Our God is so amazing! Jesus told His disciples that His Father loved them, with the same love which He had for His Son! In John 17:23, Jesus says, "I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me." You and I know full well that we are unworthy, that we are sinners needing forgiveness, needing God's mercy. And because we are unworthy, whatever good that God would do for us is pure grace - His unmerited favor!
The Father sent His only begotten Son to die for us because He loves us (Jn. 3:16)! Jesus willingly offered Himself as our Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7), just as Israel offered their sacrificial animals to cover their sins, and to restore fellowship between them and God (Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:14)! When we acknowledge our sin and our need of the Savior, the Holy Spirit gives us a new birth; we are born again (Jn. 3:3-8). In addition, He takes up residence within us, to guide and comfort us (Jn. 14:17; 16:13). Grace upon grace!
In addition, Jesus taught that the Father had sealed Jesus unto Himself; their relationship could never be broken. John wrote: "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed" (Jn. 6:27).
When we place our faith in Jesus, the Word of God says that we too are sealed as His possession. The Apostle Paul wrote: "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest (a pledge or down-payment that the full amount will subsequently be paid) of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. 1:20-22). He elaborated on this awesome truth in his letter to the church at Ephesus:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: in Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:3-14).
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