The Bible uses a term called "surety". Surety is when you take financial responsibility for someone else. It sounds kind of odd, but it even takes place today in our society, it is called cosigning. When you cosign, you give the ability for the creditor to take away from you for the irresponsible actions of the other individual. Surety is highly frowned upon by God.
"He who becomes security for an outsider shall smart for it, but he who hates suretyship is secure [from all penalty]." Proverbs 11:15, Amplified
To become that security for another person takes in essence takes the responsibility of payment away from that person. I am in no way condemning anyone who needs a cosigner or has been a cosigner; nor am I saying that all who need a cosigner skip out on their responsibility. In cosigning we open ourselves up the the penalty of nonpayment. We become the debtor instead. The bank will receive its money one way or the other.
I feel that the reason for the hatred of suretyship is due to the fact that we become a cheap imitation of Jesus Christ. He became our surety for nonpayment. There is no way that any man could pay the price for sin, so He became our cosigner. The debt that once belonged to humanity now rested on the shoulders of he Son of God. Jesus was able to give up because He was able to take back. We, once the papers are signed, relinquish all rights and cannot take anything back that is taken from us. Jesus desires for every man to take responsibility for his actions.
If we are to have a healthy view of security, then we understand that we have power over it. When the opportunity comes we have the right and the obligation to say no. Once that word leaves our lips, then we will not suffer the consequences of our friend's (or family's) nonpayment.
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