Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Is it scripture?

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness”

Although we all want and desire to be like Jesus and follow the life God has set out for us, being the cleanest is not going to get you any closer to your goal. As one of the most quoted ‘christian’ sayings, this quote is not actually in the Bible.

 God still does call us to lead holy and righteous lives as the Bible does state in 2 Corinthians 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.”, and 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (NLT)

So God is calling us to be clean, to have clean hearts, bodies, spirits and minds. So, where did this mistaken quote come from?

According to gotquestions.org, the phrase was coined in Hebrew history but was first translated into the English language by Francis Bacon in 1605. His quote was a little different though: Bacon’s version was “Cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God.”

 This quote stuck with history when in 1791 John Wesley took Bacon’s version and made this quote into what it is today. “Slovenliness is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness." 

So I leave you with this; cleanliness is not next to Godliness, but we as believers are called to live pure lives for Christ and to be the example for those who do not know him. 

So, what does this statement mean to you?

 Christina Lynn-Valencia