It seems many Christians today form most of their beliefs from random Bible verses plucked out of context. Rather the reading the Bible as a whole to get an understanding of its full meaning. Pulling a verse here and there to help you in times of need is fine. However, to never read the fullness of the Bible is a great disservice to yourself and will lead to you not understanding the full message of the Bible.
Without context, the meaning of a short statement is altered greatly. Many people’s opinion of the verses listed below would be different if they simply read the verse in its context. But it is not just the context surrounding the single verse that should be read. The whole Bible needs to be read by Christians in order to gain a full understanding of it’s teaching.
Also, the Bible did not originally have chapter or verse numbers. Those were added in the 16th century in an attempt to make finding key scriptures easier. But some would say the addition has potentially hurt Christianity as a whole more than it helped.
Below, you will find a few Bible verses that are commonly taken out of context and misunderstood by many people. These verses are often used to empower people or further a certain denomination’s beliefs. But when put into their proper context, they carry a meaning that aligns with the rest of God’s word.
Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
This verse is absolutely everywhere! Which makes sense because it is an extremely powerful verse. The thought of Jesus helping us in every situation is amazing. But is this verse really saying that God gives us the strength to do absolutely everything? Does the statement “I was able to make that scoring play because ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me’” really fulfill the meaning of that verse?. No that’s simply just what our human nature wishes Paul meant when he wrote it.
Just a few verses before this Paul tells us how he has learned to be content in any situation. Whether he had an empty stomach or full. You could even expand this to cover all the times Paul was beaten and imprisoned for preaching Jesus. Through it all, he was granted the strength to survive and continue to spread the Gospel.
The reason Paul says he can do “all things” is because all he wanted to do was to bring the lost to a right relationship with Christ. God honors that kind of lifestyle and will strengthen those who are putting Him and others before themselves.
So when you use the verse don’t use it in relation to worldly gain. Of course, God will give you strength in times of need and help you overcome tough situations. But God will not empower you to serve your selfish desires and those of the world.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I decided to share this verse in the NIV because it is the common way you hear people say it. The meaning of the verse does not really change between translations, but I do feel it is taken out of context more by people who see it in this version.
Many often believe this verse says they will prosper in a worldly way, through money, good relationships, etc. This will often lead people away from God. because they do not “prosper” in the time or manner they see fit.
God, of course, wants good things for us in this life. However, the things God sees as good are often not the same things that world views as good.
Many of the people God led to do great things throughout the Bible where poor, some had ailments (Pauls thorn), and many were persecuted for their belief in Him. You see, we need to realize that the promises of God do not always apply to our lives in this world but our lives in the next.
So when we read scripture like this we need to realize that if we serve God, we may not receive the promise here. But we will certainly receive the promise of prospering, safety and a future all in the next life.
Matthew 28:19 (KJV)
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
The doctrine of the Trinity finds its foundation primarily in this single verse. As well as the form of baptism many churches use. Yet, this is the only verse, out of the over 23,000 Bible verses, that contains these three titles of God. I say the titles of God because that all they really are. For example, I am a father, a husband, and a son. But that does not make me more than one person.
Nor if I asked you to do something in my name would you try to use the titles that describe me. You would simply use my proper name, Justin. In the above verse, we are instructed to baptize in the name of those titles. Not the names(plural) but name(singular). That one name is the name of Jesus. We even see this played out later in scripture as every baptism following it is recorded as being done in the name of Jesus.
There is one omnipresent all-powerful God. Who is able to be anything and do anything at any time. To learn move about oneness takes a moment to read some of our other articles on the subject here. But for the purpose of this article, you need to understand that Jesus is not just one part of a triune Godhead. He was God with us (Matthew 1:23). He was and is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).
Going Forward from Here
Now that you have seen a few commonly misunderstood Bible verses and the truth of what they mean. We hope that you will open the Bible and look at some of the verses that are important to you. Read the surrounding context and be sure the meaning implied in the text is the meaning get from the verse itself. Don’t be mislead by simply taking every verse at face value. It could potentially lead you away from God.
As we mentioned in the opening it is important to also read the Bible as a whole. Reading the complete Bible is the only way to know all your beliefs line up with what the scripture says. I know it seems impossible but if I can do it, I know anyone can. If you are not sure about reading the Bible please read our other article entitled “If You Would Just Read The Bible”. This article shows how important it is to spend time in God’s word and gives tips on where to start.
If you found this article helpful we ask that you give it a share. That is the best way for us to reach more and more people with the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank you in advance for your help! God Bless!
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