Suffering or Sinning

INTRODUCTION:

The last two weeks we have been in this series entitled, “A deeper Understanding.”

We have been looking at passages of scripture that seem to be hard to translate, read, or even understand.

Two weeks ago the title of the message was “The Call of Discipleship” were we looked at Luke 14: 25-33 where Jesus was telling people they were to hate their family members.

Came away understanding Jesus was telling them they were to love others less than loving HIM.

Last week the title of the message was “The Parable of the Lost Sheep” found in Luke 15:1-7.

We walked away understanding the story is not about Christians who are disgruntled or leaving the church for multiple reason and going after them.

This story was about people who are LOST (don’t know Jesus Christ as their personal savior) and the Church going after them.

This is what will cause a Party erupting in Heaven.

This week we will finish this series up by looking at I Cor 10:13

The title of the sermon this morning is “Suffering or Sinning.”

SEGWAY:

I don’t think there is one person in this sanctuary this morning who hasn’t felt the pressures of life at some point in their lives.

The pressure that comes with living in our world.

For some, these pressures can seem unbearable at times.

Many of us have read the story found in the book of Job.

What a tragic tale about a man who lost everything materialistically as well as lost everyone when it comes to his family (except his wife).

We have all watched the news where a tornado has gone through a town and many family were negatively affected. (lost their house, lost an animal, lost a family member)

We have heard of the tragedy of a car wreck where a husband or wife had their life taken.

You might have even said, “This would be too much for me to handle.”

What would seem to be natural as a believer is to share from God’s word something that would bring comfort, peace, or relief for the situation.

There is a “Go To” passage people like to recite ......

BODY:

If you have your bibles turn to I Cor. 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

If you have been a Christian for longer than a month, then I’m sure you have heard someone say, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

I’ve heard pastors, biblical counselors, and many other Christians make this comment.

I have also heard people respond to this passage by saying, “I wish God didn’t think so highly of me!”

Why do I believe the statement “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is untrue and unhelpful?

I will give you two reasons:

(1) The Bible does not teach this.

(2) The Bible teaches the opposite truth (at times God does give us more than we can handle).

Reason #1

Many people teaching that “God won’t give you more than you can handle” explain that the word “temptation,” or peirasmos in Greek, can refer to a temptation to a sin, a trial, or any type of suffering.

They are right.

In fact, the Greek word used here for “temptation” can be used to speak of both suffering and sin.

If you look in a Greek lexicon, it will show “testing” or “trial” as a possible way this word can be translated.

Why, then, is it wrong to claim that this verse is addressing testing, trials, and suffering?

Any good book on hermeneutics will tell you every word has a range of potential meanings.

The specific meaning an author intends to communicate when using a word is determined by context.

EXAMPLE:

Where this though comes from is in reference to the word “Temptation.”

A specific example of this concept is that the phrase “beat it” can be used as a command to tell someone “get off my porch,” or it can refer to one of the greatest Michael Jackson songs on the radio.

You know which meaning the author in intending based on the context of the statement in which they use the phrase.

It is here that we come to an important interpretive rule.

I can intend to communicate the first or second meaning, but not both at the same time.

This rule should be applied to 1 Corinthians 13 as well: Can “temptation” be referring to temptation to sin and to testing/suffering at the same time?

There is one way it might–if I am intending to communicate with a pun.

Definition of the word PUN: A joke exploiting the different possible meaning of a word.

However, I do not know of anyone who claims that Paul is attempting to make a pun in this passage.

In the context of this passage, we cannot claim Paul meant to reference both temptation to sin and trials/suffering simultaneously through this single use of the Greek word peirasmos.

In fact, if we attempt to interpret this verse as though Paul has intended both meanings simultaneously, we commit what New Testament scholar D.A. Carson calls an exegetical fallacy.

Carson calls this specific type of exegetical fallacy “illegitimate totality transfer.”

This is the fallacy of reading every possible meaning of a word into a single use of a word.

Thus, the question we need to ask is not what range of meanings a word can possibly have in all of its uses, but rather, what did the author mean to communicate through the word in a specific context.

