Food, water, shelter, and clothing are the basic needs of man. But a spiritual person is not an ordinary being; so his needs are more than these fundamental human needs. Jesus Christ came to this world to provide the additional inputs required in our spiritual journey. Paul writes; ‘Christ Jesus became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption’ (1 Cor 1:30). Our life is not complete without these gifts that our Lord offers us.
They are not supplements to our basic needs, rather they are our basic needs. This is why Jesus categorically told about bread not being what supports life. ‘’It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’ “ (Mt. 4:4). Jesus proved this in his life when he said; ‘ I have food to eat that you do not know about’ (Jn 4:32). Jesus is the true fount of wisdom from the high, about which the apostle wrote; ‘But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy’( James 3:17). Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God’s wisdom. ‘….. the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Col 2:2-3).
As against the need of water to quench our thirst, Jesus pointed to the rivers of righteousness that should nourish our lives. ‘Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’ (Amos 5:24). It will lead us to ‘new heavens and a new earth where righteousness is at home’ (2 Pet 3:13). Jesus stressed on the indispensability of righteousness when he said; ‘Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven’ (Mt 5:20).
Clothing is meant to protect the body. But the Lord values our soul more than our body. So the Lord gave us a stronger shield to protect it. ‘He will take holiness as an invincible shield’ (Wis 5:19). Sanctification is the way to holiness and we find our sanctification in Jesus Christ alone. Remember his prayer to the Father for our sanctification. ‘Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth’ (Jn 17:17). Let us rejoice in the Lord because he has clothed us with the garments of salvation, and has covered us with the robe of righteousness (Isa. 61:10). God has prepared for us a fine garment woven with salvation and righteousness!
Food, water and clothing may make us happy in our earthly shelter. But when we are called to leave this earthly shelter to meet the Lord in person, none of them will come to our help. Only those who are redeemed by God will enjoy eternal life after an earthly life that they spend in hope. ‘For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens’ (2 Cor 5:1). Jesus made us worthy to enter this eternal house by paying his own blood as ransom. ‘He entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption’ (Heb 9:12).
Jesus came into this world with a package; the only way for us to reach our ultimate goal. He himself became the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption for us. So let us sing Hallelujah to the Lord and wait for ‘the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God’ (Rev 21:2), where those redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus will live forever.
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