How can a church teach that spiritual strength grows through dependence on God rather than self-confidence?

Babel exposes a perennial human temptation: to treat unity, organization, and technology as the grounds of security. The narrative shows people who trust their social vision and capacity, but do not seek God for direction or help (cp. Genesis 11:1–9).

Huffman frames God’s response with deliberate irony: the people build “a tower with its top in the heavens,” yet “the Lord came down to see the city and the tower” (Genesis 11:4–5). God is not impressed by human accomplishment, and God can confound human pride with effortless authority.

For pastoral application, the immutable lesson in memorable parallel lines: “we are strongest when we are most dependent on God. We are wisest when we rely on God’s wisdom rather than our own. We are most successful when we are striving for God’s purposes, not our own.” (Huffman, “Babel & the Sin of Glorifying Ourselves,” 2026)

Dependence is not weakness dressed up in religious language. Dependence is the proper posture of creatures who confess that God alone gives wisdom, strength, and fruitful ends.

God teaches the church that real strength, wisdom, and success come through dependence on God rather than confidence in ourselves.

Related Material

• Wisdom through Relationship with God — grounds wisdom in worshipful reliance rather than self-sufficiency 
• Embracing God’s Fear for Wisdom and Strength — connects “strength” to reverent dependence that redirects the heart from pride 
• Living Within Our Limits: Finding Freedom in Less for More — applies humility through limits, resisting the Babel-instinct to secure life by excess 

---

Source: Babel & the Sin of Glorifying Ourselves

Disclaimer: Information in my “slip-box” doesn’t necessarily reflect my agreement with the source or all its content. Recording diverse perspectives helps strengthen one’s position beyond the echo chamber of like-minded thinkers. By documenting alternative viewpoints, we engage in the intellectual wrestling match that ultimately deepens our understanding.

I aspire to post one note from my “slip-box” every weekday. If you want to learn more about how to work with knowledge, click this link: What is knowledge management?