p. 6 | WHO ARE WORTHY? by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 18, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 46.

WHO ARE WORTHY?

By G.

A common requirement of the ordinary public charity is that the recipient must be “worthy.” In most cases, excepting in times of general want, a certificate, at least an indorsement, of character must be forthcoming before assistance is rendered. This may be necessary, to a certain extent, because human resources are limited, human judgment is faulty, and human plans can not be perfect. It would not do to conclude that public charity is all bad, and therefore should be abolished. But how different is it from God’s way. “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” When Christ decided to give His life as a ransom for the lives of sinners, He did not ask, Are they worthy? He knew they were not worthy, and that was just why they needed the proffered help. The tendency of human charity is to assist the good ones, and to cast out those in regard to whose character there is doubt. “Peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Ten lepers, near a certain village, saw Jesus passing along the road, and called to Him to have mercy on them. He did not inquire as to their worthiness, but told them to go and show themselves to the priests. This was necessary, for, according to the law, the priests must declare them clean before they could mingle with their fellow-men. As they were going to show themselves, as commanded, they were healed. One of them returned to give thanks to God, but the others took their blessing as a piece of good fortune, and did not take the trouble to acknowledge

their obligation. They would, of course, be deemed unworthy, and men would naturally say, We will make inquiry of the next applicants for favor. But Christ knew their hearts beforehand just as well as He did afterward; that, however, did not cause Him to withhold His assistance from the suffering ones.

Then when we see human beings in great need of assistance, shall we stop to ask, Are they worthy? Who of us, with all our profession of faith, could stand the test of such a query, if the Lord should require it of us before allowing His sun to rise or permitting the rain to fall. The Jews deemed themselves worthy of salvation, and all others unworthy. They condemned Christ because He received sinners and ate with them. But Paul, on one occasion, showed them that they had “judged,” or proved, themselves unworthy by rejecting the faith of Jesus. See Acts 13:46. All the worthiness that ever can be attributed to any human being is that which is imputed to him because of his laying hold of the worthiness of Christ. G.