Charging interest

You're using usury and interest as if they were interchangeable.

It appears that usury and interest were synonymous at one time, but no longer are. I find nothing wrong with charging a fair interest rate on a loan.

 

Tell you what, instead of putting money into a savings account that gathers interest, let me hold it for you.

Taking advantage of someone, and the cost of money are quite different. I'm a hard money lender to local investors. They pay me money so they can make money. That's how every and any business works.

 

Can you supply the Scipture you believe states it's prohibited?

 

...not rejecting it, but rejecting your interpretation of it. I bolded the most important part. Usury described is taking advantage of someone. Jesus, in Luke 6, is speaking of someone in NEED...not someone trying to make a living.

 

Matthew 25:27 (parable of the talents):

Would Jesus have alluded to a sinful practice in one of His parables, and not addressed such practice as sinful?

I see a difference between usury and interest.

 

rbell, I was going to point that out.

But, I'll go one further:

The servants who got a return on the money were rewarded. The one who simply saved it was punished, and had even that which he had taken away.

Businesses, quite often, will donate goods, services, or money to those who are in need. A local taxi company will give anyone a ride, even if they don't have any money. He will simply say, "That's OK, pay me when you see me next." He doesn't even get stiffed very often. (But, we are in a community where everyone knows everyone, unless they're newbies or tourists.)

All throughout Scriptures, we are given pictures of those who gain because of their labor or investing or whatever.

For that matter, the tithe was based on the gain. If you don't gain, what are you supposed to give?

 

The above was made with the general practice of charging interest in mind. I should have pointed out that it's different with a brother:

Deuteronomy 23:19-20: Thou shalt not lend on interest to thy brother, interest of silver, interest of food,—interest of any thing that can be lent on interest: to a foreigner, thou mayest lend on interest, but to thy brother, shalt thou not lend on interest,—that Yahweh thy God may bless thee, in everything where-unto thou puttest thy hand, upon the land which thou art entering to possess.

With this in mind, remember that a brother is one who is being obedient to God, according to Matthew 12:50. That doesn't mean that every person who comes up and aska, "Can you spare a fellow Christian $10,000?" that you're obligated to do it.

But, a brother, one who is being obedient, is not going to stiff you, unless it's beyond his control, in which case, does it really matter?

This also doesn't mean that you need to be unkind to strangers. If a stranger needs $100 for a bus ticket and you can spare it and you feel led of the Lord, great!

But many people misuse this principle to scam others.

If you came to my house and were hungry, I'd buy you groceries. If you were able to pay it back later, fine. If not, fine.

 

Because of the Parable of the Talents.

It seems like you're still equating interest and usury. Those 2 are not the same.

 

Since you are a "common sense" guy, I hope you are self employed with no employess. Either paying someone to work for you, or causing someone to pay you for work performed would also be "usury".
Also, I hope you keep all of your money under your pillow, as putting it in a bank would support "usury". Get rid of that home, too, while you are at it if you have a mortgage...not to mention any cars that are leased or financed.
Matter of fact, giving your money to any business would be supporting "usury"...better live in a tent and grow your own food.

Charging interest is receiving payment for services rendered, the exact same thing that is done with 99% of the people here on this board who earn a living (the other 1% are pastors )

 

Which one was the "evil servant", deacon?

 

Is it common sense to avoid definitions of words that you don't like? See my first reply to this thread.

I tell you what. How about you answer the questions that have been posed to you in answer of your OP? I see no reason to repeat what everybody else has already posted.

I'm done with this thread. I tried to honestly answer the OP, but all you want to do is throw insults.

 

It has been a long time since I have looked at the subject. If I rememebr right God's people were not to charge one another interest. However they did to the world which was around 4%. Usury is highly inflated interest rates beyond reasonable.

 

What have you been smoking or drinking tonight? You do not have a clue what you are talking about. Go look up the words in a dictionary.