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Take The "Is It Biblical?" Quiz 1 Year, 3 Months ago
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Kudos: 66
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The "Is It Biblical?" Quiz
We’ve all heard someone say, “The Bible says, God helps those who help themselves.” Or does it? There are many “popular sayings” people think are in the Bible.” You may be surprised to discover these maxims don’t come from the Bible—and in some cases they contradict what the Bible actually says about that topic! Let’s examines these pseudo Bible verses and learn what the Bible really says on these topics.
Let’s first take a test to see if you can identify the false Bible verses. After we see how you do, we shall take on each of these false verses and see what the bible has to say. Decide which of the follow verses are from the Bible, True or False.
Lets Begin
1) T or F “Before God we are equally wise and equally foolish.”
2) T or F “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
3) T or F “To yourself be true.”
4) T or F “Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed.”
5) T or F “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
6) T or F “Let your conscience be your guide.”
7) T or F “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
8) T or F “God moves in mysterious ways.”
9) T or F “When God shuts one door, he opens another.”
10) T or F “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
11) T or F “To err is human; to forgive divine.”
12) T or F “God won't put more on you than you can handle.”
13) T or F “God helps those who help themselves.”
14) T or F “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”
15) T or F “To fear the Lord is the beginning of freedom.”
16) T or F “Money is the root of all evil.”
17) T or F “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”
18) T or F “Spare the rod, spoil the child.”
19) T or F “The truth shall set you free.”
20) T or F “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
The "Is It Biblical?" Answers
1) False “Before God we are equally wise and equally foolish.”
Albert Einstein US (German-born) physicist. This particular quote tends to portray all men shall be equal before God. However the Bible teaches that there will be two distinct groups before God on Judgment Day.
Matthew 25:32-34 (New International Version)
32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
Einstein was not an atheist, but he did not believe in a personal God. "I'm not an atheist and I don't think I can call myself a pantheist. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangements of the books, but doesn't know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God."
2) True “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus Christ in Matthew 19:24
3) False “To yourself be true.”
When prompting people to follow their conscience on matters, the oft-touted "To thine own self be true" is occasionally cited as a Biblical recommendation. In truth, this saying originates in the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet. Polonius, the older counselor of Prince Hamlet's uncle, King Claudius, is in the midst of dispensing advice to the prince when he speaks forth the famous line: "This above all things: to thine own self be true" (Hamlet, 3.1.81). Among his platitudes, he also says, "Neither a borrower nor a lender be" (3.1.78) — another saying occasionally mistaken for Scripture.
But really how good is Polonius's advice? Scripturally, we can only trust our conscience to guide us as far as it is being informed by the Spirit of God. Men, of their natural selves, are entirely corrupted; and so, to hold true to themselves would be to choose poorly indeed. Rather, we should seek God in prayer and ask Him to guide us in the paths of righteousness (cf. Psalm 23:3).
4) True “Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed.” (Proverbs 12:24)
5) True “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)
6) False “Let your conscience be your guide.”
God gives us our conscience. Our conscience can tell us things. When we do wrong, we feel guilt. When we do what is right, there is a feeling of joy. The Bible shows us that our conscience can become weak (1 Cor. 8:12), evil (Heb. 10:22), or seared (1 Tim. 4:2). On the other hand, our conscience can be cleansed (Heb. 9:14), pure (2 Tim. 1:3), and good (1 Pet. 3:21).
Is it safe to let your conscience be your guide? Can you trust your conscience? Our conscience is very much like a watch. A watch is useful and very helpful if two things happen:
It Must Be Working. A watch that does not work, is of little value. A conscience that doesn’t work is of little good. Jeremiah rebuked his nation for being unable to blush (Jer. 6:15). They were not ashamed of what they were doing. Their conscience was not longer working.
It Must Be Set Right. A working watch is good. But if it is not set right then it is not helpful to you. A watch set to London time will not help you keep your appointments when you are living in Indiana. Likewise, our conscience to be useful must be set right. If our conscience is set by whatever you feel like doing, then it is not set right. If it is set to what is popular then it is not set right. Our conscience must be set according to the word of God. The Bible as our compass and standard, our conscience can convict us and remind us of just how we should live. We can well know what hour it is.
7) True “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24)
8) False “God moves in mysterious ways.”
Though uncertain in origin and certainly not found in Scripture. The phrase may originate from William Cowper's hymn "God Moves in a Mysterious Way", that God does work in ways curious and beyond the measure of our limited experience and conception is obvious. Deuteronomy 29:29 reminds us that: The secret things belong to the Lord our God. The final chapters of Job present God's reprimand of Job wherein He asks how Job could possibly understand or judge the reasons for God's actions (Job being so far removed from God in power, wisdom, and longevity).
And perhaps the biggest mystery is revealed us in Romans 8:28.
Romans 8:28 (New International Version)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Though we may not understand the purpose of our circumstances in God's plan, we are assured that every detail will work for the benefit of the Redeemed.
9) False “When God shuts one door, he opens another.”
Unfortunately for us, that set of words doesn’t exist in the Bible. However the concept is possibly found in the Bible. The words themselves seem closest to something from Alexander Graham Bell who once said: “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”
The best biblical example of open and closed doors is found in Acts 16:6-12:
Acts 16:6-12 (New International Version)
6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
Don’t be disappointed with closed doors! Paul followed God and encountered a closed door to Asia Minor. He tried to head north and encountered another closed door. He didn’t get frustrated that doors were closed; he instead kept looking for where the doors were open.
