God made man on the sixth day, only after he built the perfect place for him to live. Then He gave it all to man as his dominion. Adam and Eve walked among all the animals totally without fear. To me, that was God’s first expression of love.

Even before God spoke it all into existance, He knew Adam would eat the fruit. Even more, he knew every sin that all men would ever commit. Then, even then God the Father decided to give his Son for us. Jesus the Son decided he would die on the cross for us. That, indeed was, as far as I know was his first act of love toward us. It was before the creation.

Then to, it was all inclusive. He did not carve out any exceptions. No one was excluded. No sin was excluded. He did not say he would exclude murderers, lawyers or even politicians. It means that salvation is available to the poorest and the richest, although the riches can make it difficult difficult to receive that salvation. It is available to the weak as well as the strong, though the pride of the strong might blind him to his need.

Though the salvation is just as available to geniuses as the mentally challenged, some of those geniuses are literally too smart for their own good.

Because of His love, He is merciful. Without the mercy, there would be no forgiveness. Without forgiveness, there would be no salvation. All of us would get exactly what we have coming to us. It’s called justice.

God absolutely requires justice. That means, for every sin, large or miniscule, someone must pay the price.

That is the reason for the cross. Jesus, because of his love, paid the price for all sin. By the way, he had no help. There is simply no way we could have helped, no matter our effort, no matter any power or fortune we might have.

To succeed, Jesus and Jesus alone has that power, that ability.

Finally, it’s His power, His authority. If we don’t believe that, then we lack faith. When anyone claims that he is providing his own salvation in part or in full, he is attempting displaying a lack of faith in Jesus.

It is the only condition of salvation: complete faith in Jesus. It is more than fair. He is the one who paid the price for our sins. It is certainly right that He and he alone receive all the credit and all the glory without exception. We ought not be allowed to steal any of it.

When we do accept His salvation, why shouldn’t we know we are saved. Why should we doubt his promise or his ability? If we are saved why can’t we declare it. It is not our ability we brag on but rather the salvation that Jesus has provided.

And, to be sure, He has provided that salvation because of his love and mercy toward us, toward me and nothing else. His salvation was paid for me. I know that because when he said whosoever in John 3:16, He did not make me an exception.

I think, actually I know, if you cannot say you’re saved, you just might want to place yourself in the hands of Jesus as your only savior. That way you’ll be included in the whosoever of John 3:16.