2 - No! That's Not In The Bible

04 God helps those who help themselves

Meaning:

The phrase "God helps those who help themselves" is a motto that emphasizes the importance of self-initiative and agency.

Source:

The phrase originated in ancient Greece as "the gods help those who help themselves" and may originally have been proverbial. It is illustrated by two of Aesop's Fables and a similar sentiment is found in ancient Greek drama. Although it has been commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin, the modern English wording appears earlier in Algernon Sidney's work. A humorous addition to the saying has, "God helps those who help themselves, but God help those who get caught helping themselves".

In the Bible:

The phrase “God helps those who help themselves” is not found in the Bible. The Bible teaches that God helps the helpless and provides eternal life to them in Christ alone. We cannot save ourselves from our bondage to sin, nor from the wrath of God, so He does. While the term does not appear verbatim in Christian scriptures, passages such as Colossians 3:23 and Matthew 5:3-4 are used to suggest an ethic of personal agency and taking initiative.

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05 God won't give us more than we can bear

Alternate versions:

· God will not put more on me than I can bear

· God will not give you more than you can handle

Meaning:

The saying “God won't give us more than we can bear” is mostly self explanatory. Basically it means that God Himself will not put more on you that you can handle or hold up under.

Source:

Paul wrote the letter of 1 Corinthians to the church in Corinth where idol worship was commonplace. They were facing pressure and intense temptation to fall into this sin.

To help them, Paul goes back into history to the Israelites wandering the desert after they escaped slavery in Egypt. 1 Corinthians 10 describes how this generation of Israelites were cared for by God, yet still repeatedly fell into idol worship (Exodus 13-17; Numbers 10-15).

In the Bible:

God will not give you more than you can handle. This phrase is pulled from the meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:13 and is meant to give us assurance in the strength we have in God.

However, many people misinterpret this verse and claim that God will never give us more than we can handle. That we are capable of getting through whatever is in front of us. But the 1 Corinthians 10:13 meaning isn’t a promise that we have the strength within us to get through life’s challenges.

Even Paul, who wrote this, faced challenges that were far too difficult for him to overcome. God will give us more than we can handle. And as we dive into the meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:13 we will see why that’s a good thing.

Paul is telling his readers failure is not inevitable. They can get through this temptation and any other they face. He’s giving them hope that they can resist.

Further in this first sentence Paul is telling the church in Corinth that what they are facing is not unique to them. Others are tempted by the same things. They are not alone.

While today few are tempted to bow down to an engraved image, we are still surrounded by things that tempt us. We are in a very similar place to this 1st century church, surrounded by temptations at every corner.

Paul’s words still ring true for us today. Failure is not inevitable. There are others tempted by the SAME things you are. Together we can resist and step into what God has for us.

See also: 2 Corinthians 1:9-11

06 To err is human, to forgive is divine

Meaning:

The phrase “To err is human, to forgive is divine” means that human beings make mistakes and emphasizes the quality of forgiveness and kindness.

Source:

“To err is human, to forgive is divine” is a saying that has been in use since it was coined by Alexander Pope in the early 18th century. It is natural for human beings to make mistakes as they are not perfect, but forgiving them is a divine quality.

Alexander Pope (poet)

Pope was inspired by a poem by Thomas Jones in which he wrote, “To err, is human; to recover, is Angelical; to persevere is Diabolical". The proverbial phrase ‘To err is human’ is often heard in its fuller form ‘To err is human; to forgive, divine.’. This makes sense of the notion that the originator, the English poet Alexander Pope, was trying to convey. In the poem An Essay on Criticism, Part II , 1711. Pope explains that, while anyone can make a mistake, we should aspire to do as God does, that is, show mercy and forgive sinners:

Ah ne’er so dire a Thirst of Glory boast, Nor in the Critick let the Man be lost! Good-Nature and Good-Sense must ever join; To err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine.

Note that Pope’s original wording uses the word ‘humane’ rather than, as it is now usually spelled, ‘human’. This wasn’t a spelling mistake, nor have we misunderstood the poet’s meaning, just that ‘humane’ was the accepted spelling of ‘human’ in the early 18th century.

In the Bible:

Þ Forgiveness:

· One of the most powerful passages about forgiveness is Colossians 3:12-13.

· In the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15; Luke 11:1-13) we are told to forgive.

Þ Reconciliation:

We are told in Romans 12:18 to reconcile if possible. Are reconciliation and forgiveness the same thing? No, they aren’t.

· The dictionary defines forgiveness as: the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.

· The dictionary defines reconcile as: to restore friendly relations between.

07 When God closes a door, He opens another

Alternate version:

· When God closes a door, He opens a window

Meaning:

The phrase “When God closes a door, He opens another (or window)” reflects the idea that even in tough times, God provides alternative opportunities or paths. The phrase implies that God gives guidance to us.

Source:

The popular phrase, “When one door closes another will open” isn’t in the Bible. It’s a quote by Alexander Graham Bell.

In the Bible:

There are many verses in the Bible that use the word “door” as a visual to speak about an opportunity.

See in these verses how God opening a door is Him providing an opportunity:

· 1 Corinthians 16:9-10

· Acts 14:27

· Colossians 4:3

· 2 Corinthians 2:12

· Revelation 3:8

Þ Not Every Opportunity is from God:

Not every opportunity in our lives comes from God. But we can ask him to open a door for us, or we can recognize he has done so. When we know it’s God that opened the door for us, we can trust him to walk through it.

Þ Better Than Doors:

Because of the finished work of Jesus, we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Being led by the Spirit of God is better than looking for open and closed doors. He shows us the way to go.