“It is the word and commandment of the Lord to his servants that they shall never do another day’s work, nor spend another dollar to build up a Gentile city or nation.” — Brigham Young, JD 11:291-305
Slavery by Another Name
In a world obsessed with credit scores, interest rates, and consumer culture, the ancient evil of usury has only changed clothes. Though we no longer call it by name, its chains are everywhere: student loans, medical debt, payday lending, rent traps. It thrives quietly under the surface of our supposed freedoms. But the Kingdom of God was never meant to be financed by debt. From the Law of Moses to the teachings of Christ, the divine blueprint is clear: freedom, not bondage. Provision, not poverty. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there must be liberty—economic, spiritual, and social.
Here we lay out a vision for taking baby steps—personal, communal, and systemic—toward that freedom. It is both practical and prophetic.
I. God’s Economics: Foundations, Not Fictions
A. Jubilee and Forgiveness In Leviticus 25, God established a radical concept: the Year of Jubilee, in which all debts were forgiven and land was returned. Why? Because ownership belongs to God:
“The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is Mine and you reside in My land as foreigners and strangers.” – Leviticus 25:23
B. Prohibition of Usury
“Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest.” – Deuteronomy 23:19
This was not just financial wisdom—it was spiritual law. A just society could not be built on interest and indebtedness.
II. Practical Steps to Personal Financial Freedom
Before we can change the system, we must allow God to change our systems—our habits, our choices, our stewardship.
1. Reject Debt-Based Living
Scripture: “The borrower is servant to the lender.” – Proverbs 22:7
Step: Eliminate credit card and consumer debt. Live simply. Save gradually. Break the need for instant gratification.
2. Budget as a Spiritual Act
Use a zero-based budget to assign every dollar a mission. Align spending with calling, not comparison.
3. Build Emergency Margin
A $1,000 emergency fund isn’t just financial—it’s psychological peace.
4. Practice Sabbath Economics
Rest one day a week from commerce and work to retrain your heart to trust that God provides.
III. Toward Economic Independence for Communities and Society
We are not called to merely be debt-free individuals. We are called to be a self-sustaining people, united under the principles of Zion.
Brigham Young once charged the Saints:
“Never spend another day to build up a Gentile city, but spend your days, dollars, and dimes for the upbuilding of the Zion of God upon the earth, to promote peace and righteousness
and to prepare for the coming of the Son of Man…” – Journal of Discourses, Vol. 12, p. 56
1. Reclaim Local Production
Grow food, build businesses, create goods and services within our communities. Support co-ops and local trade networks.
2. Faith-Based Lending and Jubilee Funds
Churches can act as loan-free economic incubators—offering micro-loans or direct assistance with accountability.
3. Kingdom-Oriented Businesses
Invest in ethical businesses that model fairness, shared profit, and sustainability.
Building the Economy of Zion
Economic freedom is not a side project of faith—it’s the infrastructure of a holy people. We are not meant to worship in systems that enslave. We are not called to tithe from wages taxed by injustice. We are not called to serve God and Mammon. The journey away from usery is not just about money. It’s about obedience, trust, vision, and love.
Let the rebuilding begin—one budget, one household, one community at a time.
