What “All Things” Can We Do Through Christ?

What “All Things” Can We Do Through Christ?

One of the great things about the Bible is that we can “grab onto” certain verses or passages. Nearly every believer has a “favorite verse” (if not more). But the Bible is not simply a list of disconnected adages (other than perhaps the book of Proverbs). The Bible is meant to be read in context. So this week, I’m going to take a look at some familiar passages and offer what may be new ways of understanding them.

First on the list is Philippians 4:13:

• “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (NASB)
• “I can do all things through him who gives me strength” (NIV)
• “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (NLT)
• “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength” (CEB)
• “Christ gives me the strength to face anything” (CEV)

“All Things” Does NOT Mean “Anything I Want”

I enjoy watching sports. When I was younger, I loved playing sports. Now, though, my body definitely reminds me that playing sports is one thing that I cannot do! But many people interpret this verse to mean that they can literally do anything by invoking Christ’s name. No, no, NO!

As I said earlier (and I’ve often noted in my blog posts), you cannot accurately understand or interpret Scripture outside of its context. When Paul wrote what we refer to as Philippians 4:13, he did not intend it to be a stand-alone comment. What would he think if he saw modern athletes with this reference on their eye-black, wristbands, or shoes? Well, let’s look at the context of the verse.

Context 1: Paul Doesn’t Mean That Life Will Be Easy

First, this is just one sentence toward the end of a lengthy letter that Paul wrote to his friends in Philippi. He is writing to them from a prison cell to encourage them not to be dismayed about his circumstances. In 1:12-18, he tells them that what has happened to him has “turned out for the greater progress of the gospel” (1:12). His focus is not on his imprisonment; his focus is on the mission of proclaiming the good news. If his imprisonment furthers that mission, he rejoices (see 1:18); and he wants them to rejoice as well.

Context 2: Paul Doesn’t Mean that “It’s All About Me”

Second, chapter 2 calls them to “have the same attitude” that Jesus had. Paul points to Christ’s “emptying Himself” (2:7). Above all, Jesus modeled humility: He did not use His status as the Son of God for His own advantage (“exploit,” CEB). He did not hold on to equality with God; instead, He humbled Himself in order to glorify God. That humbling culminated in His death on the cross (2:8). So if that’s the example that Jesus set, why would Paul complain about being in prison? Like Jesus, Paul set an example by keeping his focus on the mission.

The call to humility and the focus on the mission progresses as Paul continues. He begins chapter 4 with a call for unity in the church. Evidently, two leading women in the church have been at odds. Paul calls them to “live in harmony in the Lord” (4:2). In other words: “the example of Christ and my own example remind you to set aside your conflict and stay focused on the gospel.” This harkens back to chapter 2: “with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves” (2:3).

“All Things” Reminds Us That The Gospel Is Primary

With all of that context, let’s look now at the passage which concludes with verse 13. “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act. Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstances I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (4:10-13).

Paul’s comments focus on the Philippians’ help for him while he has been in jail. While he is grateful for their concern and their care, he does not want them to misunderstand. He knew that they cared about him, even before he received their assistance. But he needs them to recognize that his trust was in Jesus, not in them. Throughout his ministry, he experienced times of need, and other times of abundance. He never forgot, though, that everything else paled in comparison to his relationship with Jesus. As he stated in chapter 3: “Whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ” (3:7-8).

“All Things” Reminds Us That God Is In Control

All of that context shapes our understanding of verse 13. Paul knows how to get along with little or nothing; he knows how to appropriately handle abundance. No matter what life throws at him, he can face it because Christ strengthens him. The CEB translation of verse 13 emphasizes this: “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.”

One last note: I certainly don’t want to imply that there is any limit to the power of Christ! So if God calls you to do something, you can be sure that He will enable you to do whatever He asks! But that’s the key: doing what God wants. When God called me to preach, I knew that I couldn’t do it on my own. It didn’t make sense to me; that wasn’t anything that I had wanted. I knew that if it wasn’t God’s will, it would be a disaster. But I also knew that if it was His will, He would enable me to do it. As the CEV translation puts it: “Christ gives me the strength to face anything!”