Is that in the Bible? This study addresses sayings or words commonly attributed to the Bible but are not in the Bible or not just as cited. The objective of this study is to distinguish between God’s theology and man’s.

Bible

The word “Bible” isn’t in the text of the Scriptures. It was a term developed over time to refer to the collection of sacred texts.  In the Scriptures you’ll find the text referred to as scriptures, letters, scrolls, the law, covenant,  but not the “Bible”. John Chrysotom (c. 347–407), the Archbishop of Constantinople, is said to be the first writer to use the Greek phrase ta biblia (“the books”) to describe the Old and New Testaments together between 386 and 388.

“God Helps Those Who Help Themselves.”

This is NOT in the Bible! This phrase has both positive and negative connotations. It is good to be intentional about your livelihood and God will bless that. However, the negative inflection is that regardless of your circumstances if you can’t get out of the gate, if you’re down and out, don’t expect God or anyone else to come to your rescue.

The phrase is actually anti-Gospel. It comes from Algernon Sydney, who wrote it in an article titled Discourses Concerning Government. It was then popularized by Ben Franklin in 1757 in Poor Richard’s Almanac. An earlier form of the phrase, “God loves to help him who strives to help himself” may have come from Aeschylus, a 6th century B.C. playwright, known as Father of Greek tragedy.

The truth is, the Bible teaches the opposite. God desires that believers help the helpless.

Proverbs 14:31

³¹ He who oppresses the poor taunts and insults his Maker, But he who is kind and merciful and gracious to the needy honors Him.

Proverbs 19:17

He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will repay to him.

Giving to the less fortunate is like making a deposit in God’s bank. You’ll reap a great return on your investment.

Are there any biblical consequences for not helping the misfortunate?

Proverbs  21:13

Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor will cry out himself and not be heard.

You are asked to share your substance with the needy.

Collections were gathered for the poor saints in Jerusalem, Romans 15:26.

Other scriptures that encourage helping the less fortunate, Galatians 2:10.

You are asked to share your time.

In Acts 6:1-5, men of honor were appointed to specifically ensure the Hellenistic Jewish widows were taken care of to allow the disciples to solely focus on prayer and the preaching of the gospel.

Unquestionably the spirit of the Bible asks that we attend to the needy and helpless.

“Cleanliness is Next to Godliness.”

While those around you may appreciate you staying clean, the saying “cleanliness is next to godliness” does not appear in the Bible. The expression is an archaic proverb found in Babylonian and Hebrew religious tracts. While there are many references in the Mosaic law to cleanliness (in Leviticus), there is none that we can ascribe to this quote. It first showed up in the English language in a modified form in the writings of philosopher and scientist Sir Francis Bacon. In “Advancement of Learning” (1605), Bacon wrote, “Cleanliness of the body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God.”

Almost 200 years later (1791), John Wesley made a reference to the expression in one of his sermons in the form we use it today. Wesley wrote, “Slovenliness [untidy, sloppy] is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness.”

Spiritually speaking, outward cleanliness has no connection to godliness. Jesus made it clear that godliness is not obtained by what we eat or don’t eat, or by how often we wash our hands.

Matthew 15:1-2, 9-11 

¹Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

² Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

⁹ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

¹⁰ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

¹¹ Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Jesus said it and that settles it! Does it mean I don’t care if someone preparing food for me washes their hands or not? I certainly do care! The point is although cleanliness is good practice, Jesus was more concerned with a clean soul.

“When You Die, God Gains Another Angel.”

Many use this phrase to comfort those who have lost loved ones. While this phrase may offer some consolation, the truth is, humans are humans and angels are angels. We don’t become angels when we die. We become dead when we die. There’s no loved one looking down from heaven peering over your shoulder as you break the world record in speed skating nor is there any relative protecting you as you climb over a fenced tiger enclosure to retrieve dropped car keys.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 

⁵ For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

⁶ Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Just think how horrified our dead relatives would be if they could look down and see what’s happening in our lives and in the world today. They wouldn’t be at peace, that’s for sure! They had to go through this life once for themselves and then living it again through you as well? Don’t think so!

The Rapture

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 

¹³ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Harpazo is a Greek term meaning “caught up”, which means to seize suddenly or snatch. In Latin, the word is rapio, which means to seize and carry away; it is from this Latin word that the term “rapture” is derived.

It is noted that all Christians do not embrace this end time event.

The Trinity

The word “trinity” is not found in the Bible. Trinity comes from the prefix “tri” and the root word “unity” which originates in Latin, a language not used in the writing of the Old Testament (in Hebrew) and the New Testament (in Greek and Aramaic).

The word “Trinity” was coined by theologians as a way to refer to scriptural concepts that capture the teaching about the unity and triune personality of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

“Money is the Root of All Evil.”

