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Top 5 Verses Taken Out of Context That Could Hinder Your Walk with Christ

I've got the five top scriptures that if and when they're taken out of context could really hinder your walk with Christ. We're not your run-of-the-mill podcast—we're more like a vinyl record in a CD world, or maybe even a horse and buggy in a Model T world. We're a Christian talk show where we laugh louder, dig deeper, and live larger as we explore these commonly misunderstood verses.

Some call us "Companion Christian Radio"—long-form talk for when you're on a long drive or going for a long walk. We're your companions who talk about Jesus and anything else, including those verses that can really upend your Christian walk if taken out of context.

The Countdown Begins

After a marital compromise on how to reveal the list, Emilee quickly runs through verses five through two, holding number one for later:

Number Five: Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Number Four: Matthew 24:40-41 - "Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left."

Number Three: Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Number Two: John 14:13 - "Ask for anything in my name and it will be given to you."

Now let's dig deeper into each one...

Jeremiah 29:11 - Not Your Personal Prosperity Promise

"For I know the plans I have for you—this is the LORD's declaration—plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

The Living Bible phrases it, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good, not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Most commonly, people recite it as "plans to prosper you and not to harm you."

Oftentimes people use this verse when they're in a difficult position to reassure themselves. But context is everything.

Looking at other translations gives us clarity. The King James Version says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the Lord, thoughts of peace, not of evil, to give you an expected end." The Legacy Standard Bible says, "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares Yahweh, plans for peace, not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope."

When you look at these different translations, it evokes something of battle or wartime. So what's actually happening? God is talking to the captives in Babylon. That's the key—you've got to understand the context and who He's speaking to.

Chris would rank this verse higher on the list, since it's on so many plaques with people claiming, "God said that to me" or "God has said that over my life." That's not biblical.

Here's where we can claim the verse, but we claim it wrongly. God did not say that directly to me—this is a God who said that, and that same God is who I serve. He thinks about people like this, especially the captives in Babylon.

Where we can legitimately claim this verse is over our eternal life—not necessarily here on earth. People take it out of context when they have it as a plaque expecting their business to thrive because of it. That's not God's promise.

God doesn't promise us anything in this fallen world apart from salvation. Does He bless us with wealth and finances? Of course. Does He take wealth and finances away from us at different times? Of course. What you go through and what I go through can be two totally different things. The whole point is no matter what you're going through, it becomes well with you, and then Jeremiah 29:11 can speak volumes because we know that the God who said that to the Babylonian captives is our God.

When you think that verse is about your current circumstances in a fallen world—that He's got plans for you to book the cruise and buy the new car—that's taking it out of context and hurting your walk with Jesus.

Think about Paul. What if he claimed "plans to prosper you, not to harm you" while facing shipwreck, snake bite, and impending execution? It doesn't work that way. This verse isn't a promise to all His people everywhere throughout history.

What this verse is, is God speaking to the Israelites who were under judgment. They were in Babylon, suffering greatly, and God was just telling them, "Hold on, just hold on, be encouraged, my plan is not to destroy you." You can look at that and say, "That's my God too," but that doesn't mean it's a promise for prosperity or well-being or good living. It's just an encouragement for people who were in devastating circumstances.

The more you serve God, the more He makes your path straight, and sometimes that includes wealth, other times it doesn't. Sometimes He'll leave you with "not enough" for His good purpose. There are only three levels in life: not enough, just enough, and more than enough. Many Christians go from just enough to more than enough, but "not enough" might serve God's divine purpose too. Even then, it can still be well with you.

Matthew 24:40-41 - The Ones "Taken" Aren't Going Where You Think

"Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding grain with a handmill; one will be taken and one left."

This verse is often used to support a pre-tribulation rapture. However, is that what God's really talking about? You need to read the whole chapter—context, context, context!

When you read through the entire chapter of Matthew 24, "one will be taken and one will be left" is not referring to the rapture. Jesus is talking about the destruction of the temple, and His disciples are wondering about these devastating future events.

