"Owe no man anything" said Paul, and in so doing laid down a sound principle of personal and domestic economics. It is true that much business is done on credit, but it still remains that to exceed ones potential to pay is to court disaster....where thereis debt, there is danger.
Debt and Time. By debt we may betray the past in rendering our achievements viod, burden the present in reducing our security, and barter the future in adding the price of usury to the repayment of dues.
Debt and Character. Some times it is wisdom to raise a mortgage or contract for hire purchase. But there are times when self denial should direct our course of action....it is foolish to over extend one'self. The live now pay later' principle has more than one application, not all of them good.
But once debt is contracted, the Christian will consider himself under obligation until he is fully discharged. Personal integrity will not allow him relief of mind until his obligations are met. A man of honour is conscientious about small debts as large: a borrowed book, a stamp, a pinch of salt or spoonful of sugar are all repaid or returned with alacrity and gratitude.
Debt and Comfort One is never entirely at ease with borrowed things. To incur debt is to subject oneself for "the borrower is servant to the lender". The phrase "It was borrowed" implies three principles.
First, that of dependance, for a borrower by his very act confesses his own inadequency.
Secondly, that of stewardship.
Thirdly, that of accountability; we can never disburden ourselves of responsibility until debts are paid or borrowed things returned.
A Debt we shall Always Owe Paul makes it clear that while there are obligations we can and should meet, there are some that we can never, by their very nature, pay to the full.
These are moral debts: the obligations of love. We have obligations to those we know - relations, friends, fellow-believers. We have obligations to those we dont know - the persecuted, distressed and afflicted wherever they are. Nor are we only indebted to those who do us good........Jesus commended us to love our enemies.
Paul felt himself in debt "both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the uinwise" He had a saving gospel,....they had perishing souls; he must bring them together.
A bystander feels morally bound to attempt a rescue of a drowning person; and Christians are bound morally and spiritually to "seek and to save them that are lost".
The love that brought the Lord Jesus from heaven to save usshould drive us "to the uttermost parts" to save others.
Debt and Time. By debt we may betray the past in rendering our achievements viod, burden the present in reducing our security, and barter the future in adding the price of usury to the repayment of dues.
Debt and Character. Some times it is wisdom to raise a mortgage or contract for hire purchase. But there are times when self denial should direct our course of action....it is foolish to over extend one'self. The live now pay later' principle has more than one application, not all of them good.
But once debt is contracted, the Christian will consider himself under obligation until he is fully discharged. Personal integrity will not allow him relief of mind until his obligations are met. A man of honour is conscientious about small debts as large: a borrowed book, a stamp, a pinch of salt or spoonful of sugar are all repaid or returned with alacrity and gratitude.
Debt and Comfort One is never entirely at ease with borrowed things. To incur debt is to subject oneself for "the borrower is servant to the lender". The phrase "It was borrowed" implies three principles.
First, that of dependance, for a borrower by his very act confesses his own inadequency.
Secondly, that of stewardship.
Thirdly, that of accountability; we can never disburden ourselves of responsibility until debts are paid or borrowed things returned.
A Debt we shall Always Owe Paul makes it clear that while there are obligations we can and should meet, there are some that we can never, by their very nature, pay to the full.
These are moral debts: the obligations of love. We have obligations to those we know - relations, friends, fellow-believers. We have obligations to those we dont know - the persecuted, distressed and afflicted wherever they are. Nor are we only indebted to those who do us good........Jesus commended us to love our enemies.
Paul felt himself in debt "both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the uinwise" He had a saving gospel,....they had perishing souls; he must bring them together.
A bystander feels morally bound to attempt a rescue of a drowning person; and Christians are bound morally and spiritually to "seek and to save them that are lost".
The love that brought the Lord Jesus from heaven to save usshould drive us "to the uttermost parts" to save others.
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