and fair to another in a
given situation. These particular verses speak to the lender,
who, for some reason or another, has some concern as to whether
the borrower will pay back or return the thing lent. Therefore he
requires something of value to be held by himself as a surety
bond until whatever is lent is paid back or replaced.
Notice the lender cannot go into the borrower's home to procure
the pledge. This insures the privacy of the borrower and prevents
a multitude of other problems that could arise from a
not-too-trusting lender being allowed to wander around the
borrower's home. Also notice that when a lender performs the
letter of the law, God counts it as righteousness to him.
Exodus 22:25-27
"If you lend money to any of my people that is poor by you,
you shall not be to him as an usurer, neither shall you lay
upon him usury. If you at all take your neighbor's raiment
to pledge, you shall deliver it unto him by that the sun
goes down: For that is his covering only, it is his raiment
for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to
pass, when he cries unto me, that I will hear; for I am
gracious. "
To avoid misunderstanding at this point, the American Revised
Version of 1901 will be used here.
Exodus 22:25-27
"If you lend money to any of my people with you that is
poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor [usurer];
neither shall you lay upon him interest [usury]. If you take
your neighbor's garment to pledge, you shall restore it unto
him before the sun goes down: for that is his only covering
it is his garment for his skin; wherein shall he sleep? and
it shall come to pass, when he cries unto me, that I will
hear; for I am gracious."
In this situation the borrower is so poor that the only thing of
value that he has are the clothes on his back. If all a person
has are the clothes on his back, he is very poor. In fact, he is
destitute by all civilized standards. Because of this situation,
the lender is even prevented from keeping the pledge overnight.
Here God imposes upon the lender the Godly attribute of kindness
and mercy, and says when the lender obeys the injunction it will
be counted as a righteous act by him.
"While charity is clearly the purpose of this law, charity
is not confused here with a gift, a loss or foolishness. A
pledge or security can be taken, although it is not
required. This means that the borrower's security item
cannot be used to negotiate a second loan, in that it is
held by the lender during the day. The pledge requirement
was a protection against irresponsibility on the part of the
poor worker. If the poor worker was a trustworthy person,
the employer would not require the pledge. The pledge or
security was thus insurance against failure to repay, or to
work out the loan. The charity in this case is thus a gift
of interest, not one of the loan" (ibid., I.B.L.).
SOME ITEMS NOT TO BE TAKEN AS A PLEDGE
Deuteronomy 24:6
"No man shall take the nether [mill] or the upper millstone
to pledge: for he takes a man's life to pledge."
Deuteronomy 24:17
"You shall not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of
the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge."
Job 22:5-6
In the book of Job we find references to the wrongful taking of
the pledge as being a sin. Eliphaz accuses Job of sin by saying:
"Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite? For
you have taken a pledge from your brother for nought, and
stripped the naked of their clothing."
Job 24:3,9
Speaking of the wicked Job says: "They drive away the ass of the
fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge. They pluck the
fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor."
Notice these scriptures indicate that it is wrong to take
advantage of those who are fallen into misfortune.
6. THE CHARITABLE LOAN
It should be easy to grasp the implications of the charitable
loan that comes under the usury prohibition. The lender faces a
sure loss on his loan. First, he bears the risks associated with
loans to the impoverished, for he can ask no extra payment as a
risk premium attached to the rate of interest. Second, he
receives back goods in the future, but future goods are less
valuable to a man than the goods in the present. He therefore
forfeits the use of his goods over time without any compensation.
He receives back less-valuable goods, for he has lost one thing
that creatures cannot restore: time. Third, during inflationary
times, he also forfeits the loss of purchasing power if his loan
is one in terms of money. He therefore bears two and possibly
three costs of the loan. That is the extent of his charity. He
suffers loss for the sake of the needy brother.
This loss is required by God, but it will be balanced by other
benefits to the lender.
Here again if one perceives things in a purely physical sense and
discounts the influence of God, the lender is truly the loser.