They asked, "Jesus, when will this happen and when will the coming of your kingdom be?" Jesus answers by referencing the days of Noah: "It's going to be just like that." Well, what happened during the days of Noah? Noah builds the ark, the floods come, and who remains on the earth? Noah and his family. Who's swept away? All the people who were not on the ark—they're taken away.

Jesus makes this same parallel in Luke 17 when talking about the coming Kingdom of God. He references not only the days of Noah but also the days of Lot, saying it will be like when Sodom and Gomorrah was entirely wiped out. It was Lot and his family who remained on the earth—all the ungodly people of Sodom and Gomorrah were taken.

In Luke 17, Jesus adds that two people will be lying in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Left where? This is where it comes to a crescendo. The disciples ask, "Where are these people taken to?" Jesus replies, "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather." That's a place of destruction, death, decay—not paradise!

The people who are taken are not taken to heaven—they're taken to a place of judgment and destruction. It's not a rapture verse.

It's important to know this because many have put their hope in the rapture, thinking they'll escape the really bad stuff when tribulation comes. The reality is, we don't know when He's coming. We may have to endure for a long time—even till the end.

There's not a truckload of unity around Matthew 24. The rapture people think one way, the Calvinists another way. Many believe the big part of Matthew 24 is talking about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem which happened in AD 70. Jesus could prophesy far into the future, and when He talks about the coming of the Son of Man, He says "much like the days of Noah."

There's so much back-and-forth about pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib... I always say "pan-trib" because it's all going to pan out anyway. It's not a cop-out—it's taking scripture for what it actually says, allowing scripture to interpret scripture, doing good hermeneutics.

The Bible says what it says and means what it says. What should drive us is to serve Jesus with much more abandon in our life. Just give up all of this debate and serve Him, seek Him, and watch Him make it well with you.

I've watched people say, "I don't care, I'm going to be raptured out anyway, that doesn't affect me." They don't have their eyes on Jesus and what He's trying to do in a fallen world. Instead, they're focused on the rapture as their escape clause.

The point of "not knowing" is to be ready today. Jesus could easily tarry for 500 years, or He could come back before we finish recording this show—and every word of scripture would be true. The urgency in a fallen, fragile world is at a peak all the time.

No matter how you slice it, looking at both Matthew and Luke, those who will be "taken" refers to unbelievers, not to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:13 - Surviving the Beatdown, Not Achieving Your Dreams

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We hear that verse a lot, and people often apply it to: "I'm going to do good on my test today," "I can bench press more than I did yesterday," "I'm going to run faster," "jump higher," "make more money." But is that really what it means?

Absolutely not! Here's why it doesn't mean those things: Paul, throughout his letters, describes the trials, tribulations, and suffering he goes through. Why does he mention all these things? Not for you to feel sorry for him—he's actually boasting in the Lord: "Look what the Lord brought me through!"

He says, "I boast in my weakness, I boast in these trials and tribulations that I join in the suffering with Christ." Paul is doing quite the opposite of claiming achievement. He's saying: "I was shipwrecked, imprisoned, bitten by a snake, beaten, chased out of cities... but I can do all those things through Christ who strengthens me." He can still carry on in the faith and in his confidence in Christ despite those things, because Christ Himself is all-sufficient.

It's not talking about you doing better—it's talking about Christ being everything. It means you're going to be able to survive when you shouldn't be able to survive because of how hurtful, stressful, awful, and painful your circumstances are. But God's going to bring you through it because He'll strengthen you when you need it.

Those "all things" refer to the beatdown of life, being brought low, suffering for Christ. A lot of times, I can crush people's theology with four words: "Consider my servant Job." It really plays out in his life—he suffered like no other person on the face of the earth. Before all this, Satan was telling God, "Of course Job follows you! Of course he's righteous—look at all the great stuff you give him!" God says, "Watch me take it all away. You can't kill him, but you can take away everything else. He will still worship me, still love me." And that's exactly what happened.

I've asked for the coffee cup for my birthday that says: "I can do all things through a verse taken out of context." That's what this is when we misuse Philippians 4:13.

John 14:13 - Not a Blank Check for Your Wishlist

"Ask for anything in my name and it will be given to you." We tend to take that and apply it to everything our little hearts want and desire, but that's not how it works.

