God's Help

Benjamin Franklin is often credited with the maxim, "God helps those who help themselves."  Whether or not this thinking actually originated with Mr. Franklin, it has been perpetuated even to our day.  This quote is both true and false, depending on your perspective.  The statement infers that God only helps those who "help themselves."  If you believe that God created the world and remains in complete sovereign control over all, then it is clear that God helps people who can't help themselves.  When I was enslaved by my sins, the ability to help myself was beyond me.  It was only by the grace of God my eyes were opened, I came to my senses by the power of the Holy Spirit, and received the Gospel. by faith.

This statement is true in the sense that the level of faith and obedience to God I choose to walk in either restricts or frees God to further teach, guide, and empower me for His service.  Because God's promises are often conditional upon my belief and obedience, the help He provides is often contingent upon me meeting God's conditions.  Aspects of God's character are not conditional:  He is always willing and able to accomplish what concerns me today.  It is a fascinating thing that God desires to save men from their sins, but many frankly have no desire to be saved.  Refusing to meet the conditions of the Gospel, countless rush to certain eternal destruction through unbelief.  God would help them, God would save them - but they are unwilling to help themselves.  Jesus promised to grant the Holy Spirit, also called the Helper, to those who obey Him (John 14:26, Acts 5:32).

2 Thessalonians 3:10 contains a condition:  "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."  In the infancy of the church, people shared with one another and gave to any as each had need.  If someone was unwilling to work due to laziness, he should not expect the church to supply his needs.  If he wanted help, he would need to help himself.  Another condition which exists in scripture is the necessity to ask.  James 4:2 says, "You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask."  We do not need to be pedantic about making sure everyone meets certain conditions before we help them graciously.  But we ought to be aware of God's conditions as revealed through scripture.  Then we will understand how we must be willing to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, asking according to His will, and meeting His conditions through obedience.

It's a sad thing when people refuse to ask for help or deny they need help at all.  Few things make me feel more helpless than a fervent desire to help someone who does not want help.  What pain we experience when we reach out to a lost soul only to be pushed away!  How sad it is when we have the words of eternal life and the ministry of reconciliation through the Gospel and people angrily reject it, as if we intended to maliciously offend!  Love does not allow us to forget about those for whom Christ died.  No amount of hate or vitriol can drive away the love of Christ that wells up in our hearts for those who cannot help themselves.  Praise God that He is faithful, and it is He who loves us with an everlasting love.  Jesus came to seek, save, and help the lost, even when we were helpless and didn't deserve it.  Let's be faithful to love others and help them according to the grace and mercy God has granted us.  Galatians 6:9-10 reads, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."