Section 16
That He may give eternal life to all whom the Father has given Him. By a careful reading of this verse, we can see that the Lord has authority to rule over all mankind in order to give eternal life to that part of mankind which the Father has chosen and given to the Lord. The Lord created man, exercised His authority over man, and re deemed some of them for the purpose of giving them eternal life. In other words, the Lord must first create, then rule over, redeem, and finally give life to a chosen group of people. The Lord's work, therefore, includes creating, governing, re deeming, and imparting life. The Lord has the same rank as the Father: He is the One who cre ates, governs, redeems, and gives eternal life. Do not think that you have received eternal life by accident. No, it was not an accident. Among the billions of human beings, God the Father loved you, selected you, and marked you out. There is a divine mark upon us.
The Father not only marked us out but also gave us to the Son. Do not just think of yourself as a poor, pitiful sinner. In a sense, you are, but, in another sense, you are a gift to the Son. You need to say, "Praise the Triune God that I am a precious gift whom the Father gave the Son. I am dear, precious, good, high, and even lovely.