In John 14, Jesus is about to be crucified, and He's preparing His disciples. Think about this—they've been walking with Him for three years, hanging on His every word, dedicating their lives to understanding His teachings, knowing His mission will be handed over to them. This is big doings! Jesus knows He's going to be crucified, that His disciples will watch Him be beaten, scourged, hung on a cross. He's leaving them, and they're beside themselves wondering what they'll do.

When Jesus says, "Ask anything in my name," does that mean "in the name of Jesus, I need a new car?" Not at all! Jesus was comforting His disciples: "I'm still with you, I'm going to be with you. I'm leaving, I've got to go, but ask anything in my name and it will be given to you." He's encouraging them to continue in prayer even as things get dire and difficult.

"In His name" means in alignment with His total being. People have taken this out of context for years to try to get their way or make things happen. But asking in His name means asking for things that will advance His kingdom, make His name great—things in line with His will.

Imagine praying, "Lord, I need $250,000 to build this orphanage for you, and I'm asking in your name, so I expect it to be given to me." Is that an accurate use of this verse? No. Is that God's will for you, or just your own imagination? Are you attributing your own thoughts to God?

When you truly want the will of Jesus, you naturally ask for things that go in line with His will, and it's going to be done for you. There's a surrenderedness here that we as human beings—who want to put ourselves on the throne, who have a bunch of idols in our life—struggle with.

What breaks my heart is seeing people buy into bad theology and then eventually say, "It doesn't work. I've been praying for things, but they don't happen. I'm done with Christianity altogether." When you reduce Jesus to a genie in a bottle and say the magic words expecting Him to do what you asked, that's not the gospel. That's not the Jesus of the Bible.

This is not a verse to get whatever you want. It's about praying in line with God's kingdom and His will. And that's what Jesus is doing anyway as He refines your heart and soul—bringing you more and more in line with His will every day.

Right On or Way Off?

In this segment, Emilee presents statements for Chris and Mike to determine whether they're "Right On" or "Way Off."

Statement 1: Liberals are so upset with Musk that they claim the moral thing to do is to sell their Teslas.

Chris says "Way Off" while Mike says "Right On." Chris argues that when liberals claim anything is the "moral right thing to do," he's immediately skeptical. He sees them as "bankrupt" and "functioning like a cult." Mike agrees with Chris's assessment but chose "Right On" based on a technicality—the statement is about what liberals claim, not whether it's actually moral.

Emilee rules it "Way Off" because there's no moral equivalence to what car you drive—it's mere opinion. She compares it to her own feelings about Mitsubishi due to their WWII history, but acknowledges that's just her opinion.

Statement 2: If you're willing to lose your job, family, money to key or burn a car, then you're actually in a cult.

Both Chris and Mike say "Right On." Mike explains that having a George Soros NGO funding your protest, needing a script to explain why you're protesting, or ending protests when the money runs out are all signs of cult behavior.

Chris notes America is in trouble due to division, with one side willing to reject anything positive if the other side would get credit. He sees cult-like behavior in how people aren't allowed to think for themselves or have opinions, and how they face consequences for stepping out of line.

Statement 3: No man ever became holy by chance.

Both agree this is "Right On." Chris explains we have an intentionally focused Creator God who is a God of order, not chance or chaos. When the Holy Spirit convicts you, it's an intentional thing.

Mike adds, "I can't be holy without God. There's nothing in me that is good until I receive Jesus as my Savior. His holiness is deposited inside me—righteousness is a gift. As you walk with God with the Holy Spirit leading you into all truth, His holiness starts to work itself out in your life."

Emilee reveals this quote comes from Charles Spurgeon, who continued: "There must be a resolve, a desire, a panting after obedience to God, or else we shall never have it."

Number One: Matthew 7:1 - The Most Misused Verse

"Judge not, lest you be judged." Most people interpret this to mean we're not supposed to judge—not quoted by theologians every day, but quoted by sinful people who want to stay comfortable in their sin most of the time.

