Sabbath Afternoon - January 28, 2023

Reading for the Week

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


Prayer Thought

In the parable, when the debtor pleaded for delay, with the promise, "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all," the sentence was revoked. The whole debt was canceled. And he was soon given an opportunity to follow the example of the master who had forgiven him. Going out, he met a fellow servant who owed him a small sum. He had been forgiven ten thousand talents; the debtor owed him a hundred pence. But he who had been so mercifully treated, dealt with his fellow laborer in an altogether different manner. His debtor made an appeal similar to that which he himself had made to the king, but without a similar result. He who had so recently been forgiven was not tenderhearted and pitiful. The mercy shown him he did not exercise in dealing with his fellowservant. He heeded not the request to be patient. The small sum owed to him was all that the ungrateful servant would keep in mind. He demanded all that he thought his due, and carried into effect a sentence similar to that which had been so graciously revoked for him.  {COL 245.2} 


Memory Text

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.  {Prov. 22:7}


This week's SS Lesson will discuss the truth about debt, its relevant principles that should be considered to conscientiously think to shun and/or avoid being trap in this scheme. This includes the negative implications of being under obligation to pay more that sucks the extra that would be a benefit in the future, but it’s become a burden.


Study Outline

Debt:

Sunday - January 29, 2023

The Source of Debt (The Debt Problem)

Deut. 28:1, 2, 12; 1 Tim 6:6-9

Monday - January 30, 2023

Is Debt a sin? (Following Godly Counsel)

Matt. 6:24; 1 John 2:15; Eccl. 4:8; Ps. 50:14, 15

Tuesday - January 31, 2023

How to get out of Debt

Proverbs 22:7; Heb. 13:5

 

Other Financial Issues:

Wednesday – February 1, 2023

Surety and get-rich-quick schemes

Prov. 6:1-5; 17:18; 22:26; 28:20; 1 Tim. 6:9, 10

 

Thursday – February 2, 2023

Loans (Term Limits and Borrowing Points)

Deut. 15:1-5; Exo. 21:2; Lev. 25:3, 4; Eccl. 12:14

 

Friday – February 3, 2023

Further Study and Meditation

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Debt:

Sunday - January 29, 2023

The Debt Problems 

Deut. 28:1, 2, 12; Mal. 3:10, 11; Matt. 6:33; 1 Tim 6:6-9

Spiritual Truth about debtor and Lenders

How many are today manifesting the same spirit. When the debtor pleaded with his lord for mercy, he had no true sense of the greatness of his debt. He did not realize his helplessness. He hoped to deliver himself. "Have patience with me," he said, "and I will pay thee all." So there are many who hope by their own works to merit God's favor. They do not realize their helplessness. They do not accept the grace of God as a free gift, but are trying to build themselves up in self-righteousness. Their own hearts are not broken and humbled on account of sin, and they are exacting and unforgiving toward others. Their own sins against God, compared with their brother's sins against them, are as ten thousand talents to one hundred pence--nearly one million to one; yet they dare to be unforgiving.  {COL 245.3}


God’s Gracious Design

From the light given me by the Lord, I know that He will be displeased if the Review and Herald is in any way exacting in dealing with those who are trying to release our schools from debt. As those in the Review and Herald see their brethren struggling to free the schools from debt, they are to cooperate with them. . . .  {6MR 406.4} 

Those who have charge of this work have carried a heavy burden. Nothing could have been done without earnest effort and determined vigilance. And nothing else could have done that which "Christ's Object Lessons" have done to bring relief to the schools.  {SpM 181.1} 

Let men show their appreciation of God's gracious design, and be laborers together with him in making the most of his blessing. Nothing could displease the Lord more than for the Review and Herald to show narrow-mindedness and make exacting demands upon the school, putting out a hand of power to do work similar to the work which has been done in the past, to the shame of some in the service of God.  {SpM 181.2} 


Consider the Following

In times of Nehemiah, some people had gone into debt to feed their large family (Nehemiah 5:2), to compensate for a bad harvest (Nehemiah 5:3), or to pay their taxes (Nehemiah 5:4).

—  What moves people to go into debt nowadays?

(1) Ignorance. They are unaware of the Biblical and secular principles on finances.

(2) Selfishness. They want to have more things or to satisfy selfish cravings.

