Jesus is Worthy

Our world is filled with complexity.  People, languages, relationships and theology are all complicated.  While there are aspects of all these that remain the same, there are things that change and morph over time.  The use of words can change to the point someone can mean the exact opposite of the word's common definition.  I remember when the Michael Jackson song "Bad" was at the peak of popularity (which meant the best), and other words have taken its place like "sick" or "mean."  When it comes to interpreting the Bible, it can clash with the modern take of the meaning of words.  A recent and useful conversation I had illustrated well the importance to carefully define what we mean when we use a particular word.

Because words are complicated and not limited to a single definition, the context helps us determine what people mean and thus the conclusions we draw.  A statement I find challenging to accept at face value without explaination is the claim that God makes Christians "worthy."  One reason why I find this hard to agree with is because "worthy" is defined as "deserving respect, admiration, or support."  The Bible makes it clear only God could ever be considered worthy because He is holy, righteous and almighty, the Creator of all who is sovereign over everything and everyone.  David wrote in 2 Samuel 22:4, "I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies."  God intrisically deserves respect and admiration due to His goodness, all He is and all He has done.  Jacob prayed in Genesis 32:10, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies."  Compared to God, Jacob realised he was nothing and undeserving of God's wisdom, guidance and help.

The Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines "worthy" like this:  "Deserving; such as merits; having worth or excellence; equivalent; with of, before the thing deserved."  One can see why "worthy" is a tricky word to define because it speaks of being deserving, and God saves us by grace through faith in Jesus.  We are naturally undeserving because of our sinful rebellion against God.  At the same time, God does value and love lost sinners out of His goodness.  It isn't because we are deserving or have merit on our own, nor are we in any way "equivalent" with God or naturally fit for salvation He freely provides.  We do not become "good" or deserving of God's goodness or grace by receiving Christ, yet God receives us like those deemed worthy because of His atoning sacrifice and salvation.  If someone uses the word "worthy" to make you feel empowered and self-confident, that is a deceptive doctrine.  Being made worthy by God's grace who alone is worthy ought to make us like Jacob, Moses and Paul who humbled themselves before God, who continued to view themselves as unworthy sinners and magnified the worthiness of God to be praised, trusted and obeyed.

On the basis of deserving respect and admiration, Jesus alone is worthy because He is God and does what no created thing or person can do.  Revelation 5:1-5 says, "And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ² Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" ³ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. ⁴ So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. ⁵ But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."  Rather than touting the worthiness of belivers, we ought to be zealous to ascribe all worthiness, glory and praise to God.  Realising we have been saved by the grace of God, we ought to magnify the wondrous salvation, forgiveness and worthiness of our Saviour.  We will one day be like Jesus and see Him as He is, immortal and glorified--but we will never be Him.

Saying Christians are made "worthy" by faith in Jesus Christ is in one sense accurate, but it cannot be properly understood without a firm, unyielding grasp of God's grace.  Because God is worthy He values sinning souls and paid the price of their redemption with His own blood.  Are we worthy or deserving of such a sacrifice?  Not a chance.  Are we worthy to have our sins washed clean and have them remembered no more?  No!  Yet having been born again by faith in Jesus, we can walk worthy of Him by taking up our cross and following Him, loving Him more than father, mother, son or daughter.  The abundant life Jesus promises His followers is not found by self-empowerment or self-abasement but in losing our lives for His sake.