So sometimes, when I'm terribly bored, I like watching Christian TV because it absolutely boggles my mind. So last night I'm watching some show where this lady is telling people that the ONLY way they can be pulled from life's pitfalls is to trust in God. That they weren't capable of helping themselves, and no one else can help them either. Only God could help them....?????
Isn't this kind of a defeatest attitude, and doesn't it wrongly absolve Christians of any self-responsibility when it comes to cleaning up their own messes?
Let's just say that *if I were* a Christian - I would have been offended by what this woman said. Lest we forget the old addage that God helps those who help themselves.
2007-03-01 05:15:12 · 19 answers · asked by swordarkeereon 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
A lot of you are saying that "God helps those who help themselves" is not in the bible. Please note that I never claimed it was.
2007-03-01 05:29:38 · update #1
Someone said I answered my own question. Yes, but I want to know what all of YOU think. I already know what I think.
2007-03-01 05:30:29 · update #2
Wow. A lot of "interesting" answers, and once again, a lot of comprehension difficulty. I appreciate your insight though.
2007-03-01 05:38:08 · update #3
Benny Hinn with his *magical knock em down healing sports jacket* is much more fun.
2007-03-01 05:21:03 · answer #1 · answered by U-98 6 · 3⤊ 3⤋
I will challenge you to try listening some more. Odds are that the next time (or the next speaker) will address the issue differently.
When you read through the scriptures, you will find that god speaks differently to different people. Some require a tender and nourishing word, others need their hind end kicked.
If you have ever spend time around people who have addiction issues, they often have to reach the bottom and realize that there is no way they can get up before they will seek help. While I did not hear the speaker, it sounds like she could well have been addressing that audience.
Does it resolve Christians from cleaning up their own messes? Nope, rather it is pointing them to where they can get the help they need to clean up their lives.
Oh, and the addage "God helps those who help themsleves" is not in the Bible. The Bible teaches that God helps those who call on his name (meaning seek his help).
2007-03-01 05:27:36 · answer #2 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The fact is, "God helps those who help themselves" isn't in the Bible. There are some situations which only God can fix. Like Sin. Only God can Save a Sin Sick Soul.
We are responsible for our actions, and responsible for taking the first step in fixing the situation, but in the long run, only God can make the difference.
2007-03-01 05:24:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
As a Christian I would have to say that I believe this is a major stumbling block for many people, when confronted with the truth that we are separated from God and there is nothing that we can do to help ourselves, people react in either of two ways.
The first is to reject this and let pride control our hearts.
The second is to accept that there is nothing we can do but simply put our trust in God.
When we put our trust in God our sins are forgiven, but we may still have to face the consequences of our previous actions here on earth for example if someone steals something on a Monday, becomes a Christian on a Tuesday, gets caught for the stealing on a Wednesday they will still have to pay for their wrongdoing here on earth.
JB
2007-03-01 05:30:39 · answer #4 · answered by J B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have to agree with you. Belief and trust in God (whatever god you follow) will most likely help you pull out of "life's pitfalls." Belief and trust in your own logic system would no doubt be of help as well.
-Not capable of helping themselves and no one else can help them either - that's a load of crap. I don't think it's Biblical either. I think it's another fine example of a televangelist wannabe making stuff up.
2007-03-01 05:25:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, we need to be responsible for our actions; but when it comes to our source of dependency it should be on God and not of our own fallible selves. God and only God is able to pick us up out of a horrible pit and lift up our bowed down heads of depression. We are helping ourselves first by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, our Rock and our Strong Tower.
2007-03-01 05:26:29 · answer #6 · answered by Putta Rat 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you are mixing spirit world and real world. you are thinking real world, she was talking spirit world. apples to oranges.
bible flat up says.....those that do not believe in him nor his word will not understand his message.
easily can show you this....open a bible or get on www.biblegateway.com and get into the chapters of Revelation. Read chapter 1, talking about the 7 churches. You will read that and figure, they are talking about 7 churches. But in reality its speaking of the 7 trials within yourself as a human. To not believe in him, you will not understand the message.
For the book is not written like a manual on how to do engine repair. But written in metaphors, language of signs and images, etc.
2007-03-01 05:25:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The bible does not say that old proverb.Your not a christian so you can`t understand faith.Faith is leaning on God and believing on Him when you have tried every avenue you have tried in life.This does not mean to sit back and do nothing.It means when you did everything you can possibly do you have to believe and trust.
2007-03-01 05:26:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I didn't hear it so I can not respond correctly.
I do know that some people get themselves into deep trouble and ask God to help them and He does.
The old saying "God helps those who helps themselves" is not in the Bible.
But It is in the Bible that He does help those who ask Him.
2007-03-01 05:23:13 · answer #9 · answered by chris p 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
There many commonly-used expressions that originate in the Bible, but God helps those who help themselves is definitely not one of them.
In John 15:5, He says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
And Matthew 7:7 says: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
2007-03-01 05:22:46 · answer #10 · answered by cmw 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Let me put it this way - when I was a very little girl, I wanted to pray to have God clean my room for me.
That's when my older sister taught me the lesson that He doesn't work that way, that instead I needed to pray for the strength and ability to clean my own room.
It was a very simple lesson taught to a very little girl, but I learned that all our strength and abilities come from God, but we still have to use them to clean up our own messes.
2007-03-01 05:24:05 · answer #11 · answered by daisyk 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