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Counsels on Stewardship
or wages. It declares that every attempt to advantage oneself by the
ignorance, weakness, or misfortune of another, is registered as fraud
in the books of heaven.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 309
.
One of Satan’s Nets for Souls
All must practice economy. No worker should manage his affairs
in a way to incur debt.... When one voluntarily becomes involved in
debt, he is entangling himself in one of Satan’s nets which he sets for
souls.—
Christian Education, 67
.
Weakens Faith, Tends to Discouragement
Dear Brother,
I am sorry that you are situated as you are, under the pressure of
debt. I know of quite a number, who, like yourself, are troubled and
distressed over their financial condition....
The Lord does not take pleasure in your distress. He wants to
bestow upon you the consolations of His Holy Spirit, that you may be
a free man, abiding in His light and in His love. He has lessons for you
to learn, and He would have you move quick in learning them. You
ought not to allow yourself to become financially embarrassed; for the
fact that you are in debt weakens your faith and tends to discourage
you; and even the thought of it makes you nearly wild. You need to
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cut down your expenses, and strive to supply this deficiency in your
character. You can and should make determined efforts to bring under
control your disposition to spend means beyond your income.—
Letter
48, 1888
.
A Demoralizing Practice
The practice of borrowing money to relieve some pressing ne-
cessity, and making no calculation for canceling the indebtedness,
however common, is demoralizing. The Lord would have all who
believe the truth converted from these self-deceiving practices. They
should choose rather to suffer want than to commit a dishonest act. No
soul can resort to prevarication or dishonesty in handling the Lord’s
goods, and stand guiltless before God. All who do this deny Christ
in action, while they profess to keep and teach the commandments