The misquote of 1 Corinthians 10:13 is massive…
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
This verse of Scripture has been used for years… generations even… in an attempt to comfort those who were going through a trial. You will hear people say, “God never puts more on us than we can handle” and they say this in their attempt to recall 1 Corinthians 10:13. I don’t know who it was that started this… but I would like to punch them in the face with as much Christian love as I can muster.
Claiming that “promise” from this verse is like trying to claim you won the lottery with a food stamp. It’s empty, void, and worthless because it is taking the Word of God out of context and twisting it and putting words in God’s mouth that He never said just because you heard someone else say it and it sounded good.
The context of 1 Corinthians 10:13 is set slap down in a message from Paul to the church in Corinth concerning SIN.
In 1 Corinthians 10:7 he writes,
“Do not be idolaters…“
In 1 Corinthians 10:14 he writes,
“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 is nestled right in between these two verses. This verse is here to let us know that NO TEMPTATION has overtaken us that is not common to man and God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able and with that temptation He will provide escape.
The word temptation here is peirasmos and in this verse it means specifically, the trial of man’s fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy, etc.; also an enticement to sin, temptation, whether arising from the desires or from outward circumstances, an internal temptation to sin, of the temptation by which the devil sought to divert Jesus the Messiah from his divine errand, of a condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from faith and holiness: in the phrases, adversity, affliction, trouble (cf. our trial), sent by God and serving to test or prove one’s faith, holiness, character.
1 Corinthians 10:13 is simply a will you choose sin or will you choose God. Will you choose to listen to the Word and obey what He has clearly revealed to you or will you choose to listen to the words of others and your own flesh. And if you choose sin, if you choose the words of others over God, or your own desires, know that it WAS NOT because you were powerless against it or because God had left you with no way out… you just ignored Him and chose sin. Thus you proved the condition of your own heart and revealed your own unrighteousness and your own desire for evil… even though you knew the truth.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks…
Romans 1:21
So please… please stop.
Please stop patting someone on the arm who is overwhelmed with circumstances that have come as a result of this sinful fallen world and not their own sinful fallen choices and tell them that God will not put more on them than they can handle.
There are things in this world that we cannot handle. If we could handle them we wouldn’t need Jesus. Instead of patting them on the arm and misquoting a Scripture reference, how about going to your knees right then and there, and storming the throne of God on their behalf. How about calling on the name of the Lord, petitioning Him on their behalf, with words and promises that God DID say and record.
How about praying Philippians 4:13 over them… in context..
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
This verse originally reads, all things I am strong for in the One strengthening me. The phrase I am strong for is the word ischuó in the Greek and it means properly, embodied strength that “gets into the fray” (action), i.e. engaging the resistance. For the believer, refers to the Lord strengthening them with combative, confrontive force to achieve all He gives faith for. That is, facing necessary resistance that brings what the Lord defines is success (His victory, cf. 1 Jn 5:4).
A believer doesn’t need prayers for circumstances to be removed, but for strength to stand firm in the midst of them. God will not lead us in to temptation but He will however allow us to face a trial so that we might testify in and through these trials to the validity of His Word and power and the hope that we have within us. One way or another this world will come against those who confess to belong to the One True God. Our sacrifice of praise comes in our continuousness to give thanks and praise to God regardless of what we face in this world.
Walking away from sin is NOT a sacrifice or an offering to the Lord. The obvious consequences that come as a result of sinful choices in themselves gives anyone regardless of their faith the common sense to see the need to avoid certain choices. You have not done God any favors by choosing Him over sin. When God asks for a sacrifice from His own, it is to be spotless and without blemish… sin is something you discard and cut away and burn. It is not a gift you lay at the feet of your King.
In Christ we are strong for ALL things. This strength comes from the Lord and this strength is enough to bring us success according to what the Lord defines as success… not what we define as success. The strength is to be a strength that enables us to engage, to confront, to be combative, in whatever battle it is that we face.
Temptation we are to find a way out and flee… but tribulations we are to stand and fight. Even if we have to fight alone… however church, let us not forget what comes after Philippians 4:13…
There is a Philippians 4:14,
Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.
Yes, all a believer needs is Jesus. All I need is Jesus, but NEVERTHELESS… how dare we see a brother in need and do nothing.
We know His great name… let us lift Him up and pray that our brothers and sisters in His name are strengthened and able to be victorious in Him, through Him, and for Him. This world is more than we can handle and please know that God never said He would not put more on us than we could handle… He just said we could trust Him.
Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
1 Peter 4:19