Co-Signing for a Friend
Proverbs 6:1-4 (NLT) “My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—2 if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said—
3 follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy.
Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased. 4 Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do.”
If you are not familiar with the scripture this references, the topic is co-signing a loan for another person’s debt. Now think about it. Even the Bible warns against doing it. The whole purpose of co-signing on another person’s debt is because the person who is asking for the loan does not have a worthy, consistent record of returning money that is borrowed. This goes deeper than the amount owed. This is about a bad behavior pattern. Cosigning on a loan will never teach the other person to change their behavior. In fact, it teaches them how to be irresponsible. It teaches them to behave as if someone else should or will cover for their irresponsibility (bad behavior).
Another thing to remember if you cosign on a loan is that YOU will end up paying it back. Then you will start looking for the person who owes you money. But from their perspective, they see you as signing the papers “agreeing” to pay for the loan if they couldn’t. So they don’t owe you anything. Another reward for bad behavior.
Finally, when things go bad, and they usually do, your relationship with that person, whether it is a friendship or even a family member, is now destroyed. The quickest way to destroy any relationship is over money.
So if someone asks you to co-sign a loan for them, tell them you love them very much, but you don’t co-sign loans, and the Bible doesn’t recommend it. Borrowing money is a responsibility and a true test of character and maturity. Also, whoever borrows becomes a slave to whoever lends. (Proverbs 22:7) To preserve your friendship and your family, it is better to give them a One-Time gift. Remember, it is a gift, not a loan. They asked you to be a co-signer because they struggle to pay people back. So give them a one-time gift; it’s a gift, and don’t expect anything in return. This is the way you keep your peace of mind and preserve your friendship.
If you have the knowledge to teach them how to earn enough money to get what they want, then teach them. If your friend or even family member tries to make you feel guilty by not co-signing the loan, then you know their motives are not authentic and purely selfish.
Be Blessed!
Ron
Ron Cobbs Ministries © Copyright September 6th, 2026, All Rights Reserved
