There are two meanings to the word 'worthy'--deserving or fit. They run
into each other and yet they may be kept quite apart. For instance you
may say of a man that 'he is worthy' to be something or other, for
which he is obviously qualified, not thinking at all whether he
deserves it or not.
Now in the first of these senses--we are all unworthy of eternal life.
That is just to state in other words the tragic truth of universal
sinfulness. The natural outcome and issue of the course which all men
follow is death. But yet there are men who are fit for and capable of
eternal life. Who they are and what fitness is can only be ascertained
when we rightly understand what eternal life is. It is not merely
future blessedness or a synonym for a vulgar heaven. That is the common
notion of its meaning. Men think of that future as a blessed state to
which God can admit anybody if He will, and, as He is good, will admit
pretty nearly everybody. But eternal life is a present possession as
well as a future one, and passing by its deeper aspects, it includes--
Deliverance from evil habits and desires.
Purity, and love of all good and fair things.
Communion with God.
As well as forgiveness and removal of punishment.
What then are the qualifications making a man worthy of, in the sense
of fit for, such a state?
(_a_) To know oneself to be unworthy.
He who judges himself to be worthy is unworthy. He who knows himself to
be unworthy is worthy.
The first requisite is consciousness of sin, leading to repentance.
(_b_) To abandon striving to make oneself worthy.
By ourselves we never can do so. Many of us think that we must do our
best, and then God will do the rest.
There must be the entire cessation of all attempt to work out by our
own efforts characters that would entitle us to eternal life.
(_c_) To be willing to accept life on God's terms.
As a mere gift.
(_d_) To desire it.
God cannot give it to any one who does not want it. He cannot force His
gifts on us.
This then is the worthiness.