Bible Studies

Part One

I’ve seen this taking place over and over again, when people that are clearly in over their heads, tell themselves (or are told by others) that God does not allow us to be tempted or stressed beyond what we can handle.

This leaves the unedified individual to conclude that there is either something wrong with the Bible, or there is something wrong with them, as they clearly are, in fact, in over their heads with more on their plate than what they can handle.

A closer examination of the c-o-m-p-l-e-t-e verse in view (1), will reveal that God has NOT said that we can’t find ourselves in over our heads, but that WHEN WE DO, He has provided the means that enables us to either escape or to endure the situations.

It’s not that the Bible is wrong, but there is a popular misunderstanding of this verse that needs to be corrected.

First of all, the word adversity is not found anywhere in the verse at all, although I would agree that the same principle regarding irresistible temptation can apply to overwhelming adversity, as well.

Furthermore, we will see that it was OUR failure to prepare ourselves beforehand (2) Matt. 7: 24-27), or OUR failure to apply the means (3) James 1 : 25) that God has provided, is what opens the door to levels of temptation or adversity is that is more than what we can handle.

Let’s take a look at 1Cor. 10: 13.

“No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able (to bear), but with (such) temptation (God) will provide the way of escape also, so you will be able to endure it (1Cor. 10: 13 NASB2020 parentheses mine).”

If there had been a period (.) instead of a comma (,) after the word “able”, then the promoters of the no greater temptation interpretation would have a good argument.

But that is not the case. It is the ending part of the verse that comes after the comma that enables us to grasp the correct interpretation of the verse.

What this verse, in combination with other supporting verses, actually says is that when we DO face temptation that IS more than what we can handle, that God in His faithfulness has provided the advancing disciple with the means to either escape or endure the situation.

But like a prescription that we pick up at the pharmacy, the Bible will do us no good it if it remains unopened on the shelf, collecting dust, and not taken (applied) as directed.

Note that there were no chapter breaks, verse breaks, or punctuation marks in the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts that eventually became what we know as Old Testament and New Testament Scripture. Such things were added by translators for “clarification” and reference points. For the most part, this was a good thing, but in some cases, it got in the way of accurate interpretation.

Bibles in any other language, including ALL Latin and English ones, are only, at best, good translations of the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts.

The ambiguousness and limitations of the English language present serious obstacles when translating the original manuscripts into English, and from English into other languages.

As a result, some translators did and do a better job with some translations than they did with on others. This underscores for need for “Bible” teachers to research what the original of manuscripts had to say.

Putting aside what the Bible had to say, combined with all that Man would add to it in the name of religion, is what plunged the ancient world and the Christian Community of that day into what as been appropriately labelled as the Dark Ages.

There is no greater darkness than the darkness one is in when he thinks he is in the light!

It was not the initial intention of the Protestant Reformers to start a new Church, but to bring the existing Christian Community of their day back to its Biblical roots.

This would require the removal of all the Man-made concepts and accompanying practices that Man had planted and taken root over the preceding centuries.

Sad to say, this was not going to be the case. Man has (and will have) a long, persistent history of adding his own teachings and traditions to what Scripture has to say, and then promoting them as having come from God (4).

After their failure to reform the Roman Church, many of the Protestant religions that evolved, would also add to and pervert what the original manuscripts had to say, further dividing an already-divided Christian Community.

In this the devil is well-pleased.

Once something has been practiced long enough, be it good or evil, right or wrong, accurate or not, it becomes extremely difficult to remove.

No wonder Jesus made it a part of the Lord’s Prayer (the Our Father) for Church Age believers to continually pray for their deliverance from evil. Evil includes any teaching or accompanying practice that contradicts Scripture.

1Tim. 4: 1 tells us that this will only get worse as we encounter the impact of the end times, when what is good is called evil, and what is evil is called good.

This, and not the activity portrayed in modern-day horror films, is what spiritual combat during the Church Age has been, is now, and will be primarily all about.

It is what takes place on this battlefield that is behind what we hear coming from the pulpits.

Developing one’s individual Biblically-edified edified soul structure is the only sure-fire way to learn and to apply what God actually has to say concerning spiritual issues.

An advancing disciple learns the difference between the principles of Scripture (that tells what might take place if certain conditions are met), and the promises of Scripture (that will take place) no matter what).

Failure to do so can set the stage for a major disappointment when what we have assumed or have been erroneously taught, fails to materialize.

Know that the devil or one who does his bidding will be right there to tell us that the Word of God is wrong, when in fact it was our assumption or interpretation of the Bible was what WE had gotten wrong.

1Cor. 10: 13 is a prime example.

(1) 1Cor. 10: 13 (2) Matt. 7: 24-27 (3) James 1: 25 (4) Matt.15: 9/Gal. 3:1/1Tim. 4: 1.