In our last post, we considered the antithesis between the biblical worldview and the dominant worldview of today with respect to humanity. According to Scripture, this is God’s world, and we are His creatures, made in His image. It is God who made us and not we ourselves. He determines who we are, our number of days, and the boundaries of our lives (1 Cor 4:7, Psa 139:16, Acts 17:26). In our age of narcissistic self-obsession and extreme individualism, the world insists that we can be who and what we want to be, go wherever we want to go and do whatever we want to do. Sinful humanity has always been anthropocentric (man-centered) while, in reality, this is a theocentric (God-centered) universe. This is the sin of Eden when Adam and Eve, mere creatures, rebelled. At the instigation of the devil, they sought to free themselves from God’s dominion and be their own gods. The Lord set the record straight when He called out their sin and imposed a curse on the whole rebellious party (man, woman, and serpent). Everyone who has ever lived will be forced to acknowledge that this is God’s world and we are His creatures when we appear before the Lord on the day of judgment (Phil 2:11).
As Christians, we readily acknowledge God’s sovereignty, and we are rightly appalled at the blatant demonstrations of rebellion in our society. However, the presuppositions of extreme individualism and self-centeredness belong to the cultural air that we breathe. We must guard against the world’s influence which can subtly infect our understanding of Scripture, corrupting our interpretations of passages and distorting our understanding of the Christian life. The sinful bent of fallen humanity is to make everything about us when, in reality, it is all about God. Because of sin, our favorite subject is, by default, ourselves. We must guard against making the Scripture all about us.
The sinful bent of fallen humanity is to make everything about us when, in reality, it is all about God.
We see a prime example of this anthropocentric shift in passages like Philippians 4:13 where Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse has been lifted out of context and interpreted in ways that are not only foreign to Scripture as a whole, but the immediate passage itself. The text has become an evangelical cliché, complete with its own line Philippians 4:13 merchandise. Athletes recite it for inspiration. Business people use it to bolster their confidence. Motivational speakers have found it a useful device for boosting self-confidence. Whether it’s the willpower to stay faithful to a difficult diet or chasing a dream for which one has no talent or ability, the verse has become a religious mantra for the “can do” spirit of contemporary individualism. Those who use this verse in this way have made it all about us when Paul is declaring that it’s all about Christ.
When we have adjectives like “all” or “every,” context must set the limits. The Apostle is clearly not claiming he can do whatever he likes through Christ who strengthens him. Paul has just said that he has learned the secret of being content in whatever situation he finds himself. Whether he is humbled or respected, hungry or full, has little or plenty, he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. In other words, he is content no matter what conditions he must face. He is able to endure them and continue serving the Lord for it is Christ who strengthens him. The original Greek of this passage could just as easily be translated, “I am strong for all things in Christ who empowers me.” The emphasis is not on Paul’s ability but Christ’s ability. The emphasis is not on Paul’s strength but Christ’s omnipotent power that sustains and preserves him, strengthening him for the ministry to which he is called.
Paul is not referring to the fulfillment of our dreams but the accomplishment of God’s purpose. How can we be content whether we have little or plenty? How can we rejoice in the Lord while enduring tribulation? How can we have peace in such an evil and chaotic world? How can we bless those who curse us? How can we pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us? How can we love even our enemies? This is the Christian life to which we have been called. We can do all these things only through Christ who strengthens us. It is all about Christ and His mighty power.
