What Do You Know?

What Do You Know?

Take the following quiz to see if you can correctly identify statements and facts that are found in the Bible. In the blank before each statement or fact, place a “Y” for yes if you believe it is in the Bible, or an “N” if you do not.

____ 1. “Money is the root of all evil.”

____ 2. “Seek first the kingdom of God.”

____ 3. “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”

____ 4. A whale swallowed Jonah.

____ 5. Three wise men came to visit Jesus when he was born.

____ 6. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

____ 7. “God helps those who help themselves.”

Let us examine each of the above to determine if they are actually found in the Bible.

Number 1: “Money is the root of all evil…” is tricky because, while not in the Bible, it is a misquote of 1 Timothy 6:10, where the Apostle Paul says, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” (NLT) The issue is not money, but greed.

Number 2: “Seek first the kingdom of God…” is found in Matthew 6:33, where Jesus taught that God wants us to make his kingdom our highest priority.

Number 3: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” While keeping your house, office, or vehicle clean is good, it has nothing to do with being godly. Most of us have known people who kept things clean but were self-centered and rarely thought about God.

Number 4: A whale swallowed Jonah. Again, this one is close, but Jonah 1:17 says, “the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah.”

Number 5: Three wise men came to visit Jesus when he was born. Most assume this is in scripture because they have sung the Christmas carol, “We Three Kings,” but the idea of three kings probably comes from the fact that the wise men brought the baby three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Number 6: “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” This statement is found in Hebrews 11:6, which teaches that trusting God is foundational to the Christian faith.

Number 7: “God helps those who help themselves.” This statement appears to be correct, but it is not found in scripture. While each of us is responsible for doing what we should, no one can earn God’s help through personal effort. The Apostle Paul wrote, “… the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NLT, bold is my emphasis) Theologian Dean Ulrich put it this way, “God does not help those who help themselves. Rather, he helps those who cannot help themselves, know it, and rely on him.”

So how did you do on my quiz? The good news is that even if you fell short of perfection, question seven demonstrates that God offers hope to each of us who relies on his mercy and grace