Joel Hendon

Sayings Credited To The Bible Which Aren’t Found There-Part 1


Posted: Tuesday, November 22, 2011

by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html

Many sayings, or quotes that have been improperly referenced as quotes from the Holy Scriptures, simply are not in them. There are a number of them which state a principle of approximately the same meaning as something in the Bible, and yet there are others which are not at all inferred and are even contradictory to biblical teachings. There are far too many to name and refute in one writing so we may examine them in a series.

Cleanliness is next to godliness. This is a phrase not found in even a close translation. It probably arose from the book of Leviticus where cleanliness is stressed to the Israelites. They were wandering in the wilderness where sanitation facilities were very limited and the instructions given them were twofold. One was for their own well being, and the other was to differentiate between them and the surrounding heathens whose sanitation habits were atrocious in some instances.

In most instances where cleanliness is mentioned in the New Testament, it has reference to the spiritual soul, and the lives of the believers. Here are a few instances:

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 [Speaking to Christians])

It is better to cast your seed in the belly of a whore than to spill it on the ground. This one is not heard much any more, but was once used in attempting to emphasize the evils of masturbation. It is nowhere found in the Bible but may have been created by the instance of such when Judah’s oldest son had died and left his wife, Tamar, without a child. It was the custom and accepted under the Mosaical Law, that the next born son, must raise children by the brother, Er’s widow. When Judah ordered his next son, Onan, to go in unto Tamar here is what the scriptures say:

And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. (Genesis 38:9)

God was angered at this act and slew Onan. This saying is definitely not associated with any scripture and even more so, has nothing to do with masturbation.

Money is the root of all evil. This is a bad rendition of an actual scripture. It’s restructuring and elimination of some words, changes the meaning completely. The scripture from which it comes is 1 Timothy 6:10 and reads this way in the King James Version:

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. (1 Timothy 6:10)

Money is neither good nor evil but the greed men hold for it can easily cost them their souls.

Once saved, always saved. This is not found in the bible nor is it’s intended meaning found. It is a much too brief statement concerning the Calvinistic teaching of the “Perseverance of the Saints”. The subject is much broader in concept, but never the less is not taught in scripture. The New Testament is filled with admonitions for Christians to hold steadfast in their efforts to serve God. Even the ultra devoted apostle Paul made this statement about himself…from the American Standard Version:

but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

We need to always, search he scriptures as the Bereans did. Read this commendation:

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11)
Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He has an extensive website of conservative religious and political articles.http://hebronics.org/index.html

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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Fran Larson
 186 days 4 hours ago.
29 fans. Follow Fran Larson on twitter!
Joel, you really pick some interesting topics! I like this article and I found it very enlightening. You are truly a scholar of the Bible.
» left by Joel Hendon 186 days 3 hours ago.
127 fans.
Thank you Fran for reading and the nice comment. There have been times in my life when I could not get really interested in my Bible reading but for the past 30-40 years I have had an insatiable interest in it and have spent many hours in reading it and about it. There are still many things I do not know nor underestand, but I've learned that more and more becomes clear no matter how much you study the book. One thing though, I was an avid reader all my life, but many other books in years past.
» left by Marijo Phelps
 185 days 12 hours ago.
143 fans.
Ahh, you forgot my favorite "God helps those who help themselves..." Grandma, it is not there (wish I could have told her that while she was alive...)
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