Prophetic Hotspot: Separating the Tradition of Men from the Truth
The landscape of Christian discourse is often—and sometimes perilously—strewn with phrases and adages that carry the weight of scriptural authority, yet remain entirely unwritten in the sacred texts. As we focus on the meticulous study required for understanding the Lord’s Return, it becomes imperative to heed the warning of the Apostle Paul, lest we be swayed by “old wives’ fables” (1 Timothy 4:7). The Bible, our infallible guide, cautions us to hold fast only to the Word of God, and today we shall shine a light on several common sayings that, believe it or not, are NOT in the Bible.
The Great Misconceptions
Below are several of the most pervasive maxims commonly attributed to the Bible, followed by the truth as found in the King James Version.
1. The Myth of Self-Reliance: “God helps those who help themselves.”
This proverb, often misquoted as a cornerstone of biblical work ethic, is not scripture. It is instead an ancient Greek principle, popularized by Benjamin Franklin in Poor Richard’s Almanac.
The biblical message is the very opposite: it is an affirmation of utter dependence on the Almighty. Scripture exalts the one who places their faith in God, not their own strength.
The True Scripture:
“Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5)
“My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2)
2. The Omission of Context: “Money is the root of all evil.”
This is perhaps the most common misquotation. It is close, but the omission of two small words changes the entire theological meaning, exonerating the commodity and convicting the heart.
The Bible does not condemn wealth itself, but the craving for it, which distracts the soul from eternal pursuits and entices one to break the law of God.
The True Scripture:
“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)
3. The Majestic Menagerie: “The lion shall lie down with the lamb.”
While this phrase paints a beautiful, peaceful image of Christ’s coming kingdom—a theme central to our mission at TheLordsReturn.com—the exact wording is not found in the Bible. It is a conflation of two powerful prophetic verses describing the peace of the Millennial Reign.
The biblical text features the wolf and the leopard, confirming the peaceable kingdom, yet cautioning us to rely only on the exact words of the Holy Ghost.
The True Scripture:
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6)
4. The False Assurance of Endurance: “God will never give you more than you can handle.”
This well-meaning phrase is often offered for comfort, but it is not a direct quote from the Bible and misrepresents the nature of our struggles. The truth is that we will face challenges beyond our own capacity, precisely so that we are forced to rely wholly upon the strength of Christ.
The scripture it often attempts to summarize relates to temptation, not general affliction, and is a promise of God’s provision for an escape.
The True Scripture:
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
5. The Misplaced Virtue: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
This popular maxim, often attributed to the Bible, is not scripture. It is a derivative of ancient Jewish and Babylonian proverbs that was later revived by Sir Francis Bacon and popularized by John Wesley.
While the Bible certainly calls for ceremonial purity and inner holiness, the phrase distracts from the primary truth: godliness is a matter of the heart, not mere external hygiene.
The True Scripture:
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.” (Matthew 23:25)
The Return Question: Why Does This Matter?
The tendency to accept traditional sayings as inspired truth reveals a subtle, yet powerful, shift from a biblically grounded mindset to a culturally conditioned one. For those awaiting the Lord’s Return, this distinction is paramount. A small change in a single verse can obscure the vital details of prophecy, replacing God’s clear decree with human tradition.
The Apostle Peter exhorts us to be diligent, and in this final age, diligence demands we study the actual text to discern the truth of God’s plan, particularly the detailed roadmap concerning the Day of the Lord.