Cleanliness is next to godliness bible verse kjv
by Michael Osborne
If cleanliness is next to godliness, it is because they are in such close competition. It is hard to be godly and to be clean, too. When a schedule already bulges with a full-time job, church ministries, activities, and raising a toddler, sometimes the choice becomes one of washing the pile of dishes or reading the Bible, of writing an exhorting letter to that wayward believer or fixing the faucet, of inviting that new family at church over for dessert or getting the boxes in the basement unpacked (since we bought our first house in May).
I am a clean freak. (My wife just glanced over my shoulder and corrected me. “You used to be a clean freak.”) Touché. Having a toddler and all of these various responsibilities has constrained me to relax my standards, and it vexes my clean-freak soul. If asked what she does for a living, my wife tells people, “I fight entropy.” And entropy fights back so hard, you would think we’re living under some kind of curse.
But wait. We are living under a curse. So I have to keep not only my new 0.42 acres free of literal thorns and thistles, as described in Genesis 3, but also the retaining wall clear of Killer cicada wasps
What Does it Mean 'Cleanliness is Next to Godliness'?
"Cleanliness is next to godliness." Most Christians have likely heard this saying, but where did it begin? While the specific expression is not seen in the Bible, the idea is certainly expressed.
"Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." ~ Isaiah 1:16-17
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." ~ Psalm 51:7
Origins of 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness'
John Wesley, the co-founder of Methodism, may have been the originator of the slogan "cleanliness is next to godliness." In 1791, he referenced the phrase in one of his sermons as we use it today. Wesley wrote, “Slovenliness is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness."
John Wesley would often emphasize cleanliness in his preaching. But the general principle behind the practice begins long before the time of Wesley to the worship customs mentioned in the book of Leviticus. These observances were established to show sinners h
15 Bible Verses on Godliness
Godliness is an essential pursuit for every Christian. God has awesome plans to make us more like Christ, but we own work to do as well: “Train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7).
Use this list of Bible verses on godliness from the New Testament to motivate you to be God’s bloke or God’s woman, growing in the fear of God, like for God, and desire for God. (And no, “cleanliness is next to godliness” is not a verse from the Bible!)
Bible Verses on Godliness in the Pastoral Letters
1) 1 Timothy 2:10 – …but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.
2) 1 Timothy 3:16 – Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
3–4) 1 Timothy 4:7, 8 – Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
5) 1 Timothy 5:4 – B
You know, there are a few phrases that I have heard Christians use so much that they begin to believe them to be in the Bible somewhere. These include:
“God won’t give you more than you can handle.”
“God helps those who help themselves.”
“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
While all three of these phrases have potential biblical principles, the actual phrases are NOT found in the Scriptures. Are you surprised? Maybe so… However, we can understand them and apply them to our lives from the Scriptures that teach these principles. Let’s take a look at the last one and break it down a little.
“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
There are passages found in the Old Testament that teach the people of Israel to be clean people. Shortly before the nation of Israel entered the Promised Land, God said that He would protect them from “terrible diseases” (Deuteronomy 7:15). One way He accomplished this was by giving them specific instructions on hygiene. For example:
- There were specific instructions about bathing and washing clothes – Leviticus 15:4-27
- There were specific instructions about where to go to the bathroom to relieve yourself – Deuteronomy
Is cleanliness next to godliness?
Answer
The saying “cleanliness is next to godliness” does not appear in the Bible. The expression is an archaic proverb found in Babylonian and Hebrew religious tracts. Its debut in the English language, in a modified form, is found in the writings of philosopher and scientist Sir Francis Bacon. In Advancement of Learning(1605) he wrote, “Cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God.” Almost two hundred years later (1791), John Wesley made a reference to the expression in one of his sermons in the form we use it today. Wesley wrote, “Slovenliness is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness."
It’s hard to say where the idea of a connection between cleanliness and godliness originated. The Israelites were certainly concerned about the concepts of “clean” and “unclean” because a major portion of the Mosaic Law outlines the principles of each. Among the unclean things that God’s people were to avoid are dead bodies and carcasses, eating certain animals, leprosy, and bodily discharges. Elaborate washing rituals were prescribed to render an unclean person clean again so that he could re-enter the