Was I worth saving

I recently read an historical fiction book, based on a true story about the Holocaust. Early in the narrative, one Jewish man selects another young man for a job at Auschwitz, a decision that will ultimately save the young man’s life. The young man asks, “Pepan, why have you chosen me?” Pepan answered, “I saw a half-starved young man risk his life to save you. I figure you must be someone worth saving.” 

I started thinking about the reasons we were saved from sin. Why did Jesus die for us?  Was it because we were worth saving? 

The question is challenging. Clearly Scripture says that nothing we do earns us the right to be saved. Therefore, in that sense we are not worth saving. Nor are we worth saving because we are “good.” No one is good. From the beginning of the creation of man and woman, the Bible records our sinfulness and departure from God’s Holy image. The Apostle, Paul verifies this: 

“For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” Romans 3:23-24

We were saved because of God’s grace alone. There is nothing about us or what we have done that makes us “worthy” to be saved. And yet, the question remains, why did Jesus die for us? 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life.”   John 3:16

Is the answer that simple? 

Does He love us despite our sinfulness, and despite what we have or have not done? It is the great paradox of our faith.  We were saved not because there was anything worthy about us, but because there was something Worthy about Him—His great love.