You Are Worthy: When Encouragement Stops Sounding Like Scripture

“You are worthy.” “You deserve it.” “You earned it.” These phrases line the vinyl of marketing banners across our cities. They are carefully designed to trigger deep psychological responses, appealing to our need for self-validation, self-care, and ego-enhancement.

Often, in the confusion of truth, these media messages get entangled with the gospel. “You are worthy” is a beautiful phrase which, when directed to our Lord Jesus Christ, is a fitting declaration. But increasingly, within my own church, I hear the phrase directed far more towards fellow members than towards our Lord.

It sounds good. It is encouraging. But the question is, is it true? And, in addition to that, does it do what we hope it will do, or does it propel us back into the realm of self that the gospel calls us away from: to deny oneself (Matthew 16:24), to humble oneself (James 4:10), and to place others before ourselves (Philippians 2:3–4)?

The focus on self and the esteem of self, increasingly perpetuated through all forms of media content, is deeply secular. As I write this, my hope is that, within my own church as well as the broader church, we would recover, even in some small way, a God-centred gospel that frees us from self-preoccupation.

As I sat with a Christian counsellor, processing the grief of a lost child, the pains of ministry, and the daily sufferings of the Christian life, the phrase “you are worthy” was offered to lift my head—not to Christ, but towards my own worth. I knew my counsellor meant well and that he cared for me. But his words left me reckoning with my failures, my sin, my fallenness, knowing with absolute clarity that I am anything but worthy. I am a beneficiary of divine and glorious grace. Like many well-meaning Christians, his desire to encourage me was noble, but his language was unhelpful.

No, church, we are not worthy. Jesus is. Wrestle with the doctrine of man and his sin. Reckon with the doctrine of God. Behold his holiness and glory. You will not find yourself feeling worthy; instead, you will find yourself undone.

Isaiah is a great illustration of this posture. He pronounces woe after woe as he looks upon the fallenness of Israel (5:8–23). They have broken covenant with God. The nation set apart as God’s personal possession, has yielded itself to systemic sin, injustice, moral corruption, and leadership failure. They have abandoned their identity, and covenant life has collapsed. They now face the judgement of God, and woe upon woe is declared over them.

Then Isaiah is caught up in a heavenly vision. He beholds the glory of God (6:1–4). The angels gathered around the throne of God declare,

The scene is breathtaking in its majesty. Isaiah, in response to the glory of God, is not left feeling “worthy.” No, quite the contrary: He is left completely undone. The woes he had pronounced on the nation of Israel he now directs towards himself. “Woe is me!” (6:5).

Upon beholding the holiness of God, he declares that even his lips, the instrument given to God’s purpose, are unclean. The man who speaks for God declares, “I am lost. I am unclean” (6:5). He realises the depths of his own fallenness.

Then God, in his incredible grace, touches the lips of Isaiah and declares him free from his sin: “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for” (6:7). It is unthinkable, after this, that Isaiah would think of himself as worthy. No, this is an act of unearned grace from the God whose glory and holiness leave a man completely undone.

When we consider the cross of Christ, that same statement echoes into eternity for all who believe. For those who trust in the finished work of Christ, God declares, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

Now here is a test for you as you read this. When you look at the cross, when you look at the death of Christ, what happens in you? Do you translate that into a boost for your self-worth? Or are you struck with fear, wonder, and reverence? Because in the death of Christ, in the agonies of Calvary, you see the clearest declaration of the infinite worth of God.

Romans 3:10–12 paints an altogether sobering picture:

In Romans 3:23, Paul declares, after examining the extensiveness of sin across all humanity and the pervasiveness of sin in every person (1:18–3:26), “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In this passage, there is a worthiness, so to speak, a deservedness, but not of the kind we so often have in our minds. Here, man is deserving of the righteous judgement of God (6:23). The moment we remove that truth, we exalt ourselves into positions in which we should not dwell.

Revelation 5 is the clearest example of man’s unworthiness and Christ’s unique worthiness. As John looks upon the scroll in heaven, the question echoes throughout all of creation—heaven, earth, and under the earth: “Who is worthy?” (5:2–4). The question echoes throughout every generation, throughout all of time: “Who is worthy?” Who is worthy to execute God’s righteous judgement while at the same time vindicating his people? Is there anyone? After a complete silence, when it seemed no one would be found, finally, yes, there is one found: “A Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the centre of the throne” (5:6). He is worthy! He is worthy!

In response to the things I’ve said, many often ask me, “Have I no worth then?” Of course you do. However, the worth we have is never apart from God and Christ Jesus, who are always its source and substance.

Consider the immeasurable value of being made in the image of God. What an incredible privilege. This image exists in every human being, even amid the depths of distortion and corruption in the most evil of people. But even there, God is the source and substance of that worth and value.

The writers of Scripture capture a God who bestows incredible value on people in creating them in his image and then, in sacrificing his one and only begotten Son for the sake of their sins, demonstrates a love that goes beyond what they deserve.

As believers, our value does not flow from performance but from position. We are in Christ. As we place our faith in the finished work of Christ, we are accepted in Christ. We are declared righteous in Christ. We are justified in Christ. We are declared holy and blameless in Christ. We are being sanctified in Christ. One day, we will be glorified in and with Christ. And so, we have no worthiness of our own, but we find our value in our union with Christ.

To look upon the finished work of Christ and think that, in some way, it makes us worthy is a distortion of the truth. It was our sin that cast him there; it was our rebellion that nailed Christ to the cross. And God’s wrath came against Jesus, who stood in our place, so that mercy could flow towards the believer without God’s justice being disregarded. In this regard, God’s righteousness is upheld; his mercy and his justice kiss. Salvation has come to all who believe.

Such an act of grace, such kindness, such a declaration of love, such perfect faithfulness on the part of Jesus makes him, and him alone, worthy. So, church, let the words “You are worthy” belong uniquely to the only one who is worthy: Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:12).