Actually, that's not in the Bible

I just read a post by CNN entitled "Actually, that's not in the Bible" it it surprised me with one of the things they listed. "Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden right? Nope. That's one of many phantom passages that people think are in the Bible" says CNN writer John Blake.

But I totally disagree with CNN writer John Blake that the serpent is not Satan. (read Genesis 3 which is about man’s temptation and fall). Because in Ezekiel 28:13-19 it tells us that Satan was in Eden, and many other passages associate a serpent or a snake-like creature with Satan (such as Job 26:13 and Isaiah 51:9). Revelation 12:9 and 20:2 speak of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan.

However, “We often infect the Bible with our own values and morals, not asking what the Bible’s values and morals really are,” says Sidnie White Crawford, a religious studies scholar at the University of Nebraska. “Most people who profess a deep love of the Bible have never actually read the book,” says Rabbi Rami Shapiro.

Here is the short list:

• “God helps those who help themselves.” (phantom scripture that appears nowhere in the Bible, attributed to Benjamin Franklin)
• “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” (distillation of Proverbs 13:24: “The one who withholds [or spares] the rod is one who hates his son.”)
• “God works in mysterious ways.” (paraphrase of a 19th century hymn by the English poet William Cowper “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.)
• “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” (coined by John Wesley?)
• “Pride goes before a fall.” (approximation, Proverbs 16:18, is actually written: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”)
• The scripture never says a whale swallowed Jonah. (a “great fish”)
• Nor did any New Testament passages say that three wise men visited baby Jesus.
• And there is this often-cited paraphrase: Satan tempted Eve to eat the forbidden apple in the Garden of Eden. The story in the book of Genesis never places Satan in the Garden of Eden (* but Ezekiel 28:13-19 does)

 (http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/05/thats-not-in-the-bible/)

“You can see this manifest today in living room Bible studies across North America where lovely Christian people, with no training whatsoever, drink decaf, eat brownies and ask each other, ‘What does this text mean to you?’’’ says Craig Hazen, director of the Christian Apologetics program at Biola University in Southern California.“Not only do they get the interpretation wrong, but very often end up quoting verses that really aren’t there.”

Here is another list from Blue Letter Bible entitled "Sayings Not Found in Scripture", you might want to familiarize yourself with these so you don't make the mistake of quoting these or saying they are found in the Bible either.

Sayings
Moderation in all things.
Once saved, always saved.
Better to cast your seed....
Spare the rod, spoil the child.
To thine ownself be true.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
God helps those who help themselves.
Money is the root of all evil.
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
This too shall pass.
God works in mysterious ways.
The eye is the window to the soul.
The lion shall lay down with the lamb.
Pride comes before the fall.
Miscellaneous
The Three Wisemen
The Sinner's Prayer
Wedding Vows
The Seven Deadly Sins
(http://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/sayings.cfm)

Many sayings have developed throughout the years by a variety of means. Scripture supports the purposes of some of the sayings while contradicting others.  Make sure your not deceived.

Seek and save that which is lost and press on in Love,
Tim Molter, bondservant of Jesus