When you adopt the definition of "we're not supposed to judge," it gives you the ability to opt out of any tough things you should be dealing with. "I'm not to judge," becomes the escape. But there are big problems with this interpretation.

First, telling somebody not to judge is itself a judgment! When you tell someone they're not supposed to judge, you're literally judging them. It's an oxymoron—completely irrational.

Second, the rest of Matthew 7 talks about using discernment. Jesus teaches about recognizing the narrow gate from the wide gate, false teachers from right teachers, true disciples from false disciples. He's teaching us to distinguish between what's good and right versus what's off and wrong—what's from God and what's not. How are you supposed to do that without judging anything? You can't—it's impossible.

Third, when you look up the word "discern" in a thesaurus, one of the strong synonyms is "judge." To discern or to judge are essentially the same thing. If you have discernment, you can judge.

First Corinthians 2:14-15 says: "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." Verse 15: "The spiritual person judges all things."

How do you reconcile one verse that says "judge not lest you be judged" with another verse that says "the spiritual person judges all things"? When you compare the two, you conclude it could not possibly mean we are never to judge.

The key is found in the verse that follows—Matthew 7:2: "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." You've got to keep reading. Scripture interprets scripture. What Jesus is saying is not "don't judge" but "be careful how you judge," because how you judge is how you're going to be judged. If you're a harsh, cruel, judgmental person, that's how you'll be judged. If it's an irrational or wrong judgment, that's the same judgment you'll fall under.

If you say "don't judge at all," imagine if something bad happened to you—say someone stole your car with a week's worth of groceries you spent your last money on. The police catch the guy, and you want restitution. What if everyone just said, "Oh well"? How would that make you feel? What if you went to an attorney seeking justice and they said, "Well, I'm a Christian man, so I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to judge"? That's lunacy!

One thing this misinterpretation leads to is a misunderstanding of our heavenly Judge. When we stand before our heavenly Father, if He's a good judge, He's not just going to let things slide. That's why we're all up a creek without a paddle—we cannot stand before a holy God. If you've ever lied, stolen anything (even a paperclip from the office), looked at another person with lust—you're contaminated and can't stand before a holy God. We desperately need a Savior because the Judge is good.

When you claim any kind of judgment is wrong, it leads to believing God might be the same benevolent, blind grandfather up in heaven who says, "I understand you didn't have a good life, so come on in." That's not how it works. The blood of Jesus had to be shed for you, and that's offered to you freely. It's costly, but it's an incredible journey when you realize God is in fact a good judge.

The chapter concludes with the story about taking out the log from your eye when there's a speck in your neighbor's eye. It's talking about hypocrisy. If you've got even a tiny sin, it's going to hinder you from making good judgment and seeing things clearly. Make sure that's out first. You don't have to be perfect, but clean your own house first, then you can help your neighbor clean theirs.

Again, it's not saying "don't judge"—it's saying be very careful how you judge because you will be judged by the same measure.

Final Thoughts

Mike Shaw: After the sermon Chris gave Sunday, I texted him, "Dude, that's the best example I think I've ever heard of 'whosoever.'" The balance is perfect—about how much God loves you, how much He pursues you, and also how much His standards matter. It was really well done.

Emilee Danielson: Chris asked me early on, "I'm thinking about bringing some of this stuff back that I preached a year or two ago. I don't want to bore people or have them think I'm just rehashing." I told him, "No, no, no, we have new people since then." He did write a new sermon but brought in elements he's preached before. The "whosoever" topic is something people need to be reminded of if they've heard it before, and need to hear if they haven't.

Chris Danielson: A good pastor needs to serve fresh bread every Sunday. There are two ways to make fresh bread. One is you take the lump out of the freezer, thaw it out, and bake it—that's what last Sunday was. It had older stuff, even material from previous messages that I know impacted me and impacted others, but I restructured it so it didn't feel like a repeat.

The other way is to start with all fresh ingredients—start with the text, read it, exegete it, and feed it in increments. That's why three points is usually something people can remember. The congregation deserves fresh bread. I'm glad that sermon impacted you, Mike. Even if it just impacted you alone, it was worth it