All of us are worthless in and of ourselves, for by our sin nature we fall short of God’s holy standards and He cannot have us in His presence. It is only through Christ and in Christ as the perfect sacrifice, which allows us to go into God’s presence for eternity. The only things of lasting value are those the Lord deems so, and only in Christ do any of us have any value, any worth in the eyes of God.
So we are all worthless when taken into account on our own standards. Now that may sound like horrible news, but it is actually incredibly good news.
Our worth, our sustaining eternal worth anchored in Christ and not in ourselves, allows us not to worry about losing our worth through anything we do (or fail to do). Our talents, skills and abilities (which by the way are God-given) are not being used of themselves to measure our worth, our standing with God; measured in Christ alone and found worthy of eternal redemption and presence with the Lord.
Yes, we need use those God-given gifts of talent, skill and ability in ways that are God honoring and seek to grow His kingdom, but they will not save us, being designed to allow us to work for Him to His glory.
The reason so many rage against the Name of Jesus is self-pride (one of the truly great worthless attributes of sinful humanity). To be expected to accept one’s own worthlessness and complete dependence on Jesus grates against the self-pride and self-will of the sinner, which means of all of us. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Believing in God’s existence—that’s okay for many, and the concept of a supreme being (which many in their sin make and model into something they can tolerate and live with and under) is fine.
But to accept Jesus as God Himself and to acknowledge one’s sin nature and helplessness, one’s worthlessness and need for Jesus as the only means of salvation—really sets a lot of people off. It makes Jesus offensive in their eyes. It makes Him intolerant and exclusionary. They choose to ignore just how inclusive Jesus is.
Yes, He is the only way (John 14:6), but He is available to any and all who seek Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). But the rage stoked by sinful self-pride that can fester in all of us and requires that the Holy Spirit draw us to Christ (because we are truly worthless and incapable of turning to Him otherwise; the dead can do no deeds to bring them to the land of the living).
It is so easy to get, just believe in Jesus (faith and trust) and accept the gift of eternal life freely offered. But look around the world today (and I do believe it has been true for just about any day since Jesus offered Himself in sacrifice for our sins), and see how few are willing to reach out and grasp what is freely given. In this case, we shouldn’t feel that something freely given is worth what we paid for it, because God paid a tremendous price for that free gift.
The Son freely offered His life, innocent yet willing to bear all sin. The Father sent His Only Son to die and left Him alone on the Cross to be crushed by the weight of the world’s son. A tremendous price paid, so dear that only God Himself could bear the cost, which He counted and willingly paid.
The God of infinite worth is holy and just and is merciful and gracious. He paid the price for all of us; worthless beings who only have to reach out and trust in faith in Him. For that is how much God so loved the world (John 3:16). Only a truly loving and gracious God could cherish the worthless and would seek to redeem them at such a cost.
Andy Coticchio
Rafter Cross Ministries