Affirming The Intrinsic Worth Of All People by Pastor Russ Fochler

We took a closer look at this core value, #4, last Saturday night - January 17, 2015.

What do we mean by “intrinsic worth”? Basically, we mean that each person has value beyond “what they are good for” – beyond their usefulness for some purpose.

Here is a quote from Wikipedia:

“Many people find it useful to distinguish instrumental value and intrinsic values, first discussed by Plato in the "Republic". An instrumental value is worth having as a means towards getting something else that is good (e.g., a radio is instrumentally good in order to hear music). An intrinsically valuable thing is worth having for itself, not as a means to something else. It is giving value intrinsic and extrinsic properties.

Intrinsic and instrumental goods are not mutually exclusive categories. Some things are both good in themselves, and also good for getting other things that are good.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_theory)

Affirming and seeing the intrinsic worth in each person - is important to us because it is scriptural. And yet, it is completely foreign to the way the world values people. In the world system, someone is only as valuable to the extent they are a means to an end. A guy who plays professional football is valuable in the world system to the extent they help win games - or at least help generate TV and ticket revenue. Oh – and whether their weekly stats help the Fantasy Football players who’ve “drafted” them ; )

Here are some points from my talk:

Every human conceived has great intrinsic worth - bestowed upon us by our Creator and redeemed by our Savior Jesus.

The brokenness we experience in this world is proof of the great hatred Satan has for the one class of beings (human beings) the Trinity has chosen to have the deepest level of community with.

Through fellowship with Holy Spirit, our human spirit can perceive glimpses of what we are each becoming! (2 Cor 5:16, 1Cor 1:9-16)

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2

This means that while some people may seem to have no usefulness to us or to the world – yet they have still value; intrinsic worth. As Wm Paul Young notes in his book “Cross Roads”, what we see now appears as unimpressive as the root, the bulb of a tulip. Someday, we’ll behold the stunningly beautiful, vibrant “flower” that comes forth from our present state – this dirty, humble, “homely” root/bulb! Then, we will be like Jesus in His glory.


Mark Zarubin shared about how he asked God to show him how God sees people – even people Mark did not care for. And then how Holy Spirit opened Mark’s perception to see brief flashes of the glory and majesty streaming from people!

You and I can ask to see this way too! May we become “attuned” to “know” people through our spirit receiving revelation from God’s Spirit. And may we grow in celebrating and affirming the intrinsic worth that Father God has placed in all people.

Even people-groups that we are being taught to fear and hate. May we see (as Leif Hetland teaches) with Son-glasses – their value and worth as beloved daughters, beloved sons to our Abba Father.

With the eyes of a child, captivated in wonder of the love and ways of our Triune God.

Love, Russ