But we cannot discount God, because these are His rules and He
says we must live by His words and He promises to return more
than what is given away.
Deuteronomy 7:11-14
"You shall therefore keep the commandments, and the
statutes, and the judgments, which I command you this day,
to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if you harken
to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord
your God shall keep unto you the covenant and the mercy
which he swore unto your fathers: And he will love you, and
bless you, and multiply you: He will also bless the fruit of
your womb, and the fruit of your land, your corn, and your
wine, and your oil, the increase of your kine [cattle], and
the flocks of your sheep, in the land which he swore unto
your fathers to give you. You shall be blessed above all
people: there shall not be male or female barren among you,
or among your cattle."
Proverbs 19:17
"He that has pity upon the poor lends unto the Lord; and
that which he has given will He [God] pay him again."
Psalm 37:26
Speaking of the righteous, the Psalmist says: "He is ever
merciful, and lends; and his seed is blessed."
Psalm 112:5
"A good man shows favor, and lends; he will guide his
affairs with discretion. "
Matthew 5:24
"Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow
of you turn not you away."
Luke 6:32-36
"For if you love them that love you, what thank [reward]
have you? For sinners also love those that love them. And if
you do good to them that do good to you, what thank have
you? For sinners also do even the same. And if you lend to
them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you? For
sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But
love your enemies, and do good, and lend hoping for nothing
again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the
children of the highest, for he is kind to the unthankful
and the evil. Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also
is merciful. "
God says it is more blessed to give than to receive. One reason
this is true is because if one is in a position to give a gift to
another, it means that they themselves have been blessed with an
abundance so that they are able to lend to another. Or, it means
that they have the attitude of love and self-sacrifice which is
an attribute of God.
BLESSINGS AND CURSES
Blessings Deuteronomy 28:12-13
"The lord shall open unto you his good treasure, the heaven
to give the rain unto your land in its season, and to bless
all the work of your hand; and you shall lend unto many
nations, and you shall not borrow. And the Lord shall make
you the head, and not the tail: and you shall be above only,
and you shall not be beneath; if you harken unto the
commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this
day, to observe and to do them."
Curses
Deuteronomy 28:44-47
"He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him; he
shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. Moreover all
these curses shall come upon you, and shall pursue you, and
overtake you, till you be destroyed; because you harkened
not unto the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his
commandments and his statutes which he commanded you: and
they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and upon
your seed forever. Because you served not the Lord your God
with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the
abundance of all things."
7. LENDING FOR GREED
In the fifth chapter of Nehemiah we find that many of the poor
Jews had borrowed money to buy food because of a drought and
tribute [tax] payments to the king. These people were in such
dire circumstances that they even mortgaged their lands and sold
their children into slavery to buy food and pay taxes (Neh.
5:1-5).
When he heard of this tragic state of events, the prophet
Nehemiah became angry and condemned the lenders for their
hardness of heart and exacted a promise from them to return to
the debtors their pledges.
Nehemiah 5:7-13
"Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and
the rulers, and said unto them, You exact usury, every one
of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. And
I said unto them, We, after our ability, have redeemed our
brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and
will you even sell your brethren? Or shall they be sold unto
us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
Also I said, It is not good that you do, ought you not to
walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the
heathen our enemies? I likewise, and my brethren, and my
servants, might exact of them money and corn I pray you, let
us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you, to them, even
this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards,
and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and
of the corn the wine, and the oil, that you exact of them."
Jeremiah 15:10
"Woe is me, my mother, that you have born me a man of strife
and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither
lent on usury, nor have men lent to me on usury; yet every
one of them doth curse me."
Jeremiah is condemning his brethren for their persecution of him,
and pointed to his innocence of the crime of usury, a crime which
he seems to be ascribing to his persecutors by inference.
Psalm 15:5
"He that puts not out his money to usury nor takes reward
against the innocent. He that does these things shall never
be moved [waver, slip or fall]."
Proverbs 28:8
"He that by usury and unjust gain increases his substance,
he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor."
