The Bible Tells Me So?

Written by Will Banister

Just because a spiritual slogan is slapped on our bumper or burned onto our flesh doesn’t make it biblical. In fact, it may officially fall into the realm of Christian queso, or evangelical kitsch – almost Scripture, but not quite.

When asked to name an example of this “almost Scripture” phenomenon, Jim Jacobs of Arden Hills, Minn., is at no loss for words. “‘Cleanliness is next to godliness.’ It’s an example of a nugget from pop culture where if it sounds good we think it comes from the Bible.”

And while the phrase may pass muster with the Boy Scouts, it doesn’t necessarily jibe with the Good Book. Just ask John the Baptist, who wore a nasty shade of camel’s hair as he fearlessly preached God’s truth. Or Ezekiel, who lay on his side for over a year without taking a bath. These men were indeed “godly,” yet they evidently preached their fiery sermons sans soap.

Other examples of “almost Scripture” abound. Here are a few.

“All you need is love.”
Yes, this was penned by John and Paul – of Liverpool fame. It was catchy ear candy that was in many ways co-opted from the John and Paul of the Bible. In his first epistle John wrote, “Let us love one another, because love is from God” (1 John 4:7). And likewise Paul wrote, “If I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).

Clearly, love matters. Yet what we believe about things like the Trinity, or the divinity of Christ, or heaven and hell matter more. Theology matters a great deal. In this case, Paul of Tarsus trumps Paul from Liverpool.

“God helps those who help themselves.”
David A. Rich, author of “You Mean That Isn’t in the Bible?” contends that this phrase originated in Greek mythology, yet it was likely borrowed and popularized by Benjamin Franklin. And as late as 2000 the Barna Group reported that 75 percent of Americans surveyed believed that the Bible teaches – to some degree – that God helps those who help themselves.

This message is the opposite of the good news proclaimed by Jesus: “Those who are well do not need a doctor, but the sick do” (Matthew 9:12). And in Matthew 25 Jesus talks about the very people who can’t help themselves. In terms of grace and salvation, Scripture clearly teaches that the message of the cross has everything to do with Christ’s blood and nothing to do with human sweat.

Kristin Wheeler from Roseville, Minn., agrees. “In American culture, everything is individualized through competition. In the business world it’s cutthroat, everyone helps themselves. In a way it is contradictory to what Jesus was doing. Jesus helped those who couldn’t help themselves.”

“God is my copilot.”
Granted, this theology sounds nice and glib and even reverent to an extent. But as the English say, it’s sheer poppycock.

King David got it right when he mused, “I have calmed and quieted my self; like a little weaned child with its mother; I am like a little child” (Psalm 131:2).  In this case, David’s theology is more in line with Scripture – it is Scripture. And besides, if God were helping you fly, wouldn’t you want Him to be the pilot? What the church needs today is dependency.

“The Golden Rule”
“Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” This is another nice saying that mirrors Scripture yet is not found anywhere in the Bible. It’s closest ally is “love thy neighbor as thyself,” a phrase we all know came from the lips of Jesus.

This is what one might call pseudo-Scripture. Is “The Golden Rule” a good principle to live by? You bet. Is it part of the literal corpus of Scripture? Not really.

“Preach the gospel and if necessary, use words.”
This is another well-meaning phrase that has gained currency in recent years. Yet as a spiritual axiom it is hundreds of years old. The meaning is generally attributed to St. Francis.

In our postmodern day where people are looking for authenticity, these words have true value. Yet it is not part of the canon as we know it. As Paul waxes eloquent in Romans 10:14-15: “How can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things!”

Words are necessary to communicate God’s truth. And our lives and actions can further broadcast or legitimize that truth. 

“If we believe in God and follow Jesus then our lives will be easy.”
As scores of authentic disciples of Jesus know, the opposite of this common thought is often true. It is sometimes dangerous to follow God. Stephen was stoned. Paul was beheaded. Cassie Bernall confessed Jesus at gunpoint and she paid with her life at Columbine High. The list goes on and on.

Jesus did say, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). But this doesn’t mean that we will live our lives free of suffering. God will help us in our trials, yet trials themselves often prove the disciples of Jesus.

“God wants you to be rich.”
The hardscrabble lives of countless early Christians testify that if this statement is true, then God is playing a sick joke on His own flock. Needless to say, the idea that God wants all Christians to be “fat cats” with deep pockets is totally foreign to what’s in His Word.

However it isn’t wrong to be wealthy. Abraham had an army of servants and a flock of beasts. King Solomon lacked for nothing in his ancient castle. Lydia was a successful promoter of purple cloth. Yet “health and wealth” as a blanket credo for all Christians is a cut-and-paste theology. Preachers who teach this ethos should be shot, then horsewhipped. And somebody, please, give them a Bible for Christmas.

Some of these pop phrases are sappy but theologically harmless. Others have so much sugar they can rot your teeth. One of the challenges for the thinking believer is to separate the worthy from the worthless – to throw out the yucky bath water while still taking care of the baby. After all, Scripture demands nothing more and expects nothing less.

Will Banister is a writer who lives in St. Paul, Minn. He has a Master of Arts in Christian Thought from Bethel Seminary.

This article is courtesy of Christian Single.

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