 |
|
Christian
Topic: Borrowing To Do The Lord’s Work
November 15, 2004 - by Crown Financial
Ministries
God calls hundreds of men and women into the mission
field yearly. If God has truly called, He will supply
all that is necessary.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with
you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew
28:19-20).
Over the centuries since Jesus first spoke these
words to His disciples, the Great Commission has
been the catalyst that has challenged thousands
of men and women to leave the comforts of their
own homes and homelands in order to spread the Gospel
of Christ throughout the world.
Of all of our Lord’s callings, being called
to be a missionary is one of the most challenging
- so much so that those who have been called into
the mission field must not be encumbered with unnecessary
burdens if they hope to be successful.
God supplies
We know that God was speaking truth when
He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah and said,
“For I know the plans that I have for you
. . . plans for welfare and not for calamity to
give you a future and a hope. Then you will call
upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen
to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search
for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).
Paul, writing to the oppressed church in Rome, said,
“For the gifts and the calling of God are
irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). This means that
God does not make mistakes. If He has called people
into missions ministry, He has not changed His mind.
As such, He will lead in the direction He wants
them to go and He will provide as He guides.
It was Charles Finney, the 19th century American
revivalist who said, “God supplies where He
guides. Where He does not supply, He does not guide.”
This truth that was so real to Finney has not changed.
It still holds true today. He will supply where
He guides—without borrowing.
If people knowingly violate biblical principles,
it cannot be honorable to God, no matter how noble
the purpose. God would not direct anyone to violate
His Word to accomplish His work.
The principle of surety says that we’re not
to borrow against an unknown contingency—such
as the unknown of missionary work.
God will provide his servants with all the money
necessary to do anything He has called them to do.
Borrowing should never play a part in doing His
work or accepting His call.
Many who have had a burning desire to go into missions
work and know without a doubt that they have been
called feel that borrowing to attend a seminary
or missions preparation school is their only choice
to secure the training needed.
However, the principle of borrowing does not depend
on how or where the money is used. If money is borrowed,
it must be repaid. Borrowing to attend a seminary
or missions school is certainly not a sin; however,
by borrowing, God’s plan for provision very
well could be circumvented.
Many called missionaries have finished the seminary
or missions school only to find that they couldn’t
be used of God because of the enormous debt they
incurred while getting the education they needed
to do the work that the Lord called them to do.
Sometimes it takes many years for them to get out
of debt before they are able to go where God wants
them. If attending a seminary or a missions training
school is a need and if God has truly called, He
will provide the funds without borrowing. “My
God will supply all your needs according to His
riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians
4:19).
The primary hindrance
Scripture very clearly says that neither
borrowing nor lending is prohibited, but firm guidelines
are given. Borrowing is discouraged and, in fact,
every biblical reference to it is a negative one.
“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower
becomes the lender's slave” (Proverb 22:7).
The scriptural guideline for borrowing is very clear.
Money borrowed is always accompanied by a promise
to repay. Literally, borrowing is making a vow.
God requires that we keep our vows, which means
that those called to be missionaries must not leave
for the mission field unless they are debt free
and they have fully paid what is owed (see Psalm
37:21).
The reason many called servants of the Lord are
not able to claim God’s promises is because
they are not willing to meet His prerequisites.
First John 3:21-22 explains that God will answer
our prayers when we do the things that are pleasing
in His sight and keep His commandments.
Few scriptural principles are clearer than that
of keeping our vows—literally keeping our
word both to God and to others. “It is better
that you should not vow than that you should vow
and not pay” (Ecclesiastes 5:5).
A vow can be defined as “an earnest promise
or pledge that binds one to perform in a certain
manner.” The term appears many places in the
Bible to refer to a promise or a pledge, and the
emphasis is that such promises are binding. “You
shall be careful to perform what goes out from your
lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the
Lord your God, what you have promised” (Deuteronomy
23:23).
That means that when we give our word to do something,
we are obligated to do it—this includes debt
and money borrowed. Whether the money borrowed was
for living expenses, school, missions training,
auto expenses, or to buy a plane ticket to travel
to a mission’s destination, all debts (vows)
must be paid in full.
“The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
but the righteous is gracious and gives” (Psalm
37:21) The validity of vows made must be determined
by individual relationships with God.
If those who are called to the mission field say
they trust God, they must be willing to defend that
declaration by honoring their vows—regardless!
Knowing that a commitment is a vow, those called
to be missionaries should make it a practice not
to commit to anything without praying about it first,
make every effort to become debt free before launching
into the new ministry, and commit not to borrow.
Conclusion
God calls hundreds of men and women into
the mission field yearly. Many cannot accept the
challenge because they are too encumbered with personal
debt and they feel an obligation before God to honor
the debt, but many more dishonor God and their own
personal witness and go anyway, leaving the debt
behind and in the hands of the creditors.
Before accepting God’s missions call, all
debts must be paid, regardless of circumstances
or how long it takes. “The wicked borrows
and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious
and gives” (Psalm 37:21).
God’s timetable for ministry should not be
short-circuited by borrowing and becoming indebted.
If God has called, He will supply all the funds
that will be necessary to accomplish His work, and
He will continue to supply those needs as long as
His will and purpose are being honored and for as
long as He intends for that particular missions
ministry effort to continue.
© Copyright
2004, Crown
Financial Ministries. All rights reserved.
Please fill out the Christian debt information request form on the right to request more information about our Christian debt programs. |
|
|
