Aphorisms are everywhere, including Christian circles. People love aphorisms because they are short and convey truths in a witty, memorable fashion. The problem with aphorisms is that while they are intended to convey general truths, many people take them to be Gospel truth. “All we need is God” is a popular Christian aphorism. There is a lot of truth to this. We need God more than anything else, and to the extent that this aphorism emphasizes that fact, it should be affirmed as true. But if “all” is understood literally, so that it comes to mean that we have no need of anything other than God, then the aphorism is patently false. Indeed, it is unchristian. While we need God most of all, Scripture is quite clear that we also need people—particularly people of like precious faith.
God created humans as social beings, to be in community with other human beings. That is why one of the greatest forms of punishment/torture is isolation. It’s said that people who experience long periods of isolation literally begin to lose their mind. We need people. The need for community is not some defect in humanity resulting from the fall, either. In the beginning, prior to the first act of sin, Adam desired a human companion. When God presented Eve to him he exclaimed, “At last!” (Genesis 2:23) Even God Himself concluded that it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18).
“All you need is God” is often spoken as an encouragement to a brother or sister who is going through some trial or calamity. While it’s true that we must primarily look to God for help in such times, this does not preclude the role other human beings play in helping us through difficult situations. There is a felt difference between talking to God about one’s problems and concerns and talking to a fellow human being about the same. Each provides us with a different sense of comfort. We are comforted in prayer because we know God is concerned for our well-being, hears our prayers, and has the power to provide us with comfort or a solution to our problem. But God doesn’t usually respond in words, and He cannot hug you. People, however, can. People can listen, empathize, express their love for you, offer words of encouragement, impart wisdom, offer you assurance that you are not alone, and hold you accountable.
According to Paul, God provides comfort to us in our trials so that we can provide comfort to others while they are going through similar trials: “[God] who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:4). Paul’s advice was never “all you need is God” or “just pray about it.” Instead—or perhaps it would be more accurate to say additionally—Paul instructed us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15), and to “comfort the discouraged, help the weak” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). While God alone is sufficient for us, He never intended for us to look only to Him. He intended for us to “bear one another’s burdens” as well. (Galatians 6:2)
November 13, 2009 at 10:18 am
I totally agree with this.
Very well said!
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November 13, 2009 at 10:37 am
What do you know! Given how closely this relates to the previous post on the purpose of church, I was expecting round two. 🙂
Jason
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November 15, 2009 at 9:04 am
Could it be said that since the church is the body of Christ then God truly is all we need? Can we have God without his body?
We don’t need just people we need a specific kind of people, companions. Someone who shares the same kind of faith and love for God. The church is a spiritual organization founded by and inhabited by Christ. The unique way the body of Christ should love and minister to each other is beyond the ordinary human organization. From what I’ve experienced in 20 plus years of being born again the church is becoming a business instead of the body of Christ.
One of the most touching scenes of the crucifixion is when all forsook Jesus. He knows the stings of rejection and loneliness.He has the human experience that we can appeal to when we are hurting. If He is touched by the feeling of our infirmities then the church should be touched as well.
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November 16, 2009 at 1:17 am
You could use Adam as clear reasoning on this as well, as clearly God was not “enough” for Adam, as he required Eve. 🙂
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November 16, 2009 at 3:43 am
Hi Jason
1 Corinthians 14:26 (New International Version) What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
Do you think many Churches miss the point of 1 Corinthians 14:26. Because of to much emphasis on the Man of God. In other words the Pastor takes too much attention in sunday services with his preaching.
Thank you for your attention
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November 16, 2009 at 2:44 pm
cs,
You could say that, but it would only obscure the point: people need people. And while I agree with you that its best when we have true companions, if I was on a stranded island all by myself, as a human being I would probably be in such need of fellowship with another human being that I would not be discriminative. Send me Richard Dawkins for all I care! Otherwise I’ll end up like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, talking to a soccer ball in order to keep my sanity.
That said, I agree that there is something special, and especially fulfilling, about the fellowship of believers.
Jason
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November 16, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Brian,
I don’t know. I guess it depends on the church. Most churches I have been part of are pretty good about allowing time for ministering to each other. But the American church is definitely pastor-focussed. Maybe it’s more accurate to say we are platform-focussed. Those on the platform are thought to be the one ministering, while those in the pews are thought to be the ones receiving ministry.
