There are many things that people who follow Jesus, go to church and even claim to believe the Bible who believe things that are completely unbiblical. This happens because some things are said that sound good, spiritual and biblical and they gain traction because people actually believe they are in the Bible.
(2 Timothy 3:16 TPT) Every Scripture has been written by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness.
There are two extremes in how Christians deal with life:
- Those who do nothing.
They bounce through life just letting life happen to them. There is the belief that if it is God’s will for my life, that it will just happen.
- Those who make their own plans and then ask God to bless them.
Fact Check: God helps those who help themselves!
This phrase is not found in the Bible.
It was brought into our modern culture in 1736 by Benjamin Franklin in his Poor Richard’s Almanac.
While this may sound superficially like the kind of proverb you might hear from a committed Christian, Franklin was a deist. He didn’t believe in a personal God who is actively involved in the affairs of people, but rather in a God who set the world in motion but stands at a distance while we fend for ourselves.
On the surface this statement sounds good but it is actually anti-Gospel. It is based on the concept of self-reliance and self-righteousness.
- This comes from the belief that if you try harder and do better, then God will step in and help you in some way.
(Proverbs 28:26 NIV) Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
(Psalms 72:12-13 NKJV) For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper. (13) He will spare the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy.
(Isaiah 25:4 NLT) But You are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat…
(Romans 5:6-8 NLT) When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. (7) Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. (8) But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
(Ephesians 2:8-10 MSG) Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! (9) We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! (10) No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
- The Bible DOES teach us that in this life of faith, there is a part that God plays and a part that we play in our lives.
What exactly is our part?
- Use common sense while you are trusting God to do His part.
(Proverbs 2:7 NLT) He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
(Proverbs 8:14 NLT) Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine.
(Proverbs 10:21 NLT) The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.
- Believe God’s Word.
We should make up our minds that God’s Word is true and believe it.
(2 Chronicles 20:20 NKJV) (20) So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
(Hebrews 4:2 NKJV) For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
- Pray and speak God’s Word.
(Isaiah 55:8-11 NKJV) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. (9) “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (10) “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, (11) So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
(Romans 10:8 AMPC) But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, [Deu 30:14]
- Obey Him and act like the Bible is true.
Believe that God will do what He says He will do.
(James 2:17 AMP) So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead).
Does God help those who help themselves?
Charles Spurgeon said: “God helps those who cannot help themselves.”
The truth is, God helps those who place their trust and confidence in Him and believe for Him to help them.
(Isaiah 41:10 NKJV) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’