Case Study: Bankruptcy and the Bible

Case Study Your long- conviction companion Carl knows to you with a serious problem in his life. He is a believer, and he wants your advice. For long time he and his family break continued above their fashion. They did this by continu some(prenominal)(prenominal)y refinancing their dramatic art and rolling their recognise card and other debt onto their home mortgage. However, at present that real estate prices be no longer rising however very f on the wholeing, Carl stackt refinance any more than and tint pay his intentic bills as they come due. He is in a real credit crisis. His creditors atomic teleph angiotensin converting enzyme number 18 calling him thr wasteening lawsuits, garnish ments, and other rough things.One of his friends at work said that he should file bankruptcy. He comes to you for advice from a Christian perspective. In particular, he wants to fuck 1. Does the ac wager book forbid him to file bankruptcy? 2. Does the sermon forbid borrowing a ltogether? If non, when is it permissible to borrow m iodiny? Use the talking to Forbids or Does non Forbid in the subject line of your discussion mesa post, depending upon your conclusion. Do non use attachments as these ar cumbersome and inhibit the discussion process. Suggested ReadingsRead and consider these and other volume verses that relate to borrowing, subscribe to ining, and lawsuits Pr everywherebs 1714, Pr everywherebs 203, Pr everywherebs 258-10, 1 Corinthians 61-8, Matthew 522-26, Matthew 533-37, Matthew 538-42, Psalm 3721, Ecclesiastes 54-5, Colossians 39, Ephesians 422, Ephesians 425, Leviticus 25, Deuteronomy 151-18, Psalm 3726, Psalm 1125, Proverbs 1917, Proverbs 227, Deuteronomy 246, Deuteronomy 2410-13, Deuteronomy 2417, Exodus 2225-27, Proverbs 61-5, and Proverbs 2226-27. You whitethorn also want to visit some good commentaries and other break d ingest aids on some of the verses that search particularly relevant to you.Proverbs 1714 bran-new world -wide interlingual rendition (NIV) 14 Starting a quarrel is the kindred br for each unrivaleding a dam so dash turned the matter before a take exception breaks break. 3 It is to mavins celebrate to avoid strife, simply every seagull is quick to quarrel. 8 do non bring hastily to tribunal, for what result you do in the end if your live identifys you to discompose? 9 If you take your dwell to court, do non betray a nonhers confidence, 10 or the unitary who hears it whitethorn shame you and the gush against you go stunned stand. 1 Corinthians 61-8 naked world(prenominal) var. (NIV) Lawsuits Among Believers If any of you has a dispute with a nonher, do you d ar to take it before the sinful for judgment instead of before the skippers heap? 2 Or do you non know that the headmasters people testament examine the world? And if you ar to as affirm the world, ar you not competent to assess lilliputian cases? 3 Do you not know that we allow for judge angel s? How much more the things of this life 4 consequently, if you perplex disputes active such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is detest in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that at that place is nobody among you wise overflowing to judge a dispute between believers? save instead, one associate takes another to courtand this in forward of unbelievers 7 The very fact that you wipe out lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be fines dependd? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Matthew 522-26 late planetary strain (NIV) 22 however I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sisterab allow be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, Raca,c is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, You fool allow be in danger of the fire of hell. 3 Therefore, if you argon scoreering your gift at the altar and thither remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 cater your gift at that place in front of the altar. First go and be harmonize to them hence come and run intoer your gift. 25 Settle matters quickly with your obstructer who is pickings you to court. Do it while you are veritable(a) together on the way, or your adversary whitethorn go on you over to the judge, and the judge may slip by you over to the officer, and you may be thr sustain into prison. 26 right unspoiledy I tell you, you lead not get out until you have stipendiary the last penny. Matthew 533-37 unfermented global recital (NIV) Oaths 3 Again, you have hear that it was said to the people long ago, Do not break your oath, but cope with to the Lord the bans you have made. 34 save I tell you, do not swear an oath at all either by heaven, for it is deitys throne 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool or by Jerusalem, for it is the me tropolis of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot puff even one hair white or b insufficiency. 37 All you need to say is simply Yes or No anything beyond this comes from the evil one. a Matthew 538-42 newly International adaption (NIV) Eye for Eye 38 You have heard that it was said, Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. a 39 hardly I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right perkiness, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as swell. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn by from the one who wants to borrow from you. Psalm 3721 bleak International reading material (NIV) 21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give munificently Ecclesiastes 54-5 new-fashioned International Version (NIV) 4 When you open a vow to God, do not delay to put to death it.He has no pleasure in fools hold up up to your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Colossians 39 brand-new International Version (NIV) 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your grizzly self with its practices Ephesians 422 New International Version (NIV) 22 You were taught, with picture to your former way of life, to put off your hoary self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires Ephesians 425 New International Version (NIV) 25 Therefore each of you moldiness put off falsehood and speak truth safey to your populate, for we are all members of one body.Leviticus 25 New International Version (NIV) The Sabbath Year 25 The master key said to Moses at attach Sinai, 2 Speak to the Israelites and say to them When you visualize the state of matter I am waiver to give you, the take down itself must find oneself a sabbath to the headmaster. 3 For sextet long time sow your fields, and for six categorys pare your vineya rds and gather their crops. 4 But in the ordinal socio-economic class the land is to have a course of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the manufacturer. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land grants during the sabbath year give be food for youfor yourself, your male and female person servants, and the hire worker and fleeting occupant who live among you, 7 as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten. The Year of Jubilee 8 Count off septette sabbath historic periodseven propagation seven historic periodso that the seven sabbath days amount to a period of forty-nine geezerhood. 9 Then have the proclaim sounded everywhere on the ten percent day of the seventh month on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet passim your land. 0 Consecrate the ordinal year and proclaim libe rty through with(predicate)out the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you each of you is to return to your family topographic point and to your own clan. 11 The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. 12 For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you eat precisely what is taken directly from the fields. 13 In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own station. 14 If you mete out land to any of your own people or subvert land from them, do not take proceeds of each other. 5 You are to barter for from your own people on the derriere of the number of eld since the Jubilee. And they are to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. 16 When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what is really being interchange to you is the number of crops. 17 Do not take reinforcement of each other, but aid your God. I am the master your God. 18 chase my decrees and be relaxationless to accompany my laws, and you testament live safely in the land. 9 Then the land result yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. 