Jason
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November 17, 2009 at 7:20 am
Great topic and discussion Jason! You definitely highlighted a consistent erroneous practice of so many Christians….I agree with your stance.
Question for you Jason (and others) – why do you think many Christians do that? Why are so many of us so quick and content with telling an individual to simply “pray about it” and that is all? Or sometimes we might add, “and I will be praying for you” ….? Or another variation I hear now is, “seek the Lord and He will reveal to you” – all the same, just a different spin….anyhow, we have identified the “what”, but now, what about the “why”? Why are so many people doing this which you teach in your article?
I have my thoughts, but let me pray about it first…*smirk*…
Any ideas?
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November 17, 2009 at 9:24 am
Good thoughts here. It is apparent in Paul’s letters to Corinth what he thought of the Body, and the role of community. It’s not just an “added perk” but is truly how this “thing works.”
Also interesting thoughts concerning 1 Cor 14. We must also remember that 1 Cor 14 is not prescriptive, but is corrective. In other words, Paul was not giving us a systematic theology concerning how to have church, but was correcting an existing mess. Nevertheless, it seems apparent that all participated with giftings and ministries when they were present.
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November 17, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Jason wrote,
Yes, very close, but different enough to warrant full agreement. 🙂
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November 17, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Michael,
Good question. Here’s my initial thoughts. I think part of the reason is that we recognize the power and sufficiency of God, so we point people in the direction of the greatest Help. Too many times, however, it is a cop-out. It is a way of avoiding our Biblical duty to weep with those who weep, to be quick to hear, and to bear one another’s burdens. Sometimes, however, it is a result of us not knowing how to help them. And sometimes it is the result of us not having the right gifts and experiences to help them.
Jason
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November 18, 2009 at 8:11 am
Greetings! Brother Dulle
I disagree with your article concerning your disagreement with the statement “All we need is God” of which I wholeheartedly endorse as literally as possible because God Almighty is life itself and even in midst of isolation we are able to endure or cope with is through the presence of the Most High God. In fact it is doing our isolation from people that we can grow in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the Most High due to the fact that we will not have the distractions of people. As it is written in the holy scripture of truth:
“The wisdom of a learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure and he that hath little business shall become wise.” (Ecclesiasticus 38:24)
Therefore, the statement “All we need is God” is entirely true and is a true affirmation for all of God’s people.
May the God of all grace continue to shew forth grace, love, and mercy upon you always. in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Marquest Burton
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November 18, 2009 at 11:47 am
Marquest,
If what you say is true, then why are you always dialoguing with people on the internet? Apparently, either you think you need people, or you think people need you. Either way, your actions betray your claims.
Jason
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November 18, 2009 at 11:53 am
Jason (@ reply 11) – I agree with those exact reasons! That is what I had in mind also…
Marquest (@ reply 12) – Read 1 Corinthians 12 to learn how we need each other…
Jason (@ reply 13) – Cosign!
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November 18, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Marquest, let’s say you live in a place called Eden, and God forms a wife for you out of one of your ribs. When you awaken, will you drive the woman away under the premise that God is all you need? I mean, after all, he that is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord whereas he that is married cares for the things of his wife. You wouldn’t “correct” God because He gave you your wife to satisfy a need. Similarly, He created you with a need for oxygen. I think you’ll agree with me that it would be absurd to tell God you don’t need oxygen.
God gave us the Church, in part, to fulfill His plan for mankind (which, of course, includes you and me). To say we don’t need the Church (fellowship of believers) is akin to telling God we don’t need what He gives us. I need the Church because God gave it to me for fellowship, edification and guidance. Consequently, to say “God is all we need” to the exclusion of all God gave us is unsustainable.
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November 20, 2009 at 8:09 am
Greetings! Brother Dulle
Even though God Almighty has granted us this planet, people, the church to aid us in our journey upon this earth but we need nothing but God Almighty. If God chooses to give us wife, church, job, or anything else is for the purpose to please and serve him with those things. Therefore, I hold to my argument that all that we need is God Almighty.
And in anwer to your question I would not drive my wife away from me because God has chosen and created her for me and would embrace her and honour God with her.
