FaTo: Finding a Home II

 
  In our earlier post, we discussed the biblical precedent and principles surrounding the question ‘Should a Christian buy a house?’. This time I would like to further examine the subject of buying versus renting.  I realise that this is a highly topical issue and perhaps not suited for everyone, however I think that many of the biblical ideas can be extrapolated for use in other situations.

2. Buying or Renting: which is biblically correct?

    It isn’t immediately obvious where in the bible we can find argument for or against buying/renting a property. However one theme which is no short supply, especially in the gospels, is the issue of money. Many evangelicals like to talk about Good Stewardship. For a long time I have accepted the idea that Christians should take care of the money in their possession, and try to avoid unnecessary waste, however this study has enabled me to actually examine the biblical call for such stewardship.

   Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
(James 1:17 ESV)

  Seeing the reference above - and similar ones to be found in Job 1 verse 21 and Ecclesiastes 5 verse 19 - we understand that our cash flow comes directly from the hand of God. Any money we posses is only ours through the generosity of God. 1 Timothy 6 verses 17 to 19 explains how a person’s wealth should be used:

    As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share…

  Jesus himself talked about being ‘good stewards’ of our finances as an illustration to picture the bigger truth that we need to be ‘good stewards’ of the gospel message (see Matthew 25).

  But you might be asking the question , ‘What relevance does ‘good stewardship’ have to do with buying or renting a house?’. I’m glad you asked. Good question. We must each decide, in our own situations, what good stewardship looks like. Here are two examples:

  a. Perhaps I am a potential student, wanting to go to a distant university. It probably isn’t going to help my already stretched finances to purchase a house near the uni, only to sell it for less money 3 years later when I leave. Temporarily renting a property is the obvious solution.

b. I might  be a someone employed full-time in Coventry, as well as being a member of a church there, and yet living with parents 50 miles away. If I had spent time in prayer and am convinced that Coventry is where I can best serve the Lord then it would make sense to purchase a house in the vicinity- not only would I save on travelling expenses, but it is likely that over the long-term my financial situation would be greatly enhanced by spending on a mortgage as oppose to paying rent.   

   Of course, in practice this principle of ‘Good Stewardship’ is applied by the world at large. After all, who doesn’t want to preserve their monetary resources?! However, as Christians with an eternal perspective, we mustn’t base our decisions on the desire to grasp at material gain. 1 Timothy 6 reminds us that ‘we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.’ Therefore it cannot be prudent to place a Messianic expectation on money (as do lottery players). The pursuit of money, by definition, cannot be the aim of our lives because, at the end of our lives, we will lose it all anyway.

  Although the New Testament places some emphasis on being wise stewards of the money God has given us, it places much much greater emphasis on the hazard or misuse of money. In fact, Jesus goes as far as to say that money is the root of all evils. We must ensure therefore that our decision making is in line with what God wants for us. We must be prayerful about the issue of buying or renting a property because the best financial decision might not always be the best decision for our spiritual lives and relationship with the Lord.

In conclusion, I haven’t really answer the question! Ultimately, the bible offers no concrete answer to buying or renting a house. However, we should prayerfully examine our own situations to discover which option offers the wisest use of our money, without exposing us to temptation or a love of cash.

Please see FaTo: Finding a Home Appendix A (to follow) for a further discussion on the OT laws regarding land, and good principles for dealing with vendors/agents.