Only Christ is Worthy

As I read this morning and work through the final passage identified in my concordance on the word “worthy” I am reminded that only one is worthy and that is Christ.

I believe I have mentioned in my writings before that we are Marvel fans. I am taken to the character of Thor and his worthiness to wield Mjölnir the hammer. According to the movies, Mjölnir was only able to held and wielded by one that was worthy and even Thor himself was not immediately worthy based on his godly status. He had to prove his worthiness and once he did, he was able to wield the hammer Mjölnir. Later we find that Captain America was worthy and now in the newest Thor film, even Jane, the previous girlfriend of Thor is found to be worthy. Where this is a great story of the virtuous worthiness that can be found in others, it is not the depiction I am looking at here nor with all that is Christ.

“³And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵And one of the elders said to me, ‘Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’” — Revelation 5:3-5 (ESV)

Here we find that there is one that is worthy and that one is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” or Jesus. He alone is the one that was slain for our sins and gave himself for the whole of us that we may not suffer defeat at the hands of the evil one. He is the one and only recognized savior and as such has the strength and worthiness to accomplish the task that no other can.

“¹¹Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹²saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’” — Revelation 5:11-12 (ESV)

As I look out into this world I have to remember that Christ is the only one worthy. Only in the movies and the secular world are others considered worthy of great things. I know that I am human and a sinner and will never meet the standard of Christ. I have to continue working at it and give the appearance of being worthy at each turn, knowing that it is only an appearance and that truly there is only one, Jesus, who is worthy.

When you are in the world, what is your view of yourself or others as pertains to worthiness? Are you of the opinion that anyone can reach that pinnacle as we see in the movies? What if you approached worthiness, knowing that you will never reach it, although you will continue to work for it, and that Jesus is the only one who is worthy?