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What Does 'I Can Do All Things Through Christ' Really Mean?

Chris DeRoco

The following is a transcribed Video Q&A, so the text may not read like an edited article would. Scroll to the bottom to view this video in its entirety.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. - Philippians 4:13

I think one of the most important things we can do is to look in the text and it's context. We get in a lot of trouble when we rip verses out and put them on posters and take them out of their context. I think a classic one is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I can't tell you how many basketball posters I've seen on. And, you know, Paul had no idea - he was not talking about basketball. And he certainly was not talking about 'you can do anything that you set your mind to because of Jesus.'

The reality there - he is talking about he can either do well when things go well, or he can be at peace when things go poorly. He knows how to suffer, and he knows how to stay faithful to Christ when he's not suffering. So when he says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, you have to define what does 'all things'? All things are either him doing really really well, and so he's faithful, or him suffering for the sake of the gospel and still being faithful and joyful in the process. So that's what he means "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

For further information on the topic, see the following articles:

What Does Paul Really Mean When He Says, ‘I Can Do All Things’?
The Hidden Truth of Philippians 4:13: “I Can Do All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Me”
Can I Do 'All Things'? Examining Phil. 4:13

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