The Deepest Need Of Human Beings
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesA question that has often been asked is, “What is the deepest need of human beings?” In the view of Karl Marx, the deepest need of humanity was “Economic Equality.” The only problem with this view, is that the spiritual needs of man are not met (Matthew 4:4; Luke 12:15).
Sigmund Freud’s answer, was that the human being’s deepest need is pleasure. But the inspired writer Paul had a different view (1 Timothy 5:6). Moses realized that “the pleasure of sin” only lasts for a short period of time (Hebrews 11:24-25). An individual who has lived and experienced the trials of this life, soon learns that all pleasure is not good (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Hebrews 13:4), and all pain is not evil (James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:5-9).
Alfred Adler believed it wasn’t the will to pleasure, that was man’s greatest need, but the will to power. In recent years, we have seen that women who have achieved power-based positions of authority, have in many cases, sacrificed their homes, families, and children for that power.
The greatest need of man, is to have a sense of value and self-worth. There are many folks in our society who derive a sense of value and self-esteem from affiliations with friends and memberships in groups, rather than from an appreciation of their own inherent worth as persons.
The real value of a person as a human being can only come through the Fatherhood of God (Matthew 6:9). If a man is only a product of evolution, then he has no more intrinsic value than a horse or a cow. His value is determined only in service that can be supplied to others.
However, as human beings created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), we understand that we have value, self-esteem and dignity (Psalm 139:13-16). As Christians, we are joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). We belong to the family of God and are blood brought (Ephesians 2:13-19; Ephesians 3:13-15; Acts 20:28).
The value of man may be summed up in this one Scripture: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16; cf. Isaiah 53:4-5; Romans 5:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:1-6).