Isaiah 24:2
"And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as
with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid so
with the mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as
with the lender so with the borrower; as with the taker of
usury, so with the giver of usury to him."
INVESTMENT AND ASSET MANAGEMENT
............
TO BE CONTINUED
The Law of Usury - Lending - Giving #3More blessed to give than receive! by
B. J. Chocherell
INVESTMENTS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT
The taking of usury in the sense of a reasonable rate of interest
for the use of money employed in trade is different from lending
to the poor and needy, and is nowhere forbidden. This kind of
lending is referred to in the New Testament as a perfectly
understood and allowable practice.
In Luke 19:12-23 we find a parable in which servants are given
charge over certain amounts of money. Some were given more and
some were given less. The point of the parable is that each
person should use what God has given him to produce profits for
His Creator. And those who produce nothing will get nothing in
return for their lack of effort.
However, the thing of interest for this study is what the master
said to the servant with the poor attitude: "You knew that I was
an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that
I did not sow. Wherefore then gave not you my money into the
bank, that at my coming I might have received mine own with usury
[interest]?" (v.23). It would seem that verse 23 sanctions the
act of usury; and indeed it does sanction the act of making a
profit by wisely investing money to be used in a profit making
venture.
In Matthew 25:27 we see the same account of this parable. There
is no doubt that what is being spoken of here is a money-making
situation. As with any investment there is a certain amount of
risk involved; one could lose his money as well as make a profit.
The taking of interest in a purely investment situation is
nowhere forbidden in the Old or the New Testaments.
Investments should not be considered an act of selfish lending.
Investments are purely a business function, and are made purely
for gain of one type or another. There must be benefits for the
lender or there is not an incentive to make the investment.
A major character trait of God is that He does not change: "For I
am the Lord, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not
consumed" (Mal.3:6). "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,
and forever" (Heb.13:8).
(Actually, this is so often a mis-quoted, to try and uphold just
about anything that may be written in the OT. The truth of the
matter is that God (and hence Christ, as God of the OT) DOES
INDEED CHANGE THINGS AT TIMES, from one age to another age. I
have explained this in some detail in other studies of mine, but
one classic example is "physical circumcision." As a law from God
it did not come into being before Abraham, and it certainly is
not a "must" obey law today under the NT, as the NT clearly
proves. Also, observing the Feasts of God at Jerusalem, where God
had placed His name, is no longer a law for NT Christians. God's
Festivals can now be observed ANYwhere, and there is no central
location one must travel to in order to observe them. So quoting
Mal.3:6 and Heb.13:8 for the study we are under, is also a mis-
applying of those verses. What those verses are all about is not
"specific" laws of God, but the CHARACTER of God. He NEVER
CHANGES in his Holy, Perfect, Righteous, Sinless, Just,
CHARACTER, in dealing with people, no matter what age or what
laws in that age He has given for His children to obey and follow
- Keith Hunt).
THE MONEYCHANGERS
Matthew 21:12-13
"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all
them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the
tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold
doves. And said unto them, It is written, my house shall be
called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of
thieves."
Matthew 11:15-17
"He that has ears to hear, let him ,sear. But whereunto
shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children
sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And
saying, We have piped unto you, and you have not danced; we
have mourned unto you and you have not lamented."
"If any example in the Bible stands out as the premier
example, it is the account of Christ and the temple
moneychangers. The moneychangers, as the name indicates,
were in the business of foreign currency exchange.
Part of the annual sacrifice requirements of the Mosaic law
was the offering of a census payment of half a shekel of
silver (Ex. 30:12-15). Jerusalem was flooded with visiting
Hebrews from all over the Mediterranean during the Passover,
adding to an already diverse population (Acts 2:5). Various
coins from many lands would have to be converted to the
proper offering, the shekel. The moneychangers performed
this service, and as the hostility of Jesus indicates, they
did so at a profit" (ibid., I.B.L.).
