In its broadcast (Money Matters, the radio program of Crown Financial Ministries) dated September 10th 2007, Steve Moore, co-host, asked the question “Does God forbid debt because I’ve looked and I can’t find a verse that says ‘Thou shall not borrow’?” To which Howard Dayton jokingly responds, “No, it’s not the 11th commandment, thou shalt not borrow, it’s not sin, but it is discouraged and I think that’s what we need to keep in mind. What can we do to minimize the use of debt? What can we do to pay off our debt as quickly as possible?” Then, Moore chimes in “Good reminder and of course it’s good. It’s direct from God’s Word, the Bible.”

It is so important, more than ever before, to study God’s word and test everything we hear. I am perplexed that this ministry can joke about God’s Word, suggest debt is not a sin, and yet have no clue that there is actually a commandment, repeated twice in Scripture: “Thou Shalt Not Borrow.” These are found in:

Deuteronomy 15:6:
For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow;

Deuteronomy 28:12:
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

What I can’t find in the Bible, Mr. Dayton and Mr. Moore, is where God says we should minimize debt and pay it off as quickly as possible. To say there isn’t a commandment when there is, and then to insert your own opinion about debt and claim that it’s God’s Word is dangerous and leads many astray.

For more information about the truth about debt as it’s clearly stated in God’s word, click here.