MISUNDERSTOOD VERSES OF THE BIBLE
In Philippians 4:13 Paul, who was in prison at the time, wrote “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” So, let me ask you: Can you do all things through Christ? This is one of those times when all is hyperbolic. When Paul says “I can do all things”, he doesn’t literally mean ALL things. For example: He was not saying:
- I can jump across the Atlantic Ocean.
- I can eat 50 kg of meat in one sitting.
- I can read the Old Testament in 60 seconds.
That’s just silly. He doesn’t mean that. Nobody can literally do all things, nor would they want to.
What he actually says is this: As a Christian, I can endure hunger, I can suffer hardship, I can face persecution… and God will sustain me. I will still believe in Jesus. He is also saying, if I am blessed and well fed and prosperous and everything goes well in my life, I won’t become self-righteous. By God’s grace I will remain humble and continue to trust in Jesus. Paul had learned the secret of being content regardless of his circumstances.
Listen to what he actually said. Read verses 12 and 13:
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.“
I especially love the NIV translation of this verse. It does not say “I can do all things”. It says: “I can do all this”, that is, all that I have just mentioned in verse 12. Do you know what gives Paul’s claim such credibility? It is the fact that he wrote this letter from a cold, dark, smelly prison cell. Paul had experienced a degree of wealth and worldly success in his life. But he knew those blessings are not guaranteed. He also knew hunger, cold, pain, and loneliness. And in that miserable situation he said with confidence: “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”