Owe No Man | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 19, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 12.

Owe No Man.

"Owe no man anything, but to love one another." That is, as Macknight paraphrases it, "Pay your debts, and owe no man anything, unless mutual love; because that debt can never be fully paid." This important admonition of the apostle is very much neglected by many persons. Many members of the church, and even ministers of the gospel, carelessly run in debt, and as carelessly neglect to pay the debts which they have voluntarily contracted. This is dishonest, and in direct violation of the injunction of the apostle. No man professing to be a Christian can in this way disregard his obligation without bringing reproach upon himself, and dishonor upon the religion of Christ which he professes. A man may be honest without being a Christian, but he cannot be a Christian without being honest. It is bad enough when members of the church run in debt and refuse or neglect to pay; but it is far worse, and productive of greater injury to the cause of Christ, when ministers of the gospel do so. While they preach honesty to others, they should be strictly honest themselves, and set an example for the imitation of others. We venture that Paul did not receive money from any of the brethren for which he did not render a strict and proper account, and that he did not leave unpaid bills on every circuit or mission where he labored. He did not run in debt; and he exhorts us to imitate his example, and "owe no man anything." A minister of the gospel who will not pay his honest debts, should voluntarily retire from the work of the ministry, and if he refuses to do so, he should be involuntarily retired. No man, it matters not what his talents may be, can be useful who will not pay his honest debts. If Paul deemed it necessary to admonish his brethren in this connection, it will not be deemed improper for us to do so. We do not know what Paul's observations were upon this subject, but we know that great reproach has been brought upon the cause of Christ by professed Christians, and even Christian ministers, neglecting to pay their debts. It is true, cases of this kind are not very numerous, but they should not exist at all. A man should not contract a debt which he knows he has not the ability to pay. If the apostle's injunction were obeyed, a great reproach would be removed from the church.—Methodist Recorder.