Why Filing Bankruptcy Can Be the Christian Thing to Do
Forgiveness can mean a lot of things. As a bankruptcy attorney I often see it as forgiveness of debts as well as in the Christian sense of forgiveness.
Many Christians initially feel guilty about their decision to seek the protection of bankruptcy—the reason for this is that they feel their creditors deserve to be paid. However, the two concepts of forgiveness are very similar. In fact, under Biblical law, debts were released after seven years.
"At the end of every seven years, you shall grant a release of debts. And this is the form of the release: every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD's release." (Deuteronomy 15:1-2)
Modern Chapter 7 bankruptcy laws allow people to file for a discharge of their debts once every eight years. This gives debtors a fresh start, while still placing limits to ensure they don't immediately fall back into financial trouble.
The roots of this concept of forgiveness and fresh start can be found in the New Testament, as well. In fact, in two parables, Jesus used forgiveness of a financial debt as an example of God's forgiveness of mankind (see Matthew 18:21-35 and Luke 7:36-50). "And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both."
Of course, there is a balance (like with most Biblical laws). If you can repay your debts, then you must do so. A main principle of American bankruptcy laws is that you must have "clean hands" in order to get protection." Due to this, you can't discharge debts involving drunk driving, fraud, or other criminal offenses. Furthermore, you can't discharge most student loans and taxes.
And let's not overlook the biggest and most obvious example of forgiveness. We know that Jesus gave his life for our sins because the debt was too big for mankind to bear. The Bible may have provided relief to you if you've mismanaged your finances, or experienced hardships.
Everyone needs help from time to time. Acknowledging you are in debt is the first step. The next is to find a bankruptcy attorney who is willing to respect your beliefs and address your reservations as a Christian.
About the Author
James Brown is a personal bankruptcy attorney in St. Louis, Missouri. He has filed over 30,000 bankruptcy cases and published many books and articles. You can request his free Missouri and Illinois bankruptcy guide at http://www.castlelaw.net for the best tips on how to prepare for your bankruptcy and find a great bankruptcy attorney.
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