2007-07-04 16:42:28 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The quote is from Christian answers to theological mystery pointed out in an earlier question.
If Christians want to use "Gawd helps those who help themselves", I want justification.
2007-07-04 16:49:53 · update #1
God does not help anybody because he does not exist. He exists only in our minds. It is not possible to prove the existence of God scientifically. His existence is based on belief not on proof. A person can believe in God, Angels, Jinn (Genie) but if he wants me to believe I would require scientific proof.
Theists say you do not see Oxygen but you believe in it. Why not believe in God? Oxygen can be measured through Physics, Chemistry but the existence of God cannot. I don't think God has an impact in our daily life. Therefore asking God will not help anything.
2007-07-04 19:43:33 · answer #1 · answered by Saphire4 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Its not in the Bible. In fact the Bible teaches the opposite. God helps the helpless! (Isaiah 25:4)
However ... Some Christians fall into the trap of inactivity. Many Christians ask God for help, but then expect God to do everything Himself. They excuse this by pointing to the fact that God will provide according to His will and in His timing. However, this is not a reason for inactivity. As a specific example, if you are in need of work, ask the Lord to help you find a job - but then be active in actually looking for a job! While it is in His power to do so, it is highly unlikely that God will cause employers to come looking for you!
2007-07-04 23:48:19 · answer #2 · answered by thundercatt9 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't know if that is theologically correct, as a person I find it easier to help those who want help, but God is bigger than me, and is able to deliver people from hard core drug addictions - those people according to us who don't abuse/use drugs generally think they don't want help - but God delivers... I think this is a cop out used to explain why prayers of the righteous don't succeed... Where in the story (for want of a better word) paralysed man His four friends dug a hole in the roof and lowered him down to Jesus, Jesus told the 4 friends because of your faith, then to the man Your sins are forgiven.. Faith was there but the bible didn't say it was the paralysed man... ..... Sometimes it is our faith as Christians that is lacking and we doubt God's power, but God is God of the miraculous and signs and wonders even today for He is the same yesterday today and forever Hebrews 13:8 (i know that one is correct)
2007-07-05 01:35:35 · answer #3 · answered by Abbasangel 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hercules and the Wagoneer
"A carter was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the wheels sank down deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and help him. Hercules, it is said, appeared and thus addressed him: "Put your shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks, and never more pray to me for help, until you have done your best to help yourself, or depend upon it you will henceforth pray in vain."
Moral: The Gods help those who first help themselves.
edit: But you sound like you want more than the wisdom of Aesop...so here is n explanation, to help you out. What this fable is saying is, why are you praying to God to do the job for you, here the wagoneer wanted Hercules to pick up the cart for him...instead he should have been putting his back to it, and Hercules would help him by giving the extra bit of strength he would need to get the job done.
kind of like the punchline to the old joke...
Bob prayed to God everyday to win the lottery, one day God said to Bob, "Meet me halfway, buy a ticket."
2007-07-04 23:58:11 · answer #4 · answered by Hatir Ba Loon 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
God didn't say that. Benjamin Franklin did. A man. "God helps the helpless." Ps 41:1
2007-07-05 00:06:30 · answer #5 · answered by Bruce7 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The point in asking God for anything is to build a relationship with him who has given us so much. You wouldn't get food, clothes, TV, phone, toys, cars, gas, and a roof over your head until the day you were 18 and never say a thing to your parents, would you? We receive so many things from God, and all he wants is for us to acknowledge him and talk with him. He wants us to be with him, he never wishes for any of us to turn our backs on him.
2007-07-04 23:52:06 · answer #6 · answered by Matt 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That famous quote is NOT a bible verse.
The Bible does actually say in Phil 2:13
" For it is God Who operates in you both the willing and teh working for His good Pleasure"
This is on the heels of Paul admonishing the saints in vs 12
So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
So on the one hand God works and operates in us..but we need to cooperate with Him each day as He seeks to work out His good pleasure in us.
What is this good pleasure.. what would please God?
Gal 1:15-16
But when it pleased God who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me thorough His grace,
To REVEAL His Son in me that I might announce Him as th Gospel to the Gentiles, immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood"
cool eh
2007-07-04 23:56:29 · answer #7 · answered by Broken Alabaster Flask 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That quote does not appear in the Bible. It is a phrase made up by man. We pray because it humbles us and lets God know that we are putting our faith in Him. Prayer does not change God, it changes us.
2007-07-04 23:47:51 · answer #8 · answered by JH348 1 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Well, I think the point is that even though we can ask God for anything good and rely on him to help us, we shouldn't expect him to give us anything we didn't work for.
Of course, that commonly repeated proverb isn't found in the Bible - those are Benjamin Franklin's words.
2007-07-04 23:46:07 · answer #9 · answered by DwayneWayne 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
That's not in the Bible . (Do you realize that even Balaam's donkey fell down in reverence before the angel of the Lord? Guess not all donkeys are stubborn, huh.)
2007-07-05 03:58:30 · answer #10 · answered by . 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