Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Well, I'm all for being clean. I really wondered where this saying got it's origins. Not in the Bible. While looking about, I found this neat tidbit:
CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS - "This ancient
proverb is said by some to have come from ancient Hebrew writings.
However, its first appearance in English - though in slightly altered
form - seems to be in the writings of Francis Bacon. In his 'Advancement
of Learning' (1605) he wrote: 'Cleanness of body was ever deemed to
proceed from a due reverence to God.' Near two centuries later John
Wesley in one of his sermons (1791) indicated that the proverb was
already well known in the form we use today. Wrote Wesley: 'Slovenliness
is no part of religion.'Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness.'" From
"Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" by William and Mary
Morris (HarperCollins, New York, 1977, 1988). There are a couple more
details in "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings"
(1996) by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996):
".According to the fourteenth edition of 'Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase
and Fable,' it is an old Hebrew proverb used in the late 2nd century by
Rabbi Phinehas ben-Yair. First attested in the United States in the
'Monthly Anthology and Boston Review' (1806). The proverb is found in
varying forms."
The book of Leviticus does deal with the
issue of cleanliness and impurity so that Israel would
be clean as a sign of separation from the surrounding nations. But the New Testament points out cleanliness in relation to the
cleansing of the believer's life.
1Jn. 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
2 Cor. 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Jms 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Eph. 5:26-27 So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
Personal Life Application: More important than my outside cleanliness (or my stinky kid's)...is the condition of the heart. Oh, what a beautiful opportunity to ponder the wonderful washing ability of the sacrificial blood of my Savior, Jesus. There is no sin He cannot forgive! If I am loving God with all my heart, soul and mind, I will be confessing my sins...in all its disgusting grossness...and He will wash me CLEAN. I'm praying that I will not run from confession of sin but that instead God will show me my YUCK...so I can be rid of it and closer to Him!
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:18
In the next few weeks I'm going to look into some others for Thursday's Nice, but nope! It's a fun blogging activity...and hopefully enriching as well. Here are some I have gathered thus far...
Moderation in all things.
To thine own self be true.
Pride comes before a fall.
This too shall pass.
God works in mysterious ways.
Money is the root of all evil.
4 comments:
Sounds like an interesting study. I look forward to benefitting from your research! Love, Mom D
These will be fun to read. I enjoyed today's study. So many people believe only what they have heard from others' thoughts and opinions about the Bible - not checking it out for themselves.
I think I like 'Slovenliness is no part of religion' better than 'Cleanliness is next to godliness.' :-) Though not a Biblical statement, I think it was trying to convey that your inward cleansing should manifest itself in your outward life, let all things be done in decency and order, etc. But definitely the inward cleansing is the most important.
I've heard many of these as well. One of the most maddening is "God won't give you more than you can handle." Of course He does, so we can see that only He can handle it!
another one that i always find amusing is how wrong the nativity story is, ie 3 wisemen and so forth.- g
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