I Can Do All Things... NO YOU CAN'T!
One of the biggest mistakes people make when reading the Bible is assuming every promise, encouragement, or comforting statement applies to everyone in every situation. The Bible was written to specific people in specific circumstances, and if we ignore that context, we can easily make a passage mean something God never intended.
A common example is Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
This verse is often used by athletes before a game, students before a test, business owners trying to grow a company, or people chasing personal goals. It is treated as a promise that Christ will help us succeed in whatever we want to do.
But that is not what Paul is talking about.
When we read the surrounding verses, Paul explains that he has learned how to live in poverty and in abundance. He knows how to be hungry and how to be full. He knows how to suffer need and how to have plenty. Then he says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
The "all things" are not worldly ambitions, personal dreams, or secular challenges. The "all things" are the hardships, sacrifices, and trials that come with faithfully following Christ. Paul is saying that Christ gives him the strength to endure whatever circumstances come his way as a disciple.
That changes the meaning entirely.
The verse is not about winning football games. It is about remaining faithful when following Christ becomes difficult.
This problem is not limited to Philippians 4:13. Many passages are removed from their context and turned into general motivational sayings. Promises given to faithful disciples are often applied to people who simply claim Christ while living no differently than the world around them.
The Bible certainly has principles that benefit all people, but many of its promises were written to those who belong to Christ and are walking with Him. The encouragements found in Scripture were often written to believers facing persecution, suffering, rejection, and hardship because of their faith.
When we read the Bible this way, its message becomes clearer. Instead of turning Scripture into a book about achieving our personal goals, we see it as God's message to those who are faithfully following His Son. The Bible is not primarily concerned with helping people succeed in a secular life. It is concerned with helping disciples remain faithful no matter what that life brings.
The comfort of Scripture is not diminished by reading it in context. It is strengthened. We learn that God's promises are real, but they must be understood as they were originally given. When we read the Bible in its proper context, we stop making it say what we want it to say and start hearing what God actually said.