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Good debt and bad debt

Posted by John Richeson on June 16, 2011 at 3:57am

So the authentic advice is, live within your means, except when it's smart to borrow. "Live within your means' is a good suggestion but it has no economic foundation," says Lusardi. "Maybe this advice is what it takes for people to do the right thing. But let's not be judgmental about what people do."

Laura Lusardi is author of the book "Money & Happiness" and blog of the same name.

 

Wise advice. Regardless of what we were taught (OWE NO MAN ANYTHING!!!, THE BORROWER IS SLAVE TO THE LENDER!!, ETC., ETC.), I have believed for years that there is no adequate "one size fits all" policy concerning debt. Now that I am debt free I can speak from experience on both sides of the issue. I had plenty of debt when I was in a growning stage but it was manageable. For example when I owned multiple rental houses,it was a wise use of leverage to have those mortgages which turned out to be profitable later on. Rent paid the debt even if the houses never escalated in value (which they did). Renters paid off those houses for me, thank you very much. If I was forced to pay cash I would have never been able to expand.

 

The same could be true of a college student who might borrow so she can get an education that will benefit her down the road. And there are lifes emergencies that come up unexpectedley in which borrowing may be the best course of action at that time.

 

Generally I believe most consumer debt is not good or necessary. And yes, I believe most people need to live within their income level period. But to make a doctrine out of it and condemn or punish anyone who borrows is shallow thinking. I believe the better course of action is to teach financial responsibility and trust people to make their own decisions and stay out of their business.

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James

Posted by Michael Prahm on June 1, 2011 at 1:43am
AUTHORSHIP OF THE BOOK OF JAMES

The epistle of James has been the subject of controversy both as to regards the identity of the writer, and as to the time of the writing. There is little doubt, however, that the writer was James, the “Lord’s half-brother”. ( Gal. 1:19) he who was one of the “pillars” (Gal. 2:9), he who gave the “judgment” of the apostles and elders of the church at Jerusalem (Acts 15:13,19). Page 1847, The Companion Bible.
There is one problem with this thinking. What James wrote in Acts 15, what James subscribed to in Acts 15 is completely different than what is written in the book of James.
Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things offered strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.”
Acts 21:25 As touching the gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Further, in each of the address, it is explicitly to gentiles,, and the epistle of James; James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the 12 twelve tribes which are scattered abroad. There is no way they can be made the same. The fact there is no surviving epistle of James to the gentiles speaks loudly.
In the book THE WORLD BEFORE THE FLOOD, AND THE HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS it says” in later times the Jews have been wont to speak of what they called the seven Noahic commandments, which according to them, were binding upon all Gentile proselytes. These were a prohibition
1. Of idolatry
2. Of blasphemy
3. Of murder
4. Of incest
5. Of robbery and theft
6. Of eating blood and strangled animals, and
7. An injunction of obedience to magistrates ( comp. also of Cats 15:20)
This is singulary significant, because James and the elders do not then welcome in with open arms the gentiles any different than their fathers had since the days of the inception of the law. It s not the new way that James is addressing in Acts 15, but simply redressing an old tradition.
Acts 21:20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord and said unto him thou seest how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous of the law. 25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication
James the Half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ, was without during our Lord’s ministry John 7:3 His brethren therefore said unto Him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things shew thyself to the world. 5. ( For neither did His Brethren believe in Him) Also see Matthew 12:47, and when viewed with Mark 3:21 and when his friend heard of it, they went out to lay hold of him: for they said, He is beside himself. James actions may have helped to have Paul arrested in Jerusalem, and remember Paul was warned a number of times and in a variety of ways not to go to Jerusalem.
To conclude this first point. There is nothing remotely similar to what James said he wrote, and what is written in the Book of James. There is absolutely no evidence, that the half-brother of the Lord, James is the writer of the Epistle of James. James in Acts is found writing to and speaking of gentiles, while the Epistle of James is written to the twelve tribes.

THE SONS OF THUNDER
Mark 3:16 And Simon he surnamed Peter: 17 And James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, the Sons of thunder:
The word Boanerges, is Aramaic, and means thunder, and thunder means thunder.
The word thunder is used 11 times in the new testament, and aside from this, every reference is to God.. bullinger in the Companion Bible says of “SONS OF” that it is a pure Hebraism, used with reference to origion, destination, or characteristic. Here thunder. The name is Aramaic (ap.94.III.3) allied to Hebrew In Hebrew thunder is KOL=voice of God (Exodus 9:23, Psalm 29:3, Heremiah 10:13)
In the old testament Thunder is strongs number 7481, RA’AM used 13 times
I Samuel 1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret(thunder), because the LORD had shut up her womb.
I Samuel 2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them.
! Samuel 7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines and discomfited them; and they were smitten before the LORD.
II Samuel 22:14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the MOST HIGH uttered his voice.
I Chronicles 16:32 Let the sea roar(thunder) and the fullness therof.
Job 37:4 After it a voice roareth: He thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his Voice is not heard.
Job 37:5 God thundereth marvellously with His voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend.
Job 40:9 Hast thou an arm like GOD? Or canst thou thunder with a voice like Him?
Psalm 18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the HIGHEST gave His voice; Hails stones and coals of fire.
Psalm 29:3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: The GOD of glory thundereth: The LORD is upon many waters.
Psalm 96:11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad: Let the sea roar(thunder), and be glad.
Psalm 98:7 Let the sea roar(thunder) and the fullness thereof; The world and they that dwell therin.
Ezekiel 27:35 All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled(thunder) in their countenance.
In the new testament the word thunder is the Greek word Bronte Strong’s number 1025. Used 12 times in scripture. Of the 12 uses, this refernce to the nickname the Lord gave to the sons of Zebedee is the only one of the 12 that does not refer to God.
Here Mark 3:17, John 12:29 Revelations $:5,6:1, 8:5, 10:3,4, 11:19, 14:2 16:18, 19:6
In the Old, and in the new it is seen that thunder is used in reference to God’s great and mighty voice. The Lord nicknaming these two the sons of thunder points to the perspective that here again would be men would again declare God’s word as the prophets of old. There had not at that point been a writer of scripture for over 400 years. James the son of Zebedee is the best candidate as the writer of the book of James, sometimes after Acts 8:1, but before Acts 12 when his killed by the sword. It may have been that a copy of the Book of James, was why the Jews were so pleased, to have Herod Kill him.
Now the point is this:
The nature of the epistles sent by James and the brethren in Acts 16 is different than that of the Book of James. The book of James assumes an Hebrew audience, knowledgable of the law, and the prophets( chap 5). James is fundamentally foundational. The footings of the first century church. Clearly seen is the very heart of the message of our Lord Jesus spoke while on earth. Compare sermon on the mount with passages in the book of James. The writer or scribe of God’s great recorded message is one who had been an eye-witness of our Lord. The book of James ties the Hebrew of the new testament, in light of the reality of the resurrected Lord, to lf the Old Testament Law.
In James we see Abraham Justified by believing thru works in light of his walk, the royal law.
In Romans we wee Abraham justified by believing without works in light of his relationship to God.
OR
James is the walk of what the believer can do. Romans is what God did for the believer
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