Deut. 28:1, 2, 12; Matt. 6:24; 1 John 2:15; Prov. 22:7; Prov. 6:1-5; Deut. 15:1-5.

 “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7, NKJV).

 One definition of debt is “living today on what you expect to earn in the future.” Today debt seems to be a way of life, but it should not be the norm for Christians. The Bible discourages debt. In the Scriptures there are at least 26 references to debt, and all are negative. It does not say that it is a sin to borrow money, but it does talk about the often-bad consequences of doing so. When considering financial obligations, Paul counseled: “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except to love one another” (Rom. 13:7, 8, NKJV).

 Why is debt an almost international scourge at every level — personal, corporate, and government? Every society has always had at least a small percentage who were in debt. But today a much larger portion of the people are in debt, and it’s almost never to their benefit.

 This week we will consider the reasons for debt and how to deal with it. You may be debt-free, but you can share this valuable information with family and friends who could benefit from it.

 Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 4.