God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. I Cor. 10:13b
Peter’s Great Escape (Acts 12) could easily be titled, “God provides a way out.” Some might interpret this to mean God will always provide a way out of harm or trouble, a response that reveals a tendency to read into scripture something that’s not there. The word for “tested” in the original language is pā-rä-smo's. It can be interpreted as temptation or trial or testing (e.g. one’s moral integrity or faith).
In scripture, context is everything. If you interpret pā-rä-smo's as temptation, then it makes sense that the way out is to resist temptation and flee from it. If you are in a committed relationship and a co-worker “comes on to you,” then the way out is to set clear boundaries and resist his/her overtures.
In addition, every scripture must be interpreted under the larger umbrella of the Biblical Witness. For example, a great many of the “faithful” in scripture suffered and even died for what they believed. For these faithful, the way out was the way of suffering and/or death. Thus, to read this verse to mean that God will always provide a “way out” of suffering is simply inconsistent with the greater witness of scripture. For these faithful, there were worse things then death.
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