This is a very serious matter. The apostle John made this clear when he wrote to Christians: “Everyone who hates his brother is a manslayer, and you know that no manslayer has everlasting life remaining in him.

1 John 3:15-17.

If that needy brother could not get help from any other source, he would die if deprived of necessities for too long a period. Hence, the one claiming to be a Christian who refuses to come to his aid would be guilty of a form of criminal negligence. Similarly, if Christians were to take advantage of a fellow believer by unduly postponing payments of their debts, they could become guilty of forcing him out of business. This could create serious financial problems for him and could reduce him to a needy state. Should that happen, could we not say that those who refused to pay their debts did a very hateful thing toward their brother?