For the last few weeks we’ve been looking at common objections to Christianity. This week I want to look at the objection that Christianity is simply a psychological crutch.

Some people think that Christianity is only for those who are weak, and that certainly is not them. They don’t see a need for Christianity in their own life and so they conclude that people only need Jesus if they have psychological problems.

Surprisingly, there is truth to this objection. Firstly Christians are indeed people that admit they have psychological needs. To obtain freedom from psychological problems, logically you must be first enslaved to them. And so the Christian is one who is honest about their problems and finds the solution in Christianity. We say with Paul: ‘Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God’ (2 Corinthians 3:5).

Secondly Christianity does satisfy psychological needs. Christianity offers freedom from all psychological problems. For example freedom from worry, freedom from depression, freedom from fear of other people, freedom from addictions, freedom from guilt.

So is this objection a valid objection against Christianity? No. Because what the objection implies is that some people, including the objector, have no need for Christianity. But the truth is that everyone needs Christianity as their psychological crutch. All humans have at least one psychological problem: guilt. Everyone deep down knows that they are a sinner and that one day a righteous God will hold them to account. They may try and suppress this truth, but it is still there: ‘For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse’ (Romans 1:20).

Thus everyone needs Christianity. The objection that Christianity is a psychological crutch is not an objection – it is a statement of truth that the objector should listen to as it proceeds from their own mouth.

Do you recognise that Jesus is a psychological crutch that you desperately need? Or are you still kidding yourself that you’re ok?

Joel Radford.