The Insufficiency of Christ

One of the things I enjoyed from Don Miller's talk the other night was his speaking of how we were not created to be completely satisfied in just God. We're in need of other folks. He gave the illustration of the garden of eden and how Adam was lonely there with just God. So God kept creating. It reminded me of a blog I wrote a few years ago along the same lines. I thought I'd repost it in light of this.

The Insufficiency of Christ
(reposted from 2/7/07)

Jesus is not sufficient. It’s true. Jesus is not all I need. I’ve heard people talk about the “sufficiency of Christ" and about how God is all we should need or want. The truth is, it just isn’t so. So, you over there raising your hands and singing, “You’re all I want. You’re all I’ve ever needed…” Shut up. You’re lying. And to the girl who has given up dating because she wants to prove that Jesus is all she needs… stop. You are robbing people of yourself. If Jesus was really all we needed, no one would ever get married. To the American who consumes with little thought of conservation and reuse because God will provide for the poor… stop. You are the resource many are waiting on. Jesus isn't going to magically provide for their needs as you ignore them. To the missionary from Michigan that came to my old church and spoke about how hungry children need the word of God more than food… stop. Needs must be met with real food and not just spiritual thought.
Jesus told Satan, “Man does not live on bread alone.” Conversely, it is also true that man does not live on God alone. Jesus demonstrates this when he breaks his 40 days in the wilderness fast. He could not just hang out with God forever and neglect everything else. It’s just part of humanity. We need things other than God. We need food, love, shelter, clothing… you know… the stuff Maslow talks about. And this isn’t a bad thing. This doesn’t somehow diminish God’s glory. God created us that way and that’s the way we function.

I can see the objections coming, “What about the garden of eden?” “But God can provide for all our needs.” Blah, blah, blah. Yeah... first, lets not base our ideas of reality upon a utopian idea like Eden. Secondly, it’s quite convenient to talk about God meeting our needs here in America while just south of the border we have children dying from malnutrition and lack of clean drinking water in Mexico. How’s God doing at meeting their needs? (ouch.)

No, God created us to be dependent creatures. Yes, we are dependent. ( It’s quite humorous when we act like we’re these autonomous and independent things that need nothing and no one. The reality is that these people who are so called "independent" place their trust in the power of work and the dollar bill more than God.) Part of worship is recognizing who we are in relation to God. So we must recognize our dependency in order to live lives that are pleasing to God.

This dependency works two ways. We give and we take. We are in need of love from others. We need their words, touch, and protection. And so we receive from them as if receiving from God. But we must also give. We must not overuse or abuse our neighbors across the border or even across the street. We have to question whether living with our wants may rob someone else of their needs. It even works the same way with the earth itself. We take from it, but the question is what are we putting back? Are we simply depleting? We are dependent upon others and other things and they are dependent upon us. And that’s the way God made it.

It is irresponsible of us to act like we need nothing in this world but Jesus. It is even more immoral to act like we don't have a responsibility to helping our brothers and sisters out. We can't use the excuse that "God will meet their needs." Yes, God has created a means to supply our needs. But that means is quite oftentimes me and you. We cannot simply be sponges that suck everything up. We must give back and pour out.

So rejoice in your dependency. Squeeze your friends tight when you hug them. Savor that sip of ice water. Slurp the cereal loud. Sleep an extra half hour. You’re in need and it’s all right.