The world comes up with cute little sayings that are sometimes inspirational but, at other times, just plain wrong and even dangerous to the soul.  I saw one of the latter sort the other day.  It was on the back of a shirt that a young lady was wearing.  It said, “You Are All You Need.”

While this might simply be an attempt to motivate people to have self-confidence, the truth is everybody needs somebody.  There are very few areas of life, if any, where “you are all you need.”  Paul had to remind the arrogant saints at Corinth of this truth.

1 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)
⁷  For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

These would be good questions for anyone who shares the philosophy that says, “You are all you need.”  There is not one thing we possess that someone else did not in some way help us get.  While this is true physically, it is just as true, maybe even more so, spiritually.  All of our spiritual blessings come from God (James 1:17), the greatest of which is the salvation of our souls.

Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)
⁸  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Salvation is a gift from God.  It is produced by grace through faith.  The only way to be saved without salvation given to us as a gift is by earning it through sinless living, which is what would be required if you want to accurately say “you are all you need” when it comes to being saved.  The problem is we have all already sinned.  Listen to Paul as he makes this abundantly clear.

Romans 3:21-24 (ESV)
²¹  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²²  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Not only do we need the help of God to be saved in the first place, but we also need Him to maintain our salvation.  Thankfully, God has given us ongoing access to the soul-cleansing blood of Christ as long as we walk in the light.

1 John 1:7 (ESV)  
⁷  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

God has also given us all the tools we need to overcome the devil (prayer, fellowship, His Word, etc.).  It should be clear that we need more than ourselves to be saved.  Let’s humble ourselves and lean on God and His grace as we journey through this life.  We are never stronger than when we are relying on God.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)
⁹  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.