Is Charging or Earning Interest a Sin? | Episode 64
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Exodus 22:25 says, “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest” (NKJV). Several other Bible passages reiterate the same theme: God prohibited His people from charging interest on their money, at least when loaned to a fellow Israelite.
Considering this, is it a sin for modern Christians to put their money in the bank or financial markets for the purpose of earning interest? Does capitalism contradict God's Word? Dr. David K. Bernard answers these questions by comparing the setting of these biblical commands with the economic realities of the twenty-first century.
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Trying to outsmart God!
I did also lend money out to people and i told them to just pay me back what I gave them no interest thank god for that
Commandments are commandments! Not opinions.
Don’t be a debt slave
Charging any interest on any lent money is a sin. Period.
Sin is not in lending anything, but in thieving and enslaving the borrower.
There's no difference in lending a car or money for a fee.
Listen to the reference he read. Don't profit off of the POOR among you.
This is where most of us christians miss it. We don't use lending to ensnare or enslave those who we lend to. We should do it in such a way that it is fair to both parties.
Lending is not prohibited. However interest is prohibited across all the mono faiths. A transaction in which the lender profits from the borrower and in which the borrower takes on all the risk. This is forbidden across the board. Christians need to understand this, especially seeing how the west is operating with interest bearing loans.
People start to lend money out to the disabled people even children sassa money is taken for granted they charge the poor people R100 on a R100
Muslims were able to develop an alternative system , however it broke down due to dominance of western financial system . However Muslims do have Islamic Banking
they have sharia morgage in the US now. getting the financing from the national treasury tax budgets.
I work for a finance company, and they do charge higher interest(than a bank), but are very transparent to the customers about the cost of borrowing the money. I sometimes wish to work in another field helping people more, but on the other end I try my best to be helpful and honest with each customer.
God is leading us to a new field we must obey
It is hypocritical and justifies interest because interest anywhere is not allowed because it will lead to poverty and social inequality so that rich people will become rich forever because lending money and earning interest is not helping people in need
You overlook debt slavery and how the IMF exploits nations, I usually appreciate many of your talks but find it problematic that you would defend usury. The financial systems are a major aspect of poverty and exploitation. International bankers are criminals period. I found the rationalizations and mental gymnastics of acceptance of the status quo of international bankers as a disappointment. I understand that these criminal banking syndicates have the people in a difficult situation, but I would have expected you to take a stand against usury. And also what was the first thing that the Christians practiced in book of Acts? Yes, we have Acts 2:38. But they also shared their possessions and held all things in common... there is no getting around this fact! Sad that so many Pentecostals get the tongue BUT NOT THE SHOES to work for justice and equality in apostolic sharing and socialism as practiced by the first century Christians. You could at least take a stand against this evil of capitalism and usury!
well said .. in Islam, it is considered unlawful to the extent that it is compared if you are waging war against GOD.
Context, literary and historical is so vital - as well as considering the whole counsel of God ... So vital!
Thank you Brother Bernard
we are to multiply more followers of jesus
O ye who believe! Fear God*, and give up what remains of your demand for usury, if ye indeed believers. If ye do it not, take notice of war from God and His Messenger: but if ye turn back, ye shall have your capital sums: deal not unjustly, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly.
Holy Quran, chapter 2; Al Baqarah ( The Heifer) verse 278 & 279.
* Allah Subhana Wata'ala; Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
If the interest is parts of services, there is no problem. But when it is parts of lucratives or parts of holding the person as a captive, it becomes sin. Amén
The parable of the talents isn't telling people how to do business. It's using how people DID do business to explain the kingdom of God. Jesus is saying that you should be the most or best you can be with what you are given by God. That you should not waste your life. And as to the one that buried his talent, he is scolded in the sense of: if you are not going to use your labor to increase, you can at least increase in dedication to God; ie, by earning interest. In no way is he condoning usury.
That’s some fancy footwork for justifying something that your religion says is obviously wrong.
Awesome! I remember a brother (who by the way now no longer is living for the Lord) bragging that he gave his whole paycheck to the Lord! As a new convert, I pondered on this. The Lord brought those scriptures to my mind and showed me his move was the wicked servant "...here, I am giving back to the Lord what He has given me!" My Lord, where is the extra, the increase, the potential for more...the pride of laziness is very deceiving! I appreciated this word this morning...
secular people,bizness & bank yes.
Church members, family & close friends NO....!!!
Sounds like the bible is contradicting. One place its saying to not charge interest. In another it says to invest in a bank and take interest. In Islam, its a flat out ban on interest. Unlike jews, it doesn't matter whether its to Muslims or non-Muslims, we cannot pay or receive interest from anyone
Why did the church prohibit it for most of its existence? Is it because the economy changed? What about the principal behind interest? Surely it's evil or it isn't.