"What was their crime? The gaining of profit from foreign
exchange transactions is an old and respected profession.
The most rigorous of the medieval commentators allowed banks
to make profits from this service; this was considered
banking's foremost legitimate function.
Why the overwhelming hostility of Jesus against them? The
reason almost certainly lies in the location of their
tables. They were set up in the outer court of the temple"
(A Commentary on the Holy Bible, by Matthew Poole, p. 98).
"The presence of the temple added an obvious, unmistakable
aura of holy sanctity to the men whose services were being
offered there. The visiting Hebrews would not have to deal
with gentile moneychangers on the outside. They could trust
the men of the temple, or so they thought. An implicit, and
in all likelihood an explicit, demand was being made by the
rulers of the temple; the sacrifices required by God should
be obtained from the moneychangers (and dove salesmen)
inside the jurisdiction of the Lord's house. The
moneychangers were reaping a monopoly return because of
their close connection to the institutional church. They
were not subject to the competitive pressures of a free
market in money exchange. They were shielded by the name of
God. By so using God's name they dishonored Him. Monopoly
profits are not to be earned in this way.
We can only surmise that the rates of exchange were
unfavorable in comparison to rates available outside the
temple court. We can only acknowledge the fact that the
power to reap monopoly economic returns is one which is
unlikely to be ignored over long periods of time. Again, we
can only surmise that the moneychangers turned a portion of
their profits over to the temple authorities. It would seem
reasonable that temple authorities would demand a cut of
monopoly returns that had their origin in the very aura of
the temple. It is possible that the moneychangers were even
salaried employees of the temple. But whatever the concrete
economic arrangements, Christ's words made their position in
God's eyes quite clear: 'It is written, My house shall be
called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of
thieves'" (Matthew 21:13)" [ibid., I.B.L., pp. 809-810].
MAKING A PROFIT
Matthew 25:14-30
"For the kingdom of heaven is as a man leaving the country,
and he called his own servants to him, and entrusted his
property to them. And to one of them he gave five talents,
and to another two, and to another one; to each one
according to his respective ability. And immediately he left
the country. But after he had gone, the one that had
received the five talents traded with them and produced
another five talents. And in the same way also, the one that
had received the two, he also increased by another two
talents. But the one that had received the one talent went
away and dug a hole in the ground and hid his lord's money.
Then after a long time, the lord of those servants came, and
brought them into account. And the one that had received
the five talents came to him and brought an additional five
talents: saying Lord you entrusted to me five talents: look
I have gained besides them five additional talents. And his
lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant: you
were faithful over a few things, I will appoint you over
many things: enter into the joy of your Lord.
And the one who had received two talents came to him and
said, Lord you entrusted me with two talents: Look, I have
gained besides them two additional talents. His Lord said to
him, Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful
over a few things, I will place you in charge over many
things: enter into the joy of your Lord.
And then the one who had received the one talent came and
said, Lord I knew you to be a harsh man, harvesting where
you did not plant, and gathering where you did not scatter.
And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the
ground. Now look, here you have your own. And the Lord
answered and said to him, You wicked and lazy servant, you
knew I reap where I did not plant, and gather where I did
not scatter: Therefore you should have at least placed my
money with the exchangers, and then at my coming I should
have received my own with interest. Now then take the talent
from him, and give it to the one that has ten talents.
Because to every one who has shall be given, and he shall
have an abundance: but the one who has not, even that which
he has shall be taken away from him. And throw out the
unprofitable servant into utter darkness: there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth" ('A Harmony of the Gospels,'
by Fred Coulter).
In this parable of the talents Jesus is teaching his disciples a
very important lesson about spiritual growth by using a physical
thing (money) as an example. In verse 27 He mentions the existing
practice of exchanging one currency for another more desirable
one for a profit, which was purely a business deal and had
nothing to do with making a loan. It is interesting to note that
Jesus did not condemn the practice of profit-making from this
type of business. The lesson He was teaching to those who are
called to His service was that they had better be about His
business while He is in heaven. And if one is timid about
stepping out under his own direction and using his particular
God-given talent for his work, he had better put that talent
under the direction of another, so that he will still be able to
be a profitable servant.
