Money Matters – Borrowing and Lending Money – Are Christians allowed to do it?

Reply:

1) We should not borrow or lend money to receive back

It’s related to the famous Verse below (I am not making it up, for believers):

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” – apostle Paul (Romans 13:8, NASB)

The phrase

“Owe nothing to anyone” = as believers we should not borrow from others, owing them

2) We “may” borrow from the bank but the Verse discourages it in Principle but does not prohibit it directly

Owing to bank is not the context in Verse above (Romans 13:8) since the “anyone” refers to “individuals” where Bank is an institution.

Also, borrowing from a bank concept did not exist when the Verse above was Written and so, it cannot refer to something which didn’t exist (e. g. Bank borrowing) when the Verse was Written.

Please note that when the Verse was Written, borrowing from “anyone” (people, individuals) existed and thus it applies to such context as claimed.

So, if we borrow money to others, we would be encouraging something against that Verse and hence we should not want to do it.

3) Giving is allowed but NOT borrowing

What’s the difference?

We may borrow to others ‘only’ if we do it with the intention of NOT hoping to get it back = Giving is NOT borrowing.

“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.“… and lend, expecting nothing in return … ” – Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 6:34 – 35, NASB)

Please note the phrases below carefully giving this distinction in meaning:

“sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount” = BORROWING

“lend, expecting nothing in return” = Borrowing without expecting anything back = GIVING

Conclusion

A Christian may GIVE but NOT BORROW or LEND toward Individuals.

Regarding borrowing from the Bank, it’s best ‘avoided’ but if there’s no choice, the Verses above doesn’t relate to it directly (for Banks didn’t exist giving loans back then) and so, one may decide for themselves.