This video segment is one of five presentations in the “Creating a Gospel-Centered Marriage: Finances” seminar. The full GCM series of seminars and pre-marital mentoring ministry they facilitate can be found at www.bradhambrick.com/gcm.

NOTE: Many people have asked how they can get a copy of the seminar notebook referenced in this verbal presentation. You can request a copy from Summit’s admin over counseling at counseling@summitrdu.com (please note this is an administrative account; no individual or family counsel is provided through e-mail).

Approach to Debt and Savings Evaluation

Monthly Meal Calendar Template: Blank Monthly Meal Calendar

Memorize: Romans 13:7-8 (ESV), “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves has fulfilled the law.” As you memorize this passage reflect upon these key points:

  • “Pay… what is owed” – This is a trait that is to define Christians, even beyond their finances, and make us distinct.
  • “Taxes… revenue” – First this principle is applied to our financial lives; both civil and commercial responsibilities.
  • “Respect… honor” – Then it is applied to our relational lives; both authoritative and personal relationships.
  • “Owe no one anything” – Now the principle is removed from the future tense and made ever-present.
  • “Except to love” – The only debt we are to live in is to treat others like Christ treats us (Eph. 4:32).

Teaching Notes

“One of the dangers of having a lot of money is that you may be quite satisfied with the kinds of happiness money can give and so fail to realize your need for God. If everything seems to come simply by signing checks, you may forget that you are at every moment totally dependent on God (p. 180).” C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

“Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body.” George Carlin (comedian).

“The man who never has money enough to pay his debts has too much of something else.” James Lendall Basford

“Yet in the American dream, where self reigns as king (or queen), we have a dangerous tendency to misunderstand, minimize, and even manipulate the gospel in order to accommodate our assumptions and our desires (p. 28).” David Platt in Radical

“We can be content with simplicity because the deepest, most satisfying delights God gives us through creation are free gifts from nature and from loving relationships with people. After your basic needs are met, accumulated money begins to diminish your capacity for these pleasures rather than increase them. Buying things contributes absolutely nothing to the heart’s capacity for joy (p. 162).” John Piper in Desiring God

“Laborsaving machines have turned out to be body-killing devices. Our affluence has allowed both mobility and isolation of the nuclear family, and as a result our divorce courts, our prisons and our mental institutions are flooded. In saving ourselves we have nearly lost ourselves (p. 815).” Ralph Winters in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement

“There are three levels of how to live with things: (1) you can steal to get; (2) you can work to get; (3) you can work to get in order to give (p. 172).” John Piper Desiring God