Luke 19:11-28 is basically the same parable with the same general
theme about being a diligent servant and increasing the gifts God
has given. The King James Version uses the word usury here; other
versions use the word interest. However, the original Greek word
used is 'tokos' and means "interest on money loaned." In no way
can the word 'tokos' be used to infer anything but a gain above
what is originally being submitted in the transaction.
8. THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW
Isaiah 42:21
Jesus taught the same exact thing about usury to his disciples
that he had commanded the ancient Israelites. The only difference
was that He explained the law's true intent and purpose to them
and magnified it as the prophet Isaiah said He would: "The Lord
is well pleased for his [Christ's] righteousness' sake; he will
magnify the law and make it honorable."
Notice this magnification of the law in Luke 6:33-36:
"And if you do good to them which do good to you what thank
[reward] have you? For sinners also do even the same. And if you
lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you?
For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But
love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing
again; and your reward will be great, and you shall be the
children of the highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and
to the evil. Be you therefore merciful, as your Father is also
merciful."
Jesus takes the law of lending (usury) and shows how the ROYAL
LAW OF LOVE applies here: "You shalt love your neighbor as
yourself' (Matt.22:39). He shows them what kind of attitude they
should have and what kind of examples they should be. He tells
them they should be merciful, just like God the Father is
merciful and just. This is what the law of usury is all about -
it is about being concerned, being kind, being compassionate and
being merciful to those less fortunate than ourselves. The law of
usury is encompassed within the royal law of love.
God the Father and Jesus Christ are the personification and
perfection of love. The violation of the usury law demands the
death penalty because it violates the principle of love. And
those who do not have this vital attribute cannot inherit eternal
life. Those who are to become immortal must have this attribute
to become God, for "we shall be like him in the resurrection."
1 John 3:2, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not
yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall
appear we shall be like him."
1 John 4:16-21, "And we have known and believed the love that God
has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God,
and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have
boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in
this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out
fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect
in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I
love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar, for he that loves
not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has
not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who
loves God love his brother also."
SEPARATION OF THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS
In the parable of the separation of the sheep and the goats,
(i.e., the righteous and the unrighteous), Christ shows an
expanded view of the royal law of love. He shows that doing good
and showing kindness to other humans is the same as showing
kindness to Himself. The bottom line is that Christ equated
kindness toward those in need as righteousness, and unkindness as
evil, each with its associated rewards or punishments. Please
read this parable in Matthew 25:31-46.
BUSINESS AND CHARITY
The Christian must understand the distinctions between business
and voluntary charity. Business involves an economic return (or
at least the potential for making a profit) to the investor.
Charity involves the transfer of scarce economic resources to
another, with no thought of return (Matt.10:8; Luke 6:35).
"A person can hardly call himself a Christian and a faithful
steward if he seals off business from charity in an absolute
manner. Businesses are supposed to earn profits if they are
to be successful, as several parables of Jesus indicate.
However, ruthless competition that is utterly devoid of
mercy is also condemned in the parables. But the fact that a
particular young ruler was told to sell all of his goods and
give everything to the poor does not stand as the
requirement for every steward. Nor does the example of the
church at Jerusalem in Acts 4:32 prevail as the model for
all churches.
A person must be careful not to drown out the revelation of
God in His Word, listening only to the parables of profit or
to the examples of total poverty. He is responsible before
God to respond to the leading of God's Spirit at different
times and along each turn in life's path. We are admonished
to grow spiritually by means of earthly parables of economic
stewardship. The fact that God may demand a person to give
up all that he has does not imply that God is sanctioning
the moral validity of continued economic losses. What God is
saying is that one must not be morally ruthless in business,
nor morally wasteful in charity. 'Share the wealth' is a
biblical principle. In short, business is not charity and
charity is not business. Charity should be carefully
administered in a business-like manner with honest
accounting and budgeting. But it is not a business. They are
separate sovereign realms. And their differences must be
respected" (I.B.L.).