Correction: 1 Timothy 6:10 says

¹⁰ For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

It is the love of money that causes the problem, not the money itself. Money doesn’t have a moral compass. It is how we regard money that brings a good or evil connotation to money.

“Charity Begins at Home”

This phrase is generally credited to Terence, a Roman comic writer. It is sometimes also attributed to Sir Thomas Browne who wrote the phrase in 1642.

The Bible teaches a similar concept in meaning but not exact.

1 Timothy 5:3-4 

³ Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.

⁴ But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.

The Three Wisemen

There is no indication in Matthew 2 as to how many wise men came. Three was assumed because there were three gifts given.

“The Lord (or God) Works in Mysterious Ways”

This phrase is part of a song composed by William Cowper (1731–1800). Comprising six verses, they were written in 1773, just before he attempted suicide by drowning. The hymn was later published in Olney Hymns which Cowper co-wrote. Entitled Conflict: Light Shining out of Darkness,

God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

God’s Permissive Will

The Scriptures does not use the phrase “God’s permissive will” but the concept is found in the Scriptures.

Example 1

God chose Jacob the younger of twin brothers to rule over his brother Esau in Genesis 25. Jacob and his mother, Rebekah, set off to make this happen through deception. Deception is never part of God’s strategy but God did not stop Jacob and his mother from accomplishing His plan through trickery.

God’s perfect will is plan A but if you get ahead of God and chose your own path, Plan B, you may eventually accomplish what was intended but not without consequences.

Example 2

Israel’s wandering in the wilderness for 40 years was God’s permissive will but not his perfect will. In Numbers 13 the Hebrews who were sent to spy out the Promised Land were afraid of the people of Anak (giants) in the land and brought a fearful not a faith report back to Moses. Because they did not believe that God would go before them Israel was sentenced to wander 40 years until that faithless generation died out.

The Golden Rule:

“Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You.”

“The Golden Rule” was assigned by man but is supported in principle in the Bible. The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one wants to be treated.

Luke 6:31

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

 

“God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Bear.”

When going through a tough trial, this saying can cause a person to shake their fist at God and ask, “If I am supposed to bear this, then why can’t I handle it?”

The truth is, God never said He wouldn’t give you more than you could bear.

First, this phrase makes the erroneous assumption that everything that happens to you in life is from God. Although God may send some trials, you on the otherhand have initiated a few of your own design.

In Genesis, God gave mankind dominion over the earth. He gave man power and the intelligence to make life good for himself and his neighbor or if he chooses—make life bad. All of what happens to us in life is human beings creating a set of circumstances that gives us great joy or great grief or somewhere in between. Because we are in charge of our lives, the consequences of our life choices are sometimes more than we can handle which leads to,

Suicide, Abortion, Violence, Substance abuse, Sexual immorality and perversion, Stress-related illnesses, etc.

All those “solutions” seem to be a way out because we just can’t handle it!

Secondly, the belief that “God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Bear” can cause you to not seek the therapeutic and spiritual help you need to fix the root of the problem. It can cause you to believe the lie that you can handle it all on your own. This makes you vulnerable to the enemy’s influence, his whispering in your ear.

‘You can’t take it no more! Do this, do that…’ (things contrary to your walk with Christ).

‘God doesn’t care! He let this happen to you. You’ve been faithful! You’ve tried!’

Psalm 37:25

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

However, there is one thing God will not allow.  He will not allow you to be TEMPTED above that which you are able to bear.

1 Corinthians 10:13

¹³ The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

2 Peter 2:9

⁹ the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished;

That removes the excuse, “The devil made me do it!”

The Sinner’s Prayer

There is no specific prayer found in Scripture for a sinner to pray when they give their life to Jesus Christ. The important elements are to acknowledge your sin, repent and accept Jesus Christ as Savior.

“The Lion Shall Lay Down with the Lamb.”

Misquote from Isaiah 11:6 and Isaiah 65:25

Isaiah 11:6

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isaiah 65:25

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.

“All Things Work Together for Good”

This is passage in which context is key — what things work together for whose good?

Romans 8:28 reads in full:

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

This scripture applies to a specific group of people—to them the love God and are called according to His purpose. It’s definitely not a blessing that covers all people.

Conclusion

This study is not exhaustive, so as the beat goes on, so does the sayings that are ascribed to the Scriptures but are not.  Although some of the sayings or words are perfectly appropriate it is always good to know what comes from the Scriptures and what’s just script!

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Moves_in_a_Mysterious_Way

http://factsandfaith.com/why-isnt-the-word-trinity-in-the-bible/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture

https://www.compellingtruth.org/what-is-the-rapture.html