The conversation could easily and validly gravitate to who is capable of sinning at all. The answer is that all that are under the law of sin and death--whether it be the Law of Moses or natural Gentile law, are capable of sinning. Christians are not capable of sinning. As much as I am indebted to Dr. B, I also realize that the weakness of oneness apostolic church is that they are still under the impression that a born again person can still sin.
In a business sense, in a fundamental sense it seems like what the verse is saying is for instance if one is a loan officer and a genuinely poor man comes to the office and wants to borrow $1000 then as a Christian he should be given it without interest to pay it back (if possible) in a given period. There's very little difference, if at all perhaps, in doing this in business or personally one-to-one with a poor person. It could be a one-off too 🙏
Thanks for the explanation. I've always wrestled with that. Context is everything
Hi, @David K. Bernhard, I hope you read my 6 questions below, as I am trying to reach out to people to learn more about the combination of thinking as a christian concerning law and economics, and what is biblical today.
As a law student in Norway, I have some questions concerning interest, but also questions concerning the amount of interest rate one should charge or earn as a christian, or support in the law system. I noticed you only talked about either if it is a sin or not, but not if there is a limit or a middle ground as to how much interest rate could amount to being sinful or immoral as a christian. In the context that muslims seems to have been inspired from christianity on this aspect, it seems all the more important that we christians take a stance on this seemingly secular business minded law concerning topic. I am still learning about interest rates in school, so please understand my knowledge is not so high, but I am trying to have a christian mindset as I am learning. Also pardon my English, as this is complicated economical and law language for me.
My christian knowledge about this is limited, I have only read that the church all the way up to the 1600's did not like the idea of taking interest, and Luther explaining that it is because that one can only earn money for what you work for. When you earn interest only by lending out money, Luther therefore meant that it was a greedy way of making money, because of the lack of work.
What I bring into this is my lutheran Scandinavian mindset, thinking highly conservative, but also charismatic, seeing the whole Bible as the truth, but also trying to understand the context, and how it applies today. I also observe that the Scandinavian christian thinking differs a lot from American Christian thinking, which probably is why I have so many questions as to why you talked about interests in this way. I don't believe any of our ways are better or more christian than the other, as I see both cultures to be highly influenced by the political, cultural, economical and legal environment of our contries. But still, I think it would be a really good learning outcome for me, as there are very few christian leaders in my country to turn to for my questions on the legal economical area.
So here goes:
1. If the context in the old testament would see certain interest rates as a sin, what would that look like today? I am thinking about poor people taking short term loans, and especially in third world countries and other places where voulnerable people are victims to loan sharks etc. It seems more usual that loan sharks have the money available than us christian brethren. Should there be rules concerning that?
2. If interest rates in business is not a sin, how would it look like when families wants to buy a house? It is business for the bank, but for the family it is not a business, they only want security and a safe place to live, without being at the mercy of a landlord.
3. If interest rates is not a sin, then what about businesses or loan sharks taking insanely amounts of interests? Could one say that taking too much interest would be a sin, because of the sin of greed? Both to businesses and private families. I am also thinking in the perspective that small businesses could have a direct impact on being able to feed ones family.
4. I noticed you talked about that the economical system in America would collapse if interest rates should be banned, but does that mean that taking interests is not a sin, because of the world of banking as it is today? Is there not a possibility of creating christian ideas of what should be, even though we have to tolerate today's secular banking system?
5. Maybe my biggest question, is about the lack of taking the year of jubilee into concideration. How can that apply today, when the world is totally different? Should we ignore the fact that God commanded debt deletion every 50 years, and commanded a break from work every 7 years? And maybe the most central part of year of jubilee, releasing the people who's lives are destroyed by debt (Norwegian literal translation): they would recieve economical grace and reset so they can start over and get a new chance. How should christians, but also the country's legislations be, when one takes into concideration all these details. Does Jesus really mean it only spiritually when he declares the year of jubilee, just because of the parable of the talents?
6. furthermore, my last question, is about what we in Norway call interests on interests, when you have to pay interest of what the interest are amounted to. That is seemingly only relevant when there is someone trying to escape what they owe, or when people are in serious economical trouble personally. Or when businesses are in serious trouble. My textbook author has no mercy on the debtor on this topic, which gives me a kind of holy fury in my spirit, and I feel it maybe something that God wants to reveal. But I also want your views: What should the christian view on this be? Is it morally fair that this rule should see the debt increase exponentially, when it in the end leaves the debtor so poor as the old testament shows when it says not to take advantage of the one who has nothing? And is it fair in the context of the year of the jubilee, if it still contains any literal meaning?
So sorry for my long questions here, But i hope you have time and want to answer maybe a few of these. You guys are the only christians I have found who have tried to tackle this hard question, and I hope I can use this in my future as a lawyer, judge, advisor or politician.
God bless.
New subscriber from India surely I'm going to teach this lesson to our church members as well I'm very much blessed God bless you and your ministry sir🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
This parable is not talking about physical money. It is talking about spiritual money. The most valuable thing to a person is God's word and God's kingdom. However much understanding and realization of the word you have received from the master (Jesus) then you should in turn and go and do the spiritual transaction of giving the word to others.
