Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

With regard to debt, Paul says in Romans 13:7-8, "Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." So it would seem that ignoring a valid bill or debt, or paying nothing on it, is not an option for the believer.

It is also the responsibility of a Christian to be a good steward of the resources that God has provided by properly prioritizing the use and expenditure of those resources and not squandering them on discretionary spending, while leaving too little to cover bills for necessities, or not paying those bills. Paul says in 1 Timothy 5:8: "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 

However, if the question pertains to a believer's options in the event of being unable to afford absolute necessities, or to pay for expenses that arise due to circumstances beyond the believer's control, I would NOT recommend just leaving the bill unpaid, while saying nothing to the party to whom the bill is owed. Instead, I would suggest dealing with each of the creditors individually, explaining the situation, and seeking to work out a mutually acceptable arrangement for the payment of those debts as resources permit. If a creditor should offer as a result to reduce or even eliminate a debt, a Christian would not be obligated to refuse such an offer (although, as a sign of their good faith in such a case, debtors may promise to repay the debt in full as soon as they become able to).

December 07 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report