My 5 Favorite "Books" of the Bible ;-)

I was thinking the other day, "what are some things I have heard good christian people say that may or may not come from the Bible." You know the statements I'm talking about. You may be in a fairly heavy conversation and they might give a one-liner piece of advice that sounds pretty good at first. Something like, "God helps those who help themselves first" as justification for people taking action on a thought or decision. It sounds good, but what book of the Bible is that from?

Here are some of those quotes so you can mark them in your Bible and have them ready the next time someone asks for advice or help in an especially tough time. 


The Book of Assumptions 

• "God helps those who help themselves."
• "God will never give you more than you can bear."
• "This too shall pass."
• "This is my cross to bear." (In reference to trying to quit caffeine or dealing with stupid people.)
• WWJD?

Book of Annihilations 

• "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
• "What goes around comes around."
• "Our insurance won't allow it."
• "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
• "God just needed an extra special angel, so he took . . . "

1st Opinions

• "Pride goes before the fall." (This is definitely true, especially if you have ever watched a YouTube "fails" compilation
• "The Order of Service is as follows . . . "
• Thou shalt sing the "Doxology" upon the return of the offering plates.
• When communion in not on the Lord's Table, a giant King James Bible opened to the 23rd Psalm should be placed there.

2nd Opinions

• ". . . all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
• Y.O.L.O.!!
• Robert's Rules of Order
• There is an Aaamarcan and Christian flag on the stage.

Letter to the Hypocritians 

• "To thine own self be true."
• "Do unto others as to get the most you can."
• "I love Jesus, but I do drink a little bit."
• "The ends justify the means."

Scroll of the Socialonians 

• "Love the sinner, hate the sin."
• "Treat others the way they want to be treated."
• "Jesus was for social justice and equality."
•  "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.”

I know I don't have all of the writings of the "Good Book" here, because there seems to be a few translations that may not have them all. Maybe you know a few other ones from some of these books. Or maybe you know the other books. 

Let me also say, not all of these are bad quotes, or even unbiblical in idea. Just having fun. Some of the quotes above are from Fredreick Neitzche, Eleanor Roosevelt, William Shakespeare, Aesop, and many others throughout history, including Bubba down the holler. 

On a series note. 

We do have to be careful of making somethings "scripture" when it is not scripture. Jesus said he is the "TRUTH" and life. That out of him only comes truth. His Word can be trusted because it came from God the Father. We also have to remember that the Holy Bible is inerrant as given by God. The Bible is not Opinion for us to decide to agree with or not. It isn't an assumption because it's the best we can come up with based on what we know. The Bible isn't about how to get the most out of this life and others. It isn't even about how to live with people, although a lot of it has to do with social interaction. 

The Bible is really about God. Who he is. How he works. What he thinks and says. The ways he loves us and wants to interact with us. Yes, the Bible says a lot about interacting with our fellow man, but ALWAYS in the context of either how God is acting toward us or how we are to act toward God. I try to love my neighbor because God loves my neighbor and me. I try to sacrificially love my wife because God sacrificially loves her and me. I try to train up my children in the way they should go because God is trying to train me up in the way I should go. 

At the very CORE of the Bible is God interacting with man. At the very heart of that Core is Jesus. Holding out the truth. Gently encouraging us to come to him and find peace. That he is the way to eternal life. He is the light we see everything by. Jesus is the Shepherd who leads us to what is needed. Christ is the resurrection and life, the first to raise from the dead, proving he has the power to raise us from the dead. 

Let's enjoy this crazy life in the light of Jesus. Then he will shed light on what is really sin and the redemption that follows. He will teach us the path of righteousness instead of the road to destruction. He will judge us from the throne of grace and not the toilet of public opinion. 

As believers, lets make sure we speak the TRUTH with GRACE, just as Jesus did.

Still being shaped by His grace, 
Mitch


(For those of you still looking through the Table of Contents for these books, they are right after "Abominations" and before "Democratians" and "Letter of the Republicians")