Some say that a Christian cannot borrow because of Paul's
teaching in Romans 13:8: "Owe no man any thing but to love one
another, for he that loves another has fulfilled the law."
However, reading from verse one of this chapter we find that the
thing Paul is talking about is being in subjection to civil
government officials and civil laws of taxation.
The New Testament in Modern Speech translates the first part of
this verse thusly: "Leave no debt un-paid except the standing
debt of mutual love..." This is probably the more accurate
translation since it falls in line with and supports other
scriptures that speak of paying one's debts. To say this
scripture prohibits a Christian from borrowing would discount all
other Bible references on the subject of borrowing.
THE ROYAL LAW OF LOVE
Romans 13:9
"For this, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not
kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness,
you shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment,
it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, YOU SHALL
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
Matthew 5:42
"Give to him that asks you, and front him that would borrow
of you, turn not you away."
9. CHRISTIANS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Is a Christian allowed to borrow money or anything at interest?
Yes, a Christian may borrow at interest. However, the problem
arises when one borrows too much and places himself in debt to
the point of being a slave to the lender. Although this is not a
paper on how to conduct one's financial affairs, nonetheless it
is a good practice when purchasing a thing to obtain total
ownership at the outset of the transaction, if at all possible.
This releases one of any future obligations and burdens of
payment. One must realize that banks are in business to make a
profit. They are not charitable organizations; therefore they
have no mercy on those who cannot repay their debt.
Some professing Christian groups which hold a legalistic and
patriotic persuasion toward the Bible and their particular
country, have come to believe that a Christian should not
participate in the existing financial systems of this world; and
that having a checking or an interest-bearing account in one of
these institutions is tantamount to committing sin.
There is no doubt that this world's current banking and monetary
systems are not operated in a godly manner. Of course, there is
very little in this corrupt and sinful world that is godly. If
all people obeyed God's laws there would be no inequities.
This is obviously not the case in the world in which we live, and
this is precisely why the Creator must set up His righteous
government on this earth to guide the affairs of mankind. [For a
very good insight into the evils of interest banking, read War
Cycles/Peace Cycles, by Richard Kelly Hoskins].
However, there is no sin attached to borrowing money from a
lending institution if it can be done within the guidelines of
sound business practices. But for a Christian to find it
necessary to borrow from a secular source because of acute
necessity or poverty is a condemnation upon those who profess to
be Christian, since the law requires those of the brotherhood to
care for their own.
Having a checking or interest-bearing account in no way violates
the biblical law of usury. Of course, if one has individual
concerns about the privacy of his financial matters and does not
wish to be associated with a financial institution, that is his
business. But, neither party should condemn the other for his
preference.
THE POOR
Some seem to think that most poor people are poor because of some
fault of their own, and this could very well be true in SOME
cases. However, MANY are or become poor because of reasons BEYOND
their control, such as the death of the provider, injury,
physical defects, or disabilities, etc.
These and many, many other reasons and circumstances beyond one's
control can cause a person to be poor, or to fall into poverty. A
person in such a state is not to be shunned or scorned, but
should be helped that he might overcome his particular situation
and attain to a more prosperous state of living.
The apostle John echoed God's desire for his spiritual children
when he said: "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may
prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers" (3 John 2).
Psalm 37:21, "The wicked borrows, and pays not again: but the
righteous shows mercy, and gives."
IS THE LAW OF USURY FOR TODAY'S CHRISTIAN?
For the answer to the question "Is the law of usury for today's
Christian," the Christian must answer a foundational question
about the law in general and whether or not a Christian must obey
the laws of God.
If one admits that a Christian is part of spiritual Israel (Heb.
8:8-10; 1 Pet.2:25), and that God's laws are spiritual (Rom.
