Roundtable Discussion

Debt vs. Equity – or is there a better way?

What does the bible have to say about Debt?
  • the borrower is a slave to the lender – Proverbs 22:7
  • you are to be the lender, not the borrower
  • freely lend to your brother who ask to borrow from you
  • lend to your enemy – Luke 6:34
  • don’t expect to be repaid by those you have lent to – Luke 6:35
  • Paul said “Owe no one anything” – Romans 13:8
What does the bible have to say about Equity? (partnerships)
  • Do not yoke yourselves with unbelievers – 2 Cor 6:14
  • What does Christ have to do with Belile? – 2 Cor 6:15
  • do not profit from the poor – Ezekiel 18:13
  • every seventh year rest the land, vinyard, olive grove and let the poor take whatever comes from it that year, then also the animals – Exodus 23:11
  • “Be careful with you for partnerships with” – prophetic word I received in 2005

We biblically examine :

Interest

  • prohibition on charging interest to the needy – Exodus 22:25
  • prohibition on charging interest to fellow Israelites – Deuteronomy 23:19
  • prohibition in the early church from charging ANY interest at all
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usury
  • Did Christ teach on interest? Yes – he mentioned interest in the parable of the talents Matt 25:27 “interest with the bankers”, yet says in beatitudes says do not expect anything in return from even your enemy Luke 6:34-35. So what did he mean?
  • biblical usury – is the prohibition on high interest or any interest?
  • modern day interest in our present day Fed banking system

Recourse

  • do not require a pledge of essentials – Exodus 22:25-27
  • return the pledge – Ezekiel 18:7
  • do not oppress anyone- Ezekiel 18:7
  • “And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate” Exodus 22:27

Debt forgiveness

  • The “Shmita” debt forgiveness cycle – forgive every seventh year – Deut 15:1
  • even if the loan was made in the sixth year, don’t be like that! – Deut 15:9
  • The “Jubilee” returning of lands and freeing of slaves – Lev 25:8-12

“I choose other”
The New Breed of Investment and Capital Structure

Other critical issues:

The responsibility of the borrower
  • Repay what you borrow
The responsibility of the lender
  • Freely lend – Leviticus 25:35-36
  • Don’t oppress the borrower
  • Forgive debts every 7 years
  • Return mortgaged lands to family every 7×7 years
The principal behind asymmetrical giving and receiving
  • God is the mediator, not man
  • God is the judge, not man
  • We don’t give to get, lend to get, help to get
  • We let God recompense us, if the person we lend to cannot repay
  • Not a quid-pro-quo
Business transactions between two parties, neither of which is disadvantaged
  • Grace for each side to give up something to the other
  • Don’t have to “take what’s yours”
  • Don’t view as fixed pie
  • Anyone willing to let the other have the bigger portion will be rewarded by the Lord
  • Business is an opportunity to give/help others before it is an opportunity to profit