This verse is often quoted prior to a prayer, usually as a way to reassure or give confidence to the group gathered together that God is with them.
Correct Interpretation: The problem is that we’re missing the textual context. We took one sentence from an entire discourse and removed it from its context. The full context is Jesus’ instructions about how to handle sin within the body of believers.
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. (Matthew 18:15-20)
What this verse is really talking about is church discipline.
This is a scary topic that we don’t often know how to deal with properly. But as people who are seeking to follow Jesus in community, we have been given the authority to exercise it. Whatever we bind or loose in these situations has not only earthly authority, but spiritual authority. That sounds like too much for us to take on. But worry not, wherever there’s a group of us who are Spirit-led and in agreement on the course of action, Jesus is with us.
2. ‘God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle’
Misinterpretation: This is actually a misquote of 1 Corinthians 10:13. So the main problem here is reading the text carefully.
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.
Correct Interpretation: When accurately quoted, 1 Corinthians 10:13 does not promise that God won’t give us more than we can handle. God most certainly will give us more than we can handle. Almost every story in the bible is about someone who was given more than they could handle by God.
What this verse is saying is that you don’t have to sin whenever you’re tempted. Sure, you’re never going to be perfectly sinless on this side of eternity. But at any given moment, you have the power to resist it. God will always provide a way of escape. You don’t have to give in at that moment. This is the power God is promising to give you.
3. ‘I Will Heal Their Land’
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Misinterpretation: The most common misunderstanding of this verse comes in relation to a supposed promise God has made to America. It is often used as a call for Americans to pray and turn from their wicked ways, so that God will heal their land. Now, of course it’s a good thing for any person in any part of the world to humble themselves, pray, and turn from their wicked ways. But the promise given in this verse is often widely misunderstood.
Correct Interpretation: The most violent offense made against this verse is in the universal application of a specific promise made to a specific people. While all of the bible was written for us, not everything (or anything) in the bible was written to us.
