2006-07-17 03:36:11 · 17 answers · asked by lenny 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That phrase is nowhere to be found in the bible.
It came from Greek mythology. It is found in one of Aesop's fables:
The fable from which the quote comes:
"A Wagoner was once driving a heavy load along a very muddy way. He came to a part of the road where the wheels sank half-way into the mire, and the more the horses pulled, the deeper sank the wheels. So the Wagoner threw down his whip, and knelt down and prayed to Hercules the Strong. 'O Hercules, help me in this my hour of distress." But Hercules appeared to him, and said: 'Man, don't sprawl there. Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel. The gods help them that help themselves."
2006-07-17 23:56:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't remember seeing anything in The Bible that says God helps those who help themselves, but the principle is easy enough: God expects us to do our part. The Father Almighty is not some "Genie-from-the-Lamp" that is supposed to do our bidding and simply hand us everything we want or need. If that were the case then Christians would all sit at home without jobs and pray to God for food, clothing, shelter, and money to pay the bills. We all know it doesn't work like that. God is willing to help those who ask, but He expects those who ask to make an effort as well. If you ask God for patience, He expects you to work on holding your temper and developing patience yourself -- He won't simply make you a more patient person. Get the idea?
2006-07-17 10:44:01 · answer #2 · answered by sarge927 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, but the Bible does not say that God helps those who help themselves. God helps those who depend on Him.
2006-07-18 18:11:10 · answer #3 · answered by Kidd! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know WHERE exactly it IS in the Bible but I believe it's true. I believe God gives us the knowledge and wisdom we need to make sound decisions in our own life, so God will help you, but you gotta be able to help yourself too. I mean, if you go out to the mall, do you lock your car doors? Of course. Why not just let God take care of it? Because God will look out for you, but you also gotta be able to take the conscience, and wisdom and knowledge of right and wrong that God gave you and do something productive with it. Make sense? I HATE when people say "I'm going to let God handle it" well, if you feel that way, why not let God handle everything?? Do you not make ANY decisions without God? Do you go to the grocery store and ask God every item you should buy? Of course not. God isn't making those decisions for you, he's simply giving you the tools you need to make decisions for yourself.
2006-07-17 10:43:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no such a thing in the Bible. I have heard of this saying though.
God helps everybody. He saves us if we want to be saved. Saved by His terms. If you do not want to be with God, but you do not want to go to hell...I do not think that qualifies...but I leave the judgment to the God. He is just, and He knows our hearts.
Be careful with your words, because words are telling about your hearts contest. I NEED God, I would not make it to the heaven without Jesus.
2006-07-17 14:17:13 · answer #5 · answered by SeeTheLight 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't remember that being in the bible, but to some extent it is true:
a guy on the coast refuses to leave his home when a hurricane is coming, because he says, 'God will protect me.' so his house is swept away and he's left clinging to some driftwood, floatin in 200 ft of flood water. a rescue team comes, but he refuses to be rescued by them, saying, 'God will protect me.'
God helps us sometimes by giving us the means to help ourselves.
2006-07-17 10:41:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is an old, Russian proverb that says, "Pray, but keep rowing to the other side." It means that God is with us, but we are expected to use our brains and brawn as well. God didn't put us here to be a bunch of deadbeats.
2006-07-17 11:48:36 · answer #7 · answered by Buffy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's not the Bible. It's Benjamin Franklin.
2006-07-17 10:59:14 · answer #8 · answered by joefizx 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, no such thing in that silly book - but that doesn't stop fully 75% of all Americans from believing that it is written there...
Just another way that Christians distort their religion to make it mean whatever they jolly well want...
Read about it here:
http://harpers.org/ExcerptTheChristianParadox.html
2006-07-17 10:43:06 · answer #9 · answered by XYZ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've heard this saying, but I don't think it says that in the Bible???
2006-07-17 10:40:43 · answer #10 · answered by Disney Dreamer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