Years ago, when I was working with an automobile dealership in Ohio, I saw how many people in this world don’t pay their bills according to the terms they agreed to.  People will open revolving charge accounts, shop until the limit on the card is reached, and then stop answering the phone when the bill collectors call because they haven’t paid the bill.  Growing up, my mother would do this often.  My brother and I knew when we were commanded not to answer the phone that mom owed someone money and wasn’t going to pay them.  It was common to hear “let the answering machine get it”.  Of course, everyone has their excuse as to why they don’t pay their bills.

     When I sold someone a car we had to run a preliminary check on their credit history.  We would then be able to estimate what interest rate they’d get from a bank based on their credit score.  We also had to look at their debt to income ratio.  Some people spend a lot more than they are able to afford.  We had certain used cars that we kept for those “credit criminals” (as we called them) who were not credit worthy.  These were cars that we purchased at auctions, had little money in, but the value was good so that the banks would have less concern if they had to collect on the value of the vehicle.  Sadly, we find at times that some who claim to be Christians are merely “credit criminals” themselves.  We need to consider the sins involved in this mindset of borrowing money without repaying that debt.

     When a Christian agrees in writing or verbally to do something that should be the most dependable agreement anyone will ever see.  Debt is established when we put ourselves in a position to owe something to someone else.  That is entirely our fault and there is no valid excuse as to why we should not repay what we owe.  Even when we feel slighted, we should not give occasion to the adversary to speak evil of us (I Peter 3:16).  Notice Paul’s inspired words: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16).

     As Christians we are supposed to be dependable folks.  Our word is supposed to be valuable (Matthew 5:37 and James 5:12).  We are supposed to provide things honest in the sight of all men (Romans 12:17).  We are supposed to walk honestly (Romans 13:13).  Our thoughts are supposed to revolve around those things which are true and honest (Philippians 4:8).  If we are to have a  good conscience, it will have to come through living honestly (Hebrews 13:18).  If we are honest and people desire to speak evil of us, they will be the ones who’ll have to be dishonest in what they say or they’ll have to speak evil of our good works (I Peter 2:12).  If we make a promise, we’d better not be liars.

    “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).  We serve the God of truth (Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18).  God hates lying: “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).  God is not the father of liars, Satan is (John 8:44).  We must ask ourselves, whose child am I?

     If we are found to be liars we can know that Heaven will not be our eternal home.  This is certain and has been established already.  This should be our first consideration.  However, there are other considerations as well.  For example, when no one can believe anything you say you might as well not speak at all.  It is not good to be known as someone who cannot be trusted to tell the truth.  You are always under the eye of suspicion.  Then, it is very difficult to ever regain the trust of those who’ve witnessed your lies in times past.  The Cretians were known as people who always lied (Titus 1:12-13).  We don’t want that reputation.  Nor do we want to be considered wrong in other manners because of how we handle our debts.

     When we purchase something using a credit account we are really using someone else’s money to obtain merchandise or a service.  When we do not pay for the usage of credit wherein we obtain merchandise or a service that not only makes us liars, but thieves also.  We are directly instructed of God not to steal (Romans 13:9).  We are not supposed to find ways to steal what we want.  We are supposed to work to earn the things that we have (Ephesians 4:28).

     If any Christian has lied or stolen in regards to a debt, we must repay that which is not ours to be forgiven of the Lord.  We are taught this by direct statement (Ezekiel 33:14-15) and approved example (Luke 19:8-9).  A thief is still a practicing thief as long as he or she keeps that which belongs to another.  Banks may be insured and may be able to afford loses, but that does not excuse a Christian from paying a debt.

     In conclusion, consider what harm occurs to the cause of Christ when a Christian is found to be dishonest.  Instead of the world seeing our good works that should glorify our Heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16), they see hypocrisy.  This gives too many outside of Christ a big stick to beat the Lord’s church with.  Hypocrisy defines so many that profess faith in God, let’s not allow it to be named among the true saints.

     When our influence for good perishes because of things like our credit report, we remove opportunities to teach from our grasp.  People will not give ear to someone who does not practice what they preach.  Being a “credit criminal” posing as a Christian not only hurts the offender, his or her family, but it also hurts those who we might be able to teach. “And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal” (Romans 2:19-21)?