When we look to the context of the passage to determine which meaning Paul intended, we find that he is addressing sin, not suffering.

Verse 6 addresses those who “desire evil.”

In verse 7 Paul addresses “idolaters,” showing the context of this passage is sin.

Verse 8 identifies this idolatry specifically as “sexual immorality.”

The following verses continue to address sin as we read of “put(ting) Christ to the test” in verse 9 and grumbling in verse 10.

Verse 12 gives the exhortation I Cor 10:12 “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” which continues the focus of the passage on addressing sin. “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.”

Verse 13 continues to address sin within the context of these verses.

The plain reading of this text should lead us to conclude that Paul chose to use the word “temptation” to address temptation to sin, not trials and suffering, in this passage.

God, through Paul, is telling us in this passage that no one will be tempted to sin beyond what he or she can bear.

That is amazingly good news.

Praise God for His grace to us.

However, this passage does not teach that a person will not face a trial or suffering beyond what he/she can bear.

Reason #2

The Bible teaches the opposite truth (at times God does give us more than we can handle).

In 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”

This is Paul’s autobiography and he clearly shows that God may give someone more suffering than he or she can handle.

Paul says that he and his companions were “so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.”

He continues by saying, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will deliver us again.”

This passage shows us Paul was burdened beyond his strength.

To be burdened beyond one’s strength is to have more than he or she can handle.

God, through Paul, is saying people can experience more suffering than they can handle.

I would propose this .....

We can give more precise and helpful encouragement to individuals who are suffering.

Can I make a confession?

I don’t know what “handle” means in “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

How are people defining “handle” when they make this statement?

When different people say “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” do they all mean the same thing?

The reality is that the saying “God won’t give you more than you can handle” can actually mean quite a few things.

We, as counselors, pastors, and Christians can all make more precise and helpful statements than “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

I want to propose we adopt a new text to be our go-to text for encouraging sufferers. Rather than using 1 Cor. 10, I submit we should use 2 Corinthians 12:7-10:

So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I propose we cease saying, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” and begin to encourage people by saying, “God will give you all the grace you need in every situation you face.”

There are 4 reason why I would chose this statement:

It is more precise.

No matter how much suffering people face, and how deeply they hurt because of that suffering, they know the truth that God’s grace will be sufficient for them in all their needs.

The focus is on God and not us.

Focusing on oneself and one’s resources in suffering does not bring great comfort and hope. Focusing on God and His resources for us in suffering does bring great comfort and hope.

God gets more Glory.

Paul tells us that it was when he did not have the strength to face his own suffering that he found God’s power and faithfulness was sufficient to provide what he needed.

It was his inability to endure the suffering he faced that led Paul to a greater knowledge and experience of God’s provision, comfort, and deliverance.

God wants His people to know through 2 Corinthians 1 and 12 that He is all-powerful and that they can hope in Him and His power.

This approach avoids the harm that “God won’t give you more than you handle” can do to a person.

Many sufferers feel their suffering is beyond what they can bear.

For these individuals, hearing the message “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” can communicate that they are not good enough or that something is wrong with their faith.

This message that “God won’t give you more than you can handle” can also breed a self-focused and self-reliant way of thinking.

The sufferers may feel they aren’t trying hard enough, or aren’t reading their Bibles thoroughly enough or aren’t praying fervently enough.

They can experience guilt, shame, and doubt based on a misunderstanding of God’s Word.

When we feel weak and unable to persevere through suffering, we should not look to ourselves for help; we should look to God for help and hope.

For these reasons, I hope you will join me in putting an end to the belief that “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” and begin to encourage people by saying, “God will give you all the grace you need in every situation you face.”

CONCLUSION:

Some of us this morning might be felling relieved to the fact that you have been struggling, feeling overwhelmed or even at the end of your rope.

You have felt that there was something wrong with your faith in God.

Or you have felt God has been thinking too highly of you as you have been dealing with trials and sufferings.

I will not state to you this morning “God will not give you more than what you can handle.”

Instead I propose this statement “God will give you all the grace you need in every situation you face.”