ARE WE WORTHY?

A Response to "Are We Worthy?"

The Question That Humbles

There is a question that presses upon every believer who pauses to consider the weight of what Christ has done. Are we worthy? It is a question that cannot be answered lightly, nor can it be answered with pride. When we look at the cross, when we consider the suffering of the Son of God, when we meditate on the blood that was shed for our redemption, we are confronted with our own unworthiness. No one had ever died for our sins. We did not deserve such a sacrifice. We could not earn it, purchase it, or merit it in any way. And yet God, in His infinite love, sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins—the atoning sacrifice that fulfilled God's requirement for justice and placated His wrath. This was not a response to our worthiness; it was a response to His love. The cross is not a declaration of our value; it is a declaration of His grace.

The Nature of Propitiation

The word propitiation carries weight that we often overlook. It speaks of a sacrifice that satisfies the righteous demands of a holy God against sin. It is not that God was angry and needed to be appeased by a reluctant Son; it is that God Himself, in His love, provided the sacrifice that His own holiness required. The Father did not turn away from the Son at the cross; He was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. The cross was not a division within the Godhead; it was the ultimate expression of divine love working in perfect unity to accomplish our salvation. We were not worthy of this. We could never be worthy of this. But that did not stop God from giving His best, His only, His beloved Son. The question of our worthiness is answered not by looking at ourselves but by looking at the cross.

The Cost of Redemption

Jesus died on the cross to redeem mankind. He did not die for the righteous; He died for sinners. He did not die for those who had earned His favor; He died for those who had earned His judgment. Romans 5:8 declares that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son. This is the scandal of grace: it does not wait for us to become worthy; it makes us worthy by the blood of the Lamb. The question "Are we worthy of the cross?" is answered by the cross itself. We are not worthy. But we are loved. We are not deserving. But we are redeemed. The cross does not measure our worthiness; it measures His love. And His love is infinite, unconditional, and unstoppable.

The Blessedness of Giving

If we truly understand the grace that has been given to us, it transforms the way we live. Jesus declared that it is more blessed to give than to receive. This is not merely a moral platitude; it is a revelation of the nature of God. God is the ultimate giver. He gives life, breath, and all things. He gives His Son. He gives His Spirit. He gives grace upon grace. And when we are filled with His love, we begin to reflect His nature. We become givers rather than takers. We find joy not in accumulating but in releasing. We find fulfillment not in being served but in serving. The question "Can we say this with Jesus?" is a test of whether we have truly understood the heart of the One who gave everything for us. If we have received His love, we will give it away. If we have been blessed, we will be a blessing.

Paul's Single-Minded Devotion

Paul declared that life is worth nothing unless it is used for doing the work assigned by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love. This was not a casual sentiment; it was the consuming passion of his life. He counted everything as loss for the sake of knowing Christ and making Him known. He did not value his own comfort, his own safety, or even his own life above the gospel. He was compelled by the love of Christ to preach to those who had never heard, to suffer for the sake of the name, and to pour himself out as a drink offering for the faith of others. Can we say this with Paul? Can we honestly declare that our lives are worth nothing unless we are doing the work He has assigned us? This is not a call to self-deprecation; it is a call to single-minded devotion. It is a recognition that we were saved not just for our own benefit but for His purpose.

The Work Assigned to You

You have been given a work. It may not look like Paul's work. It may not involve journeys across the Roman Empire or imprisonment in Philippi. But it is no less significant. You have been placed in a specific time, a specific place, among specific people for a reason. Your work is to tell others—by your words, your actions, your love, your life—about God's mighty kindness and love. This is the assignment. This is the calling. And it is the only thing that ultimately matters. The question is not whether you are worthy of this assignment; the question is whether you will embrace it. You were not saved to sit on the sidelines. You were saved to be a witness, a servant, a messenger of the gospel. Your life is a gift, and it is only truly life when it is given away.

The Grace That Makes Us Able

We are not worthy of the cross, but we are made worthy by the One who died on it. We are not worthy of the calling, but we are enabled by the Spirit who empowers it. We cannot say these things in our own strength, but we can say them in His. The grace that saved us is the grace that sustains us. The love that redeemed us is the love that compels us. The Spirit that indwells us is the Spirit that empowers us. So do not be discouraged by your unworthiness. Do not be paralyzed by your inadequacy. The question is not whether you are worthy; the question is whether you will trust the One who makes you worthy. He who began a good work in you will complete it. He who called you is faithful. He who gave His Son for you will give you everything you need to do His work.

Final Reflection

Are we worthy? No. But we are loved. Are we deserving? No. But we are redeemed. Can we say with Jesus that it is more blessed to give than to receive? Only if we have truly received His grace and been transformed by His love. Can we say with Paul that life is worth nothing unless it is used for His work? Only if we have seen the cross and understood its weight. The cross is not a measure of our worthiness; it is the measure of His love. And His love is enough. It is more than enough. It is everything.

Prayer of Surrender

Lord, I am not worthy of the cross, but I thank You that You died for me anyway. I am not deserving of Your grace, but I receive it with gratitude. Transform my heart so that I can say with Jesus that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Fill me with Paul's passion to tell others of Your kindness and love. Let my life be worth nothing unless it is spent for You. I surrender my worthiness, my inadequacy, and my all to You. Use me for Your glory. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.