(3) Necessity. They may not have enough income to cover their basic needs, or an unexpected circumstance may have affected them.


Monday - January 30, 2023

Following Godly Counsel 

Matt. 6:24; 1 John 2;15; Eccl. 4:8; Ps. 50:14, 15; Ps. 50:14, 15 

“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5) 


As did Nathan with David, Christ concealed His home thrust under the veil of a parable. He threw upon His host the burden of pronouncing sentence upon himself. Simon had led into sin the woman he now despised. She had been deeply wronged by him. By the two debtors of the parable, Simon and the woman were represented. Jesus did not design to teach that different degrees of obligation should be felt by the two persons, for each owed a debt of gratitude that never could be repaid. But Simon felt himself more righteous than Mary, and Jesus desired him to see how great his guilt really was. He would show him that his sin was greater than hers, as much greater as a debt of five hundred pence exceeds a debt of fifty pence.  {DA 566.5}


According to God’s Great Moral Law

God, the great governor of the universe, has put everything under  law. The tiny flower and the towering oak, the grain of sand and the mighty ocean, sunshine and shower, wind and rain, all obey nature's laws. But man has been placed under a higher law. He has been given an intellect to see, and a conscience to feel, the powerful claims of God's great moral law, the expression of what He desires His children to be.  {OHC 137.2}


Consider the Following

Debt is not a sin. However, sometimes debt may be a consequence of sin:

(1) Greed and usury (Colossians 3:5; Ezekiel 18:10-13)

(2) Covetousness (1 Timothy 6:9; 1 John 2:15)

(3) Scam and fraud (Psalm 101:7; Malachi 3:5)

(4) The love of money (1 Timothy 6:10)

(5) Unfaithfulness in the tithe and offerings (Malachi 3:7-10)

—  If one of those sins have gotten us into debt, we must seek God’s forgiveness first and His help to abandon our sin.

—  God wants us debt-free, so He’s given us useful advice in His Word. An important piece of advice is to put our faithfulness to God first and give back our tithe and offerings.


Tuesday - January 31, 2023

How to Get Out of Debt

Prov. 22:7; Heb. 13:5

If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?  (Proverbs 22:27) 


Our Debt to God Had been Paid

How fitting an illustration of the love of Christ for the repentant sinner! The servant who had defrauded his master had nothing with which to make restitution. The sinner who has robbed God of years of service has no means of canceling the debt. Jesus interposes between the sinner and God, saying, I will pay the debt. Let the sinner be spared; I will suffer in his stead.  {AA 458.2} 

Blessedness of God’s Payment to Debts

The angels prostrated themselves at the feet of their Commander and offered to become a sacrifice for lost humans. But an angel’s life could not pay the debt; only He who created them had power to redeem them. Yet the angels were to have a part to act in the plan of redemption. Christ was to be made “a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.” As He should take human nature upon Him, His strength would not be equal to theirs, and they were to minister to Him, to strengthen and soothe Him under His sufferings. They were also to be ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who should be heirs of salvation. They would guard the subjects of grace from the power of evil angels and from the darkness constantly thrown around them by Satan. . . . {CTr 31.5}

Christ assured the angels that by His death He would ransom many, and would destroy him who had the power of death.—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 64, 65. {CTr 31.6}


Consider the Following

—  Try to pay your debt as soon as possible, before you’re so in debt that you cannot pay it anymore.

Your commitment to God will help, keep being faithful to God in your tithe. Then, follow the next steps:

First step: Do not go into more debt in no way whatsoever.

Second step: When God blesses you with extra money, don’t spend it. Use it to pay your debt.

Third step: Arrange your debts from largest to smallest.

Focus on the smallest debt and reduce it with extra payments.

Once the smallest debt is fully paid, use the money you were spending on paying for it, and reduce the next one with extra payments.

This way, you will eventually have more money available to pay for the greatest debt.