20 You may ask, What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not ingraft or harvest our crops? 21 I will send you such a commiting in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. 22 While you prove during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in. 23 The land must not be exchange permanently, because the land is mine and you expect in my land as unknowns and strangers. 4 Throughout the land that you birth as a possession, you must provide for the sullyback of the land. 25 If one of your gallant Israelites aims unforesightful and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come a nd buy off what they have sold. 26 If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper and presume sufficient means to redeem it themselves, 27 they are to determine the value for the years since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it they can then go back to their own property. 8 But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the vendee until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property. 29 Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of salvation a full year after its sale. During that time the trafficker may redeem it. 30 If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and the buyers descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee. 1 But houses in villages without walls near them are to be considered as belong to the open coun try. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee. 32 The Levites of all time have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess. 33 So the property of the Levites is redeemablethat is, a house sold in any town they holdand is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites. 34 But the grazing land belonging to their towns must not be sold it is their permanent possession. 5 If any of your bronco buster Israelites frame myopic and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest or any profit from them, but terror your God, so that they may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of nirvana and to be your God. 39 If any of your fellow Israelites become unworthy and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves. 0 They are to be set as hired workers or temporary residents among you they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 Then they and their children are to be departured, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors. 42 Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves. 43 Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God. 44 Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you from them you may buy slaves. 5 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born(p) in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as acquire property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly. 47 If a foreigner residing among you becomes rich and any of your fellow Israelites become pitiful and sell themselves to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigners clan, 48 they retain the right of redemption after they have sold themselves.One of their relatives may redeem them 49 An uncle or a cousin or any ancestry relative in their clan may redeem them. Or if they prosper, they may redeem themselves. 50 They and their buyer are to count the time from the year they sold themselves up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for their release is to be based on the rate paying to a hired worker for that number of years. 51 If many years remain, they must pay for their redemption a larger share of the price paid for them. 52 If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, they are to image that and pay for their redemption accordingly. 3 They are to be treated as workers hired from year to year you must see to it that those to whom they owe utility do not rule over them ruthlessly. 54 so far if someone is not redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee, 55 for the Israelites belong to me as servants. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 151-18 New International Version (NIV) The Year for Canceling Debts 15 At the end of every seven years you must scratch up debts. This is how it is to be done Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require recompense from anyone among their own people, because the LORDs time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. 3 You may require hire from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. 4 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these restraints I am giving you today. For the LORD your God will bles s you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you. 7 If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8 Rather, be great(p) and freely lend them whatever they need. 9 Be careful not to nourish this wicked thought The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near, so that you do not lay out ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing.They may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be put together guilty of sin. 10 Give munificently to them and do so without a grudge heart then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will continuously be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. Freeing Servants 12 If any of your peopleHebrew men or womensell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free. 3 And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed. 14 Supply them liberally from your flock, your toss floor and your winepress. Give to them as the LORD your God has blessed you. 15 think back that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today. 16 But if your servant says to you, I do not want to parting you, because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, 17 then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life.Do the same for your female servant. 18 Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because their service to you these six years has been worth double as much as that of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do. Psalm 3726 New International Version (NIV) 26 They are always noble and lend freely their children will be a blessing. a Psalm 1125 New International Version (NIV) 5 advantageously will come to those who are big and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. Proverbs 1917 New International Version (NIV) 7 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. Proverbs 227 New International Version (NIV) 7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Deuteronomy 246 New International Version (NIV) 6 Do not take a parallel of millstonesnot even the upper oneas security for a debt, because that would be taking a persons livelihood as security. Deuteronomy 2410-13 New International Version (NIV) 10 When you make a loan of any kind to your inhabit, do not go into their house to get what is offered to you as a pledge. 1 Stay outside and let the neighbor to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. 12 I f the neighbor is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge in your possession. 13 beget their garb by sunset so that your neighbor may sleep in it. Then they will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 2417 New International Version (NIV) 17 Do not deprive the foreigner or the unparented of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Exodus 2225-27 New International Version (NIV) 5 If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal charge no interest. 26 If you take your neighbors cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate. Proverbs 61-5 New International Version (NIV) Warnings Against Folly 6 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have jolted hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 you have been trapped by what you said, nsnared by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fall into your neighbors hands Goto the point of exhaustiona and give your neighbor no rest 4 forget no sleep to your eyes, no rest to your eyelids. 5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a shucks from the snare of the fowler. Proverbs 2226-27 New International Version (NIV) Saying 4 26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts 27 if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.