Henry Blackaby wrote: “When you begin to follow God and circumstances seem to close doors of opportunity, go back to the Lord and clarify what God has said. He most often is not calling you to a TASK, but to a RELATIONSHIP. Through that relationship He is going to do something through your life.” Don’t let closed doors discourage you, let them send you back to God to renew the relationship and see what God wants to do through your life!
10) True “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)
11) False “To err is human; to forgive divine.”
Alexander Pope quote (English Poet, 1688-1744) Christian doctrine maintains the distinction that it is an attribute of fallen human nature to err, but Jesus Christ became a true human being and was able to live without sin. He did this for us as a part of accomplishing forgiveness for everyone. Forgiving each other, then, is a reflection of what God has done for us in Christ.
Ephesians 4:32 (New International Version)
32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
12) False “God won't put more on you than you can handle.”
This is not a verse in the Bible, though it does seem to be loosely quoted from I Corinthians 10:13. The meaning however is perverted since it appears to be saying that God will never put you in an extreme situation. The actual verse is concerned with temptation specifically and is as follows.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (New International Version)
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
What scripture can we turn to in difficult times when our spirits need encouragement? Here are some verses that have offered strength for believers for thousands of years.
Isaiah 26:3 (New International Version)
3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
Romans 8:35-39 (New International Version)
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 4:4 (New International Version)
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Romans 8:31 (New International Version)
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
13) False “God helps those who help themselves.”
The saying, "God helps those who help themselves," came to us by way of Benjamin Franklin (1736). Franklin himself was a deist and so he believed that God did not play an active role in men's lives. In his point of view if man was not able to help himself, then man was hopeless.
The Bible teaches something entirely different than the above saying, because God makes special provision to help the helpless.
Romans 5:6-8 (New International Version)
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Proverbs 28:26 (New International Version)
26 He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
Jeremiah 17:5 (New International Version)
5 This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
14) True “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)
The biblical parallel to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is found in the following verse: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them (Matthew 7:12). The phrase, "love thy neighbor as thyself," also bears a close relation to the saying and is found throughout Scripture (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:43; 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8; Luke 10:27). James even refers to "love thy neighbor as thyself" as being "the royal law" because it is the embodiment of all the laws dealing with human relationships.
15) True “To fear the Lord is the beginning of freedom.” (Ecclesiastes 1:14a)
16) False “Money is the root of all evil.”
This expression stems from the biblical phrase that says, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils" (1 Timothy 6:10). There is a big difference between the two statements. Money is neutral and can be used either for the good or for the bad. Money of itself is not evil, yet the love of it is the root of all kinds evil.
17) True “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
18) False “Spare the rod, spoil the child.”
Despite popular opinion, the famous saying, "Spare the rod, spoil the child," cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. The saying, however, should not be considered invalid as there are verses that promote a similar concept such as.
Proverbs 13:24
He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
19) True “The truth shall set you free.” (John 8:32)
20) False “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
The book of Leviticus frequently deals with the issue of cleanliness and impurity so that the Children of Israel would be clean as a sign of separation from the surrounding nations. Yet in the New Testament, cleanliness finds mention in relation to the cleansing of the believer's life.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John 15:3
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Ephesians 5:26-27
So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
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Re:Take The "Is It Biblical?" Quiz 1 Year, 3 Months ago
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Kudos: 12
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nice cartoonbug!
i actually did better than i thought i would do.
jeff
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Re:Take The "Is It Biblical?" Quiz 6 Months, 3 Weeks ago
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Kudos: 20
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I took this when you posted it - good stuff!
I find that besides little catch phrases, that an uncommon, but occurring misconception is that some people don't realize that we will still have bodies when we are in the paradise of God.Some say we become angels, which seems to me that they have been watching too many TV shows or movies about that sort of thing.
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
Hebrews 2:
5 Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor, [1]
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. [2] That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
This anti-physical tendency is an infection about of the Gnostics into Christian thinking about 150 to 200 years after Christ's death. When we told in Scripture that we are supposed to despise the flesh, it doesn't mean the body, but fleshly, sinful desires. Our body will be transformed, but it is still a body.
After Jesus' resurrection Jesus certainly had His body reunited with His spiritual essence:
Luke 24 :39 "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."
Jesus ate fish and bread with the disciples in John 21:12-13.
Paul tells us some of the details in 1 Corinthians 15:
40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; [5] the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall [6] also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Mystery and Victory
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:3 says of Jesus, "To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."
You have to be living to show yourself alive... and that means a living, breathing body.
Some call the bodies we will have spiritual bodies, as Paul makes a distinction between corruptible ones and incorruptible resurrected or transformed ones, but I tend to just say "resurrected bodies", assuming I will possibly kick the bucket before the Lord returns  Otherwise, I will be transformed instantly while being still alive form corruptible to incorruptible. Either way, I know that the body that is sanctified at that time is still a body and that we won't be just spirit-beings.
For now, we who are alive echo the sentiment of Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 5:
1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on [1] we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Whatever the cool differences will be, we will have to wait and see, but when we read about such things, it should be a great source of comfort and of joy!
Thank You Lord for not leaving Your children in the grave!
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