Other Financial Issues

Wednesday - February 1, 2023

Surety and Get-Rich-Quick Schemes

Prov. 6:1-5; 17:18; 22:26; 28:20; 1 Tim. 6:9, 10 

Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.  (Proverbs 22:26) 

Principles of Wise Management

I saw that God was displeased with His people for becoming surety for unbelievers. I was directed to these texts: Proverbs 22:26: "Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts." Proverbs 11:15: "He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure." Unfaithful stewards! They pledge that which belongs to another,—their heavenly Father,—and Satan stands ready to aid his children to wrench it out of their hands. Sabbathkeepers should not be in partnership with unbelievers. God's people trust too much to the words of strangers, and ask their advice and counsel when they should not. The enemy makes them his agents, and works through them to perplex and take from God's people. {CCh 85.3}

 

Some have no tact at wise management of worldly matters. They lack the necessary qualifications, and Satan takes advantage of them. When this is the case, such should not remain in ignorance of their task. They should be humble enough to counsel with their brethren, in whose judgment they can have confidence, before they carry out plans. I was directed to this text: "Bear ye one another's burdens." Some are not humble enough to let those who have judgment calculate for them until they have followed their own plans, and have involved themselves in difficulties. Then they see the necessity of having the counsel and judgment of their brethren; but how much heavier the burden then than at first. Brethren should not go to law if it can be possibly avoided; for they thus give the enemy great advantage to entangle and perplex them. It would be better to make a settlement at some loss. {1T 200.2} 


Consider the Following

—  God doesn’t want His children to be responsible for other people’s debts and obligations (Proverbs 6:1-5), not even for the poor’s debt.

—  We may help people in need to pay for their debt if we have that opportunity (Proverbs 3:28), but we should never become responsible or put up security for their debt.

—  On the other hand, trying to get rich quick is a source of financial trouble (Proverbs 28:20; 1 Timothy 6:9). All the methods that promise quick unbelievable earnings are surely a scam (like pyramid schemes or fraud) or imply excessive risk that may lead you to financial collapse. Let’s be prudent.


Thursday - February 2, 2023

Term Limits and Borrowing Points 

Deut. 15:1-5; Exo. 21:2; Lev. 25:3; Eccl. 12:14

“At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release” (Deuteronomy 15:1) 

Special Responsibility – Benefit of the Work

When the Lord favors any of His servants with worldly advantages, it is that they may use those advantages for the benefit of the work. And it is the privilege of accredited workers appointed to this responsibility to accept gifts or loans to help in doing the work that needs to be done. Forbiddings are not to be exercised by the conference, or by others who feel that they have authority to do so, that will deny the workers the privilege of accepting such loans and gifts of men and women [who] are willing to make them. They should be allowed to go to the people to solicit help. Properly conducted, this is a line of work that the Lord commends.  {20MR 99.3} 

This matter has been presented to me again and again. I now bear my testimony in the name of the Lord to those whom it concerns: Wherever you are, withhold your forbiddings. The work of God is not to be thus trammeled.  {20MR 99.4} 


Consider the Following

—  In the Mosaic Law, God acknowledged that loans were necessary. However, He limited the debts to seven years the longest (Deuteronomy 15:1-5).

—  Requesting a loan is not a sin. However, a loan must be the last and unavoidable solution. For example, buying a home or other things that are actually necessary but cost more than we can have in cash in the short term.

—  In those cases, we must always seek the best possible solution (getting the best interest rate, requesting the least amount possible…).


Friday - February 3, 2023

Further Study and Meditation

Counsel to One in Debt.--Be determined never to incur another debt. Deny yourself a thousand things rather than run in debt. This has been the curse of your life, getting into debt. Avoid it as you would the smallpox.  {AH 393.4}  

Do not falter, be discouraged, or turn back. Deny your taste, deny the indulgence of appetite, save your pence, and pay your debts. Work them off as fast as possible. When you can stand forth a free man again, owing no man anything, you will have achieved a great victory.  {AH 393.5}  

Question to Ponder


From the pen of Inspiration

“Make a solemn covenant with God that by His blessing you will pay your debts and then owe no man anything if you live on porridge and bread. It is so easy in preparing your table to throw out of your pocket twenty-five cents for extras. Take care of the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves. It is the mites here and the mites there that are spent for this, that, and the other, that soon run up into dollars. Deny self at least while you are walled in with debts.” E. G. W. (Counsels on Stewardship, cp. 50, p. 257)


SSL-Q1-L5-Dealing-with-Debt-Jan.-28-Feb.-3-2023 (fliphtml5.com) 

SSL-Q1-L5-Dealing-with-Debt-Jan.-28-Feb.-3-2023.pdf