If your brother says to you I’m really struggling right now. If I only had x I might be okay. You happen to have x. You have two or three of them. You could easily loan it to him at no detriment to yourself. Yet you say ok I’ll help you if… if what? Be better!
The answer is no but on the other side Jesus said owe no man anything
No, with usuary👍
Logic check: “Jesus would never tell the parable of the talents pertaining to interest earned if it was bad”. Ok let’s say we agree. Then why would God adorn Israel with jewels in the OT if they were bad? Why would Jesus’ first miracle be turning water into wine if it was bad? Can’t use logic one way then another. It must be applied the same if we’re going to be consistent. Why would God allow and honor the Nazarite vow when it calls for men and women to grow out their hair then cut it when the vow ended? Too many inconsistencies that we must have a good answer to. I love the UPC but we have too many inconsistencies that we have to button up or let go if we’re honest.
Jesus was talking about us gaining interest not gaining interest off debt
We all understand in part.
So we pay attention to the context and lifestyle when it mentions about interest but not pay attention to the context and lifestyle of the jews when they say, son of god???
🤔
I think that the term son of god when looked into context and the era, the phrase just means, someone who does Gods work
Need to be consistent my christian bros
This is total nonsense. The economy in the ancient world was just as complex as the one we live in today, it just lacked the technology that we use today. This pastor seems to be deciding what he’d like to believe and introducing foreign ideas to God’s word to justify those beliefs. The majority of pastors throughout church history have held that interest is sinful if done to make a profit.
Nah not convinced..... no intrest means no intrest period.
Could you do a video on what it means to repent
Can a Christian work in banking
Aren’t we all brothers?
The guest argues that as long as we infect all of society with usury at all times+levels, it's ok 😂
No way. There are like 50 verses in the Bible that clearly say don’t do this. In my heart of hearts I know this is wrong. And you do to.
Why is it OK to charge interest if it's not your neighbor? What if it was a passerby in need, away from family, in a land not his?
Alhamdulillah for Islam
Praise the Lord! I love these videos. One video I think would be a good topic of discussion is 1st Corinthians 14:34. Keep up the great work
You are distorting Jesus’ parable about how to invest to justify the opposite of what he taught. He was using lending as a metaphor for the coming Kingdom of God and performing good deeds toward the least of these as he goes on to explain. It was a metaphor to show what is invisible because it is spiritual. Jesus turned over the money changers and was tortured to death for sedition.
So should Christians have payday loan businesses - charging high interest loans which are supposed to be for emergencies
Not at all.
I think he makes some good points but I still think Thomas Aquinas had some good ones
I love how this guy says “put it in context” so he can subvert the Bible. Amazing these people. Jesus confirmed the Old Testament by violently flipping the tables of the usurers or money lender’s and made a whip and chased them out of the temple courts. Charging interest is a sin and more than that, it is a weapon used to enslave us.
Amen, Lord Jesus, because our business is to help people who need heal but we are not charged them big amount . I believe the power of helping people not to take advantage but to charged them 5% every month's.
Charging 5% per month is a rip of. It amounts to 60% per year
So basically what he’s sayinis. Times are changing? So the interest practice being forbidden doesn’t apply here?
If it is stranger charge whatever but don’t when it’s your neighbor or brother??? What kind of moral is this ?
Aside
I understand it , but many churches are giving loans to other in 5 to 10% interest also , suppose their're lots of rich Christian but you won't get loan from them unless you repay with an interest of 10% coz it's the prize now and non believers and even those rich Christian will charges 20% and it's because they do get it by 20% from others , so my question is being a believers especially in our countries i,e, NE India we tribals don't have love I would say, everyone is lending money in interest at the lowest rates of 5% and since most of the borrower are poorer than the lenders, is it not a sin ? Making money out from your own relatives? If they want to make money than they should invest in a Bank rite ?
Rent isn't reasonable anymore 😞
What do you think about T shirts
Hello there, ☀️I think if
the whole society is accepting a
business as culture business or
legal business, its all fine. Like
law abiding citizen buying legal
gun in legal gun shop.
God bless.🍇
Well said bro Bernard.
This guy is coping hard. He wants to charge interest. He wants to say the things that you people want to hear.
Absolutely not buying that! you can't put exceptions on a something that's obviously a sin because we live in modern times.
Debt is a tresspass and sin. If it was not it would not say forgive us our debt as we forgive the debtors against us in the Gospel of Matthew. You are putting a judgement of worth of a dead idol on living people and keeping them in debt, tresspass, sin. God will know you by the fruit of your work/ worship for repentance of sin. Not the idolatry source of sin money you have traded for the fruits and your work / worship. God of the living gives no strength to dead thing$.
Plesgoddsgiv,me,Mony,ples,bless,,me,ples,