Twelve Reasons You Need Jesus Christ

By Ray Burkholder

May 1, 2025

It is worthwhile to ask why you need Jesus Christ, especially if you consider yourself a Christian who already be-lieves in Him. Here are twelve reasons you need the Lord Jesus Christ now and forever.

1. TRUTH

The truth is in Christ. He is the truth.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (Jn 14:6)

You cannot know truth without Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul says all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him (Col 2:3; Eph 4:21).

To make sense of anything, you need Jesus Christ. Your pursuit for truth ends with Christ and is not exhausted just because you heard the truth of the gos-pel.

"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim 2:4).

2. LIFE

If you are reading this, you are alive and may think that Jesus Christ has nothing to do with it. However, the life you now have was given to you, and it is destined to end. The life that comes through Jesus Christ has no end. If you enjoy life and want to continue, you need Jesus Christ. There is no life with-out Him. To live is Christ. Eternal life is through Him.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Je-sus Christ our Lord" (Ro 6:23).

3. DEATH

None of us escapes death. The science we have about death tells us that we are all dying a little bit each day. No sci-ence describes what happens after you die. There is revelation from God who sees the invisible, lives in the immateri-al, and knows what happens in secret. In His resurrection, Jesus Christ defeat-ed death for any man who follows after. Death did not hold Him and today He offers this power to ALL WHO BE-LIEVE what He did for them on the cross.

"I am crucified with Christ: neverthe-less I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave him-self for me" (Gal 2:20).

4. SIN

Everyone sins, including the most self-righteous religionists and church-goers. Without Christ, what becomes of our sins? They must be accounted for. Without Christ, they are all accounted to you. The judgment has already been made against you, and your sentencing day will arrive when you die. We need the man Jesus Christ to atone for our sins.

"And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Ro 5:11).

We need Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to mediate between God and us.

"For there is one God, and one medi-ator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim 2:5).

Through Christ’s shed blood, we have forgiveness. As long as sin is still pre-sent, we need Jesus Christ, or else it would be unrighteous to forgive anyone for sins.

5. PEACE

Peace is something every man desires, but is elusive. We are unable to provide what we need in life, but we can have peace through Jesus Christ by faith.

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ro 5:1).

We can also have the peace of God work in us through the Lord Jesus Christ.

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Je-sus" (Php 4:7).

6. HOPE

Without Christ, there is no hope. With-out Christ, the best hope anyone has is to seek as much pleasure as possible before their clock runs out. What vani-ty! This is little more than the last meal of a man on death row! With Christ, we have the hope of glory greater than any-thing we can achieve. It is the glory of God and the promise of inheritance through Christ. Jesus Christ is our hope. (1 Tim 1:1)

7. GRACE

We would not have any of these things if it were not for God’s grace giving them to us freely. Grace is unmerited/unearned favor, kindness. What would we do without God’s grace? God’s grace teaches us to live godly in this present evil world.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live so-berly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Tit 2:11,12).

Grace is necessary for you to continue, and God's grace is in Christ Jesus providing what you cannot.

8. SUFFERING

One of the greatest problems in the world is suffering, and without Christ there is no solution for much of it.

Modern science can alleviate some pain and suffering, but cannot eliminate it. How do we deal with suffering? Christ suffered and died with us when He lived, and He now is exalted above all things. He comforts those who trust Him, learn from Him, and join Him in the fellowship of His sufferings.

"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ" (2 Cor 1:5).

9. STRENGTH

Some people are stronger than others. But there always seems to be someone or something more powerful in this life to overwhelm you. Only some of us have great physical strength. Yet, what of the inner strength needed to make right choices, to live each day, and to resist evil. How does one go on? Jesus Christ provides this strength when all things are done through Him.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Php 4:13).

10. PRAYER

Someone who does not pray does not think they need God for anything. A prayerful man is a man who sees their need for God. Without Christ, prayers are heard and not answered. Prayers are answered through Christ in us.

"Now unto him that is able to do ex-ceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Eph 3:20).

11. JOY

It is amazing how many people think they don’t need the Lord Jesus Christ because they find joy in their life now without Him. We might as well say that we have no need of the sun because we have light bulbs. The sun lasts much longer, is much brighter, has more ben-efits, and we only need one! Rejoice in Christ, and your joy will be full. With-out Christ, we are playing with spar-klers. Through Christ, we can find joy in God.

"And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Ro 5:11).

12. CONSOLATION

Many people try to find consolation (comfort) in many things in this world. Yet, only one thing brings consolation forever, and it is found only through Jesus Christ.

"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlast-ing consolation and good hope through grace" (2 Th 2:16).

CONCLUSION

Perhaps you think you don’t need Christ because you see Christians who live like they don’t. Do not let this fool you. Many Christians have not yet learned all that they need from Him and are busy seeking their own things and not the things of Christ.

"For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's" (Php 2:21).

When you acknowledge your need for Jesus Christ, God can supply all you need. Why would someone reject Christ and lack all these things? The need for Christ is greater than anything else, but it is easy to ignore your great-est needs when you don’t know how to meet them. What is most important gets reduced to those needs that you can fulfill: food, money, temporary happi-ness. The greatest needs of mankind remain unfulfilled if you don’t have Christ. Your life will be without all the above.

Every man needs the Lord Jesus Christ. Not every man knows. Now you know. What will you do now that you know?

Your need for Jesus Christ can be met by believing the gospel, and that Christ supplies everything you need for salva-tion, life, truth, and joy. Christ can be in you today, providing forgiveness, strength, the hope of glory, grace, and consolation freely when you believe He provided what you need in this life.

"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference" (Ro 3:22).

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also re-ceived, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1Cor 15:1-4).

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Ep 1:13).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph 2:8,9).