A Worthy New Year Resolution: Get Rid Of One Of Your Masters.

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Before we get to today’s article, I just want to mention that am writing from the perspective of a man that has experienced many of the challenges of which I write…. and those spiritual battles continue daily. The articles are implications of what it means to obey the commandment to raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They require some reflection and are particularly for Christians who, as Peter would say, are diligently seeking to confirm their calling and are making every effort to supplement their faith. Said more succinctly, serious Christians. If you know other believers who desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, please forward an article to them and tell them to sign up for future articles. Thanks so much!

Often recognized as America’s greatest theologian, Jonathan Edwards believed in resolutions. No, not the New Year’s resolutions that we are all too familiar with such as losing weight, making more money, or having more “me” time, but resolutions concerning his relationship with the Lord (BTW, you can find them online by simply googling Jonathan Edwards’s resolutions).

I could write an article just on resolutions- are they Biblical? Can they tempt people to be fixated on them? Does it become works righteousness? But I won’t. You know that my articles are already long enough! Let’s just keep it simple by acknowledging that God does call us to work out our own salvation as He works in us, to strive for the calling to which we have been called, and to fight the good fight. I love the word “resolution” because it has the flavor of being determined, unwavering, and persevering! That’s good Biblical stuff.

So, as the New Year is upon us, I’m suggesting a resolution for you that sadly, applies to too many Christians. Everyone recognizes that having debt is not one of the positive things in your life. But few people understand the depth of the effect on the lives of people and families.

Car loans and mortgages are probably the first things that come to mind but there is also debt from educational choices, debt that you may owe if you get behind on your utility payments and more.

But the worst kind of debt is credit card debt. Credit card debt is the kind of debt that never seems to go away. It comes back month after month, demanding a minimum monthly payment that never seems to go down. Debt is your master and like a bad master, he punishes you if you don’t pay.

And that master is also is powerful enough to control your life decisions. Need to get a new car, but you were rejected by the bank for a loan due to a history of late payments on your credit record? Ready to buy your first home, but can’t buy because your ratio of debt to income doesn’t meet the lender’s standards? Want to be smart and sell your car so you can purchase a car that is more fuel efficient, but you owe more on your car than you can sell it for? Debt is a cruel master and he is living in your home. He is a dream buster and decides what you can and cannot do.

This cruel master (debt) is also a killer. The constant pressure of having to keep up with debt payments can bring enormous strain on a marriage. What has traditionally been the number one reason for fights between a husband and wife? Money related issues. In addition to being a threat to your marriage, it is also a threat to your body. Stressing over how to keep your financial head above water brings unhealthy results such as high blood pressure, headaches, and digestive problems.

And one more lashing from the cruel debt master: Parents that are struggling under the burden of debt are less able to fully obey Ephesians 6:4. Why? Because of all the reasons listed above. Parents dealing with a debt burden experience many consequences that are not conductive to having the time, patience, and energy necessary to cherishing and obeying this great commandment.

As Christians, we want to know what God has to say about debt. Many people think that having any debt is sinful, but the Bible does not teach that. If we look to the scriptures, we will find that the Lord providentially placed the Israelites into a position of weakness/debt as a promised consequence for their disobedience.

But there will be no poor among you; for the LORD will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess— if only you will strictly obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today. For the LORD your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you (Deuteronomy 15:4-6).

Later, you can read of their sad disobedience and the Lord’s follow through on His promises in Deuteronomy 28 verses 1, 2, 12, 14, and 43-45.

One other passage that illustrates the weakened position of a person in debt is Proverbs 22:7. The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Note: Appropriate use of debt particularly as part of an investment in appreciating assets (E.g., a home) can be a good thing as long as you stay within the ability to pay without financial discomfort.

So, how do people get themselves into a level of debt that dominates their lives? The answer lies once again, in the heart. Debt in itself is not sin, but people do sin in various ways that results in them being slaves to the debt master. Just a few examples with their accompanying sins:

The person who attempts to find their joy and security in having lots of material things (lack of contentment).
The person who spends inordinate amounts of money on entertaining themselves (lack of contentment).
The person who refuses to take the time to learn how to handle their finances and thereby continues to dig an ever deepening mound of debt (sinfully poor stewardship).
The person who has to have what their friends have (coveting, pride).
The person who needs to have what is “cool” in culture (worldliness, pride).
The person who is addicted to shopping (self-control).
The person who spends above their means (self-control, pride, coveting, lack of contentment).

If you have found yourself to be a slave to the debt master, there is a way out.

Confess your sin to God and ask Him to give you the strength for the journey out of debt. You may also want to share your situation with a trusted friend (or church elder) who can pray for you and hold you accountable for the next steps.
Make a list of your credit card debt with the highest balance card at the top down to the lowest balance card at the bottom.
Make it a goal that you pay off the card with the lowest balance first. It may take months but continue to pay it down.
Celebrate paying off that first card by giving thanks to God, clipping the card, and closing the account.
Move to the next card on the list and repeat steps 3 & 4.

Obviously, you will also have to change the things that you have done to create the mess. It will likely take a level of discipline that you cannot achieve on your own. Constantly go to the Lord for His wonderful grace and know that God will be with you every step of the way.