What New Testament teachings align with Deuteronomy 23:20's principles on lending? Setting the Foundation: Deuteronomy 23:20 “You may charge a foreigner interest, but you must not charge your brother interest, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land you are entering to possess.” • God protects the covenant family from exploitation. • Material blessing is tied to treating fellow believers with selfless generosity. Jesus Lifts the Standard • Luke 6:34-35: “And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies; do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” – No interest, no expectation of payback—generosity is now extended even to enemies. • Matthew 5:42: “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” – Open-handedness replaces calculation. • Matthew 7:12 (“golden rule”) reinforces doing for others what we would want done to us. Jesus moves the “no interest to brothers” rule into an all-inclusive call to sacrificial love. Paul Summarizes the Debt Principle • Romans 13:8: “Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” – The only “interest” believers should accumulate is ongoing love. • 1 Timothy 6:17-18: “Instruct those who are rich … to be generous and ready to share.” – Wealth becomes a tool for blessing, never for leveraging power over others. • 2 Corinthians 9:6-8: cheerful, abundant giving evokes God’s continued provision. The Early Church Shows How • Acts 4:32, 34-35: “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own … There were no needy persons among them … the proceeds … were distributed to anyone as he had need.” – Family-style lending turns into outright sharing; need, not profit, drives action. James and John Keep Generosity Practical • James 2:15-17: faith that withholds material help is dead. • 1 John 3:17: “If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?” – Refusing aid contradicts genuine fellowship. Key Takeaways for Believers Today • Treat every fellow believer as “brother,” refusing to profit from their hardship. • Go further—lend, give, and even forgive debts to friends and foes alike. • Measure success not by returns on investment but by the good done for others and the reward promised by the Lord. • Generosity is tangible evidence that the God who gave everything for us rules our finances. |
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