I don't know if you've noticed this, but the "Christian" culture of America has become more than a little bit squishy. With the proliferation of movements like the emerging church and the prosperity gospel, the preaching of the sinfulness of man and the perfect holiness of God has been replaced by feel-good messages and catchy phrases. One of the biggest misconceptions I’m hearing is the idea that God needs us. Yes, needs.
It is pure pride speaking when one believes that God needs him to accomplish His good purpose. This way of thinking leads to the calling of oneself to ministry over submitting to God’s call, and it is here that the ministry becomes self-centered instead of Christ-centered.
God does not need you. He never has and He never will. He is God. He alone is God. He created the entire world in the space of six days. He placed the sun in the sky, filled the oceans with water, and hung the stars in place. Photosynthesis was His idea. He shaped each element of each type of cell—the mitochondria, the ribosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus, and the flagellar motor. He formed each and every plant and creature and designed the intricate systems that allow them to live and interact and sustain life. He destroyed the world with a flood, set the sun back, parted the sea, walked on water, raised the dead, healed the sick, and ultimately defeated death and sin by sacrificing His holy and perfect Son. He doesn’t need you. He can use anyone or anything else. In fact, He’s perfectly capable of doing everything alone. You are a worthless, wretched, filthy sinner and can do nothing on your own. You can’t even save yourself—God has to pull you out of the swamp and purify you. You have to be covered by His blood and his righteousness or else you haven’t even the smallest chance. No, He doesn’t need you. You need Him. Without Him, you are absolutely nothing.
Yes, He may choose to use you—He may even desire to use you—but He never needs to use you.
It is pure pride speaking when one believes that God needs him to accomplish His good purpose. This way of thinking leads to the calling of oneself to ministry over submitting to God’s call, and it is here that the ministry becomes self-centered instead of Christ-centered.
God does not need you. He never has and He never will. He is God. He alone is God. He created the entire world in the space of six days. He placed the sun in the sky, filled the oceans with water, and hung the stars in place. Photosynthesis was His idea. He shaped each element of each type of cell—the mitochondria, the ribosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus, and the flagellar motor. He formed each and every plant and creature and designed the intricate systems that allow them to live and interact and sustain life. He destroyed the world with a flood, set the sun back, parted the sea, walked on water, raised the dead, healed the sick, and ultimately defeated death and sin by sacrificing His holy and perfect Son. He doesn’t need you. He can use anyone or anything else. In fact, He’s perfectly capable of doing everything alone. You are a worthless, wretched, filthy sinner and can do nothing on your own. You can’t even save yourself—God has to pull you out of the swamp and purify you. You have to be covered by His blood and his righteousness or else you haven’t even the smallest chance. No, He doesn’t need you. You need Him. Without Him, you are absolutely nothing.
Yes, He may choose to use you—He may even desire to use you—but He never needs to use you.
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