Biblical Answer

Understanding Our Worth

When we think we are not worthy, it can be a crushing feeling. We may feel like we are not good enough, not loved enough, or not valued enough. But the Bible tells us that we have value, not because of our worthiness, but because of God's love and redemption. Through redemption, God bestows even greater value on us as the first fruits among His creatures (Jas 1:18). This means that even though we are sinful and unworthy, we are not worthless. We have inherent value as human beings created in God's image (Gen 1:27). Our worth is not determined by our accomplishments or our worthiness, but by God's love and acceptance of us.

The Problem of Self-Justification

Sometimes, our sense of worthiness can lead us to try to earn our worth through self-justification. We may try to prove ourselves to others or to ourselves by achieving certain goals or meeting certain standards. But this can lead to a never-ending cycle of striving and dissatisfaction. The Bible warns us against this approach, saying that we cannot earn our worth through personal virtue and merit (Rom 3:20). Instead, we must rely on God's grace and redemption to give us value and worth. When we try to earn our worth, we become slaves to our own self-justification, and we miss out on the freedom and joy that comes from trusting in God's love and acceptance.

The Christian Perspective on Worth

In the Christian perspective, our worth is not based on our own worthiness, but on God's love and redemption. We are not worthy because of our accomplishments or our moral character, but because of God's choice to love and accept us. This is a radical concept, one that flies in the face of our cultural values, which emphasize self-reliance and personal achievement. But the Bible tells us that we are not worthy, and that is exactly why God chose us. He chose us not because of our worth, but because of His own love and desire to redeem us. When we understand this, we can begin to see our worth in a new light, not as something we earn or achieve, but as something we receive freely through God's love and redemption.