REVISITING THE BELIEVER'S POSITIONAL RICHES IN CHRIST

Part XVI: Applying The Truth That Believers Are A Gift From God The Father To Christ

(John 17:2-24)

I. Introduction

A. This earthly life is often marked by the experience of losing: in the "March Madness" of the NCAA basketball tournament, 64 teams start out competing for the national championship, but 63 out of the 64 will end up as "losers"! Many similar kinds of competitions among achievers at the top of society are even more abundant for regular people in the workplace, in relationships and other areas of daily experience.

B. Experiencing multiple losses can leave one wondering if he is of little value at all, leading to depressive disorder with its fallout of a lack of productivity and failure in life or even suicide.

C. One of the 33 positional truths that the believer comes to possess the moment he trusts in Christ as his Savior from sin is the fact that he is made a gift from God the Father to God the Son, Jesus Christ. (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. III, "Soteriology," p. 249-250) Applying this truth counters the negative effects of this life's often debilitating competitions, building the believer up (as follows):

II. Applying The Truth That Believers Are A Gift From God The Father To Christ, John 17:2-24.

A. When Jesus prayed His great John 17 intercessory prayer to the Father, He spoke it audibly that His disciples might hear what He told the Father about them that they might have Christ's joy fulfilled in them, John 17:13.

B. Accordingly, seven times in this prayer, Jesus referred to His disciples as those whom the Father had given unto Him as a gift, doing so in John 17:2, 6 (twice), 9, 11, 12, 24.

C. Christ was thus teaching His disciples that at their salvation, "the Father presents individual believers separately to the Son -- each representing a particular import and value not approached by another. Like a chest of jewels, collected by one and wholly diverse, these love gifts appear before the eyes of the Son of God. Should one be missing, He, the Savior, would be rendered inexpressibly poor," Ibid., p. 250.

D. Jesus thus wanted every believer to know that the moment he or she trusts in Christ, he or she is so prized by God the Father and Jesus that the Father makes him or her a special gift to the Son in accord with the Father's infinite love for Christ, meaning God graciously places an unspeakable value on every believer!

E. Considering the context of John 17, we learn invaluable applications of this reality for our edification:

1. Since God the Father so highly values the believer that He makes him or her a gift to His Son, at the point of the believer's expression of faith in Christ, the believer is given eternal life, John 17:2.

2. Since God the Father so highly values the believer that He makes him or her a gift to His Son, at the point of one's faith in Christ, the Father identifies Himself as the Owner of the believer so that He can give him or her as a priceless gift to His Beloved Son, John 17:6 (twice), 9. The Father thus infinitely loves and stakes His ownership in the believer the instant he or she trusts in Christ for salvation.

3. Since God the Father so highly values the believer that He makes him or her a gift to His Son, at the point of one's faith in Christ, God is concerned that this believer be protected enough from the world that he might enjoy unity with other believers in desiring to serve and exalt Jesus Christ, John 17:11.

4. Since God the Father so highly values the believer that He makes him or her a gift to His Son, at the point of the believer's faith in Christ, the Lord preserves his soul so that no saved believers are lost, John 17:12.

5. Since God the Father so highly values the believer that He makes him or her a gift to His Son, at the point of the believer's faith in Christ, Jesus wills that that believer one day be with Him in heaven's glory that he might behold the glory Jesus has that was given to Him by the Father before the world began, John 17:24.

Lesson: (1) Opposite the debilitating effects of the evil world's competitive system that makes many view themselves as "losers" who are of "little" or "no value," a positional truth possessed by every believer the instant he or she trusts in Christ for salvation, is the fact that he or she IN GRACE is so highly valued by God the Father and Christ that the Father shows His infinite love for His Son by making that believer a unique, individual GIFT to His Son. (2) The resulting care of God and Christ for each individual believer is thus infinitely great and nurturing.

Application: (1) May we counter the "low self-esteem" issues we face due to the heartlessly competitive world in which we live by focusing on the truth that we believers are made invaluable to God in our salvation. (2) Thus, not out pride for any intrinsic value in ourselves, but in thanksgiving to God as "graced believers," (a) may we rejoice in God's infinite acceptance of us, (b) may we value fellow believers in the true unity God desires for His people and (c) may we relax in the security of God's great protection of our salvation and nurturing provisions for us.