For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. —Ephesians 1:4-5.
God wanted us to be His children. That was his plan for us even before the world began. While we cannot be holy and blameless on our own strength alone, God paid the huge price of our adoption into his family through the sacrifice of his Son, our older brother, Jesus. Because of our faith in Jesus and God’s grace, the Father cleansed us from our sins and brought us into His family as his sons and daughters. God’s motive in doing this? His desire and delight in loving us as his children. Our response? Seek to live holy lives that honor our Father by living his values in our broken world.