7:12-14), then it follows that a law which is not specifically
cancelled or suspended by a "thus saith the Lord," or cannot be
obeyed because it is physically impossible to comply with, would
still be in force and should be obeyed.
Deuteronomy 15:4 states that the law of usury will be in force
for Israelites until there are no more poor among them. Are there
still physically poor Israelites? Yes, there are! Are there still
spiritually poor Israelites (i.e., Christians)? Yes, there are!
When a contention arose among the disciples about what they
considered a waste of valuable ointment that a woman anointed
Jesus with, He said: "For the poor always you have with you; but
me you have not always" (John 12:8). Since Jesus said the poor
will be with us always, will this law ever be cancelled? Yes, it
will be cancelled, but prior to its cancellation the whole world
will go through some very traumatic events spoken of in the books
of Daniel and Revelation.
WHAT SHOULD BE THE CHRISTIAN POSITION ON USURY?
We Christians are aliens, strangers and sojourners in this world;
we are spiritual Israel. A Christian is not of this world nor its
systems, economic, political or otherwise. A Christian is of the
household of God, the kingdom of God, or, if you will, the
government of God. We are to be separate from this world's
corruptness.
Amos 3:3 says: "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" Can
we as Christians enter into the corrupt practices of today's
society and take advantage of the poor? No, we cannot if we want
to please God the Father and Jesus Christ. Therefore we cannot
make a loan to a poor brother in Christ and attach interest to
it. It would be far better to make a gift of the loan if
possible.
For a Christian to loan money at interest to a poor person or a
person in need is breaking the royal law of love and the law of
usury in the letter, as well as the spirit.
The law of usury was not written for a barbaric society of
illiterates. It was written for a society of Kings, Priests and a
Holy People, who were and are to have love and compassion and
exhibit the very attributes of God.
10. THE BEGINNING OF ABUNDANCE
What is it that makes a law obsolete? The answer is, when there
is no longer a need for it. This is what the Eternal was
referring to in Deuteronomy 15:4: "Except when there are no more
poor among you ..." There will no longer be a need for the law of
usury when all have the spirit of God and are living in total
compliance with His precepts and principles. Read Jeremiah
31:31-34.
CONCLUSION
It should be obvious with this short study into the law of usury
that the God Family is extremely interested in and concerned
about all of humanity, and this interest and concern is for the
rich as well as the poor.
Our Father in Heaven is most concerned for our spiritual
wellbeing. Physical objects and things are secondary; they are
temporary as we are. The things of concern are those that can be
taken with us into eternity. And these things are of the spirit
[mind] of man - the character, the attitude, the love, the godly
attributes that we have built into our innermost being by obeying
the laws, principles and precepts of God, by allowing Him through
His Spirit to work and shape us into His image.
This is what the law of usury is really about. It is about the
building of the godly character trait of concern and love for
others, and with the building of godly character comes the
promise of the Eternal as stated by the apostle Paul: "For as it
is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them
that love him" (1 Cor.2:9; Isa. 64:4).
(The above verses are true, but Paul did not end with verses 9 of
1 Cor.2. He went on to say, "BUT God has revealed them unto us by
His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep
things of God" (verse 10). Paul still continued with further
expounding on the Spirit of God that we as Christians have
received. We can meditate on this "usury" subject and come to see
the wonderful love, mercy, character, of God, in giving the laws
of "lending" and "out-right giving" and NOT usury to our fellow
Christian brother and sister, and if a nation was TRULY serving
and obeying "In God We Trust" - that nation would NOT be using
the usury system on its poor and needy. But then if a nation was
truly serving and trusting in the Eternal God, it would not be
practicing MANY things it now practices. We in the Church of God
must, where possible, within the relationships of each other in
fellowship and loving service, obey the laws of God, and apart
from strict "business transaction" with each other, the law of
usury should NOT be put upon our genuine needy fellow citizens of
the church and family of God - Keith Hunt)
...................
B. J. Cocherell wrote this study in 1988
Entered on Keith Hunt's Website September 2003
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