God bless you always! in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Marquest Burton
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November 20, 2009 at 8:13 am
Greetings! Brothers
Again I say unto you “All we need is God Almighty and nothing else” Even if God chooses to give us things our continual affirmation must needs be that “All we need is God and nothing else” Or more specifically the things that we have, receive or will receive can be replaced, destroyed, or fail but God is eternal. Therefore, all that we need is God and I will continue to hold to this affirmation as long as God remains God.
God bless you always! in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Marquest Burton
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November 20, 2009 at 8:49 am
Marquest…
MARQUEST….
There is a connection shared between those baptized into the body of Christ through the Spirit of God. A connection that makes us one. We are knit together for a purpose. We have been made to drink of the same Spirit. There is only only one Spirit that joins us. And it was the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ that we be one (this is all scripture, I just did not provide the verses – you will see them at the end). God Himself has repeatedly demonstrated the necessity of needing each other and loving each other; loving each other is one of His greatest commandments. Marquest, ask yourself: how can we love each other as God commands and be one as He desires, if we claim we dont need each other?
Additionally – 1 Corinthians 12 states –
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” —-SELF EXPLANATORY…
Also, you say “Or more specifically the things that we have, receive or will receive can be replaced, destroyed, or fail but God is eternal” —- Marquest, the body of Christ canNOT be replaced, destroyed, or fail…we are eternal and will dwell together in unity in the new Jerusalem…
Also consider Matthew 25, where Jesus said that what we do unto the least of the brethern of His, we do also unto Him. So how we treat each other in the body of Christ, particulary those viewed as less “honorable”, it is a reflection of how we treat Christ. If you say that all you need is God (and by default declaring that you dont need anyone else), then in a respect, you are rejecting Christ because you are willingly denying His living presence in vessels beside your own. As a result, more than likely, you will not care for the needs of the brethern. Interestingly, that was a trait of the goats, the ones who would be banished to hell. They failed to recognize Christ living in others, and therefore did not care for them- it could be argued that they felt they did not “need” them…YET, they THOUGHT they knew God…
They were deceived…
Here are all the scriptures I referenced:
Matthew 25:31-46
1 Corinthians 12:18-21
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
John 17 (Jesus’ prayer that we be one)
Ephesians 2:18
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November 20, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Marquest wrote,
Marquest, the word nothing means nonexistence. The planet and people exist. Hence, it is unintelligible to say we need “nothing” but God Almighty when the Almighty Himself created us to NEED the things you mention. I don’t merely breathe oxygen to please God; I breathe it because I need it. It is simply false to say we need “nothing” but God.
It is better to say God is to be glorified for all He gives us for without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:15) and because every good and perfect gift comes from Him (James 1:17).
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November 21, 2009 at 8:55 am
Greetings! Brethren
Again I say unto you all “All that we need is God” but do not misunderstand me I am not condoning complete isolatism. But I am simply affirming that our very thought, heart, physical learning should be towards viewing God Almighty as our total sufficiency. Or in other words people particularly the church, and possessions are only aids to us to fulfill the particular purpose which he called us before the foundation of the world. Yet the church, wives, children, and possessions are not our total sufficiency. Only God Almighty fulfills that glorious role of being our total sufficiency whom can meet every need that we possibly can have or will have.
Wherefore, I continually affirm to the statement “All we need is God Almighty and nothing else”.
God bless you always! in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Marquest Burton
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November 21, 2009 at 8:56 am
Greetings! Brethren
I would like to make a slight correction to my prior post. I wrote learning instead of leaning which I meant to say at the first.
Forgive me for my miscorrection.
God bless you always! in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Marquest Burton
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November 21, 2009 at 9:06 am
Greetings! Brethren
Let me state clearly I am not advocate nor will I ever advocate nor have I ever advocated that we do not love the body of Christ (the true church) and even sinners. But what I am saying is that our total focus and hope to supply all of our needs is God Almighty himself. Or in other words only God can meet our needs even if he uses people to do it. Therefore, I am simply saying that I do not disagree with the statement “All we need is God”. In fact I find complete agreement with that statement and I believe earnestly that it can be reconciled with the command of the Lord Jesus to love one another and to be one with one another.
I hope that my posts have not created any confusion among you but if I have then I would like to apologize.
God bless you always! in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Marquest Burton
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