Previous Questions and Answers
Bankrupt deacon?
If
a man is mature in the faith, but several years ago filed bankruptcy, and has yet to make
full repayment of a few loans, is he qualified to be a deacon? 1 Timothy 3:10 says,
"And let these also first be proved, then let them use the office of a deacon, being
found blameless." Can a person who has filed bankruptcy be completely
blameless?
1
Timothy 3:8-13 says, “8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not
given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a
deacon, BEING FOUND BLAMELESS. 11 Even so must
their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife,
ruling their children and their own houses well. 13
For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree,
and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
The
Bible is clear that a deacon is to be “found blameless.” Unless the creditors of the bankruptcy are fully
paid off, I do not know how a deacon could fulfill this requirement. And even then, it might require that the man repay
the money with interest, to fully clear his name with those creditors. If they think of him as a scoundrel who ran up a
debt, and then fled to the government for an escape, it is going to take more than just
the principle repaid to clear his name.
Psalms
37:21 says, “THE WICKED BORROWETH, AND PAYETH NOT AGAIN: but the righteous sheweth
mercy, and giveth.”
