Are We Really Valuable to God? Part 2

Ron Simkins – January 20, 2026 4 Comments

Returning to the theme of my notes in October and November, I want to emphasize yet again that when we ask the questions “Am I good or bad?” and “Are humans good or bad?” we get the answer “Yes-Both.” But, if we ask the questions “Am I valuable to God? and “Are Humans valuable to God?” we receive an unambiguous “Yes, Definitely!”

In November, I listed the uses in the Torah, Writings, and Prophets of a wonderful Hebrew word – segullah. Segullah was used to describe the wealth that kings tended to amass as their “most prized treasures.” But, when it was used of God, it was always used of how God thinks of us humans – when we relate to God we are “God’s most prized treasure.” As I mentioned before, I owe these insights to my long-time friend Walter Zorn who pointed me in this direction long ago and recently published the book “Biblical Texts: Mistranslated, Misinterpreted, Misapplied” which includes a chapter on this content loaded word.

When this usage of Segullah from the Torah, Writings, and Prophets comes over into the Letters, it comes with the Greek word group used to translate segullah in the LXX (the Greek translation of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings). The LXX uses forms of two Greek synonyms (periousios and peripoiēsis/peripoiēsiōs) to translate this one Hebrew word–segullah. 

As Walt Zorn points out, it would be good if English translations of the Good-News and Letters were more careful to reflect the Hebrew Bible meanings behind the nine uses of this word group. 

An Aside: I am trying to practice talking about the Bible in a more accurate manner that reflects its continuity. Unfortunately, it has become a longstanding tradition to call the Torah, Prophets, and Writings the “Old Testament” although they are far from old or out of date in God’s hands. And, it has become a longstanding tradition to refer to the Good-News (Gospels) and Letters as “the New Testament” which they are not. God’s covenant with us through Jesus is the “New Covenant” or the “Renewed Covenant” prophesied by Jeremiah. The Good-News and Letters tell us about what God has done through Jesus to renew and expand God’s covenant with us humans. I don’t know how to completely revise what I write and say to be more accurate, but it is worth trying to do better. The Bible for a follower of the Jewish Jesus is: Torah: Prophets: Writings: Good-News: Letters.

So back to the theme:  Let’s reflect on the nine uses in the Letters that emphasize how much you as an individual, and we as humans, matter to God. 

Ephesians 1:13-14 ¹³ And you also were included in the Anointed One when you heard the message of truth, the good news of your salvation. When you trusted, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s most prized treasure (peripoiēsiōs)—to the praise of his glory.

Acts 20:28 ²⁸Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which God bought (verb –“which God treasured/prized—perioiēō) with the life-blood of God’s own.”

1 Thessalonians 5:9 ⁹For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive (“to receive” is peripoiēsis –“receiving the prized treasure of”) salvation (wholeness/healing/rescue) through our Lord Jesus the Anointed One. 

2 Thessalonians 2:14 ¹⁴He called you to this through our good news, that you might share in (“might share in the prized treasure of”—peripoiēsis) the glory of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One.

Titus 2:14 ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus the Anointed One, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own (“who are God’s prized treasure”— peripoiēsis), eager to do what is good.

Hebrews 10:39 ³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who trust and are saved (“are saved” perhaps best translates as “become a person who is God’s prized treasure.” – Gr. eis peripoiēsin)

1 Peter 2:9 ⁹But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God (“becoming God’s prized treasure”-– eis peripoiēsin), that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Timothy 3:13  ¹³Those who have served well gain (“treasure as a prize”  perioiēō) an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Jesus the Anointed One. 

Luke 17:33 Whoever tries to keep (“prizes/treasures” perioiēō) his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  [If we treasure our life (and lifestyle) more than our relationship with God, we will lose our life; and if we are willing to treasure our relationship with God more than what this world calls “life,” we will “save” our life. Compare Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:19-21/rs]

So, next time you find yourself starting to beat up on yourself, remember, you are God’s most prized treasure. And, next time you start writing a fellow human off as worthless, remember, this person may be, or certainly could yet become, God’s most prized treasure. –Ron Simkins, NCF Pastor Emeritus