Declaring bankruptcy is a complex financial and moral decision. Biblically, it is not inherently sinful, as the Old Testament established mechanisms for debt release (the Year of Jubilee and the Sabbatical Year—Deuteronomy 15:1-2), acknowledging that unavoidable financial disaster can occur. However, the decision to declare bankruptcy must be made with integrity and humility. It is unethical if it is used to maliciously avoid responsibility or through reckless, dishonest management of resources. When used as a legal tool to restructure an unavoidable crisis, it can be a morally justifiable step toward responsible stewardship.

The tithe (a mandatory 10%) was a specific law under the Old Covenant, and Christians today are not legally bound by it. Under the New Covenant, the focus shifts from a legal percentage to the principle of cheerful, sacrificial generosity (2 Corinthians 9:7). While God desires us to be generous, a Christian with tight finances should not view giving as a magic formula or a fearful debt. They must pray for wisdom, prioritize basic needs, and seek to give proportionally and willingly from whatever they have, trusting God with the consequences.