What It Means That He Loves You the Same Way (John 17:23 Applied)

2025-12-22/Ryan Bailey

The Daily CHEW™
Moving God’s Love from Head to Heart for Christian Professionals

Why This Matters for You

You’ve heard it: “God loves you.” You may even agree that God loves Jesus with eternal, joyful, unshakable love. But John 17:23 makes a claim that feels almost too much:

“…that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me.” (John 17:23, ESV)

“Even as.”
Not “a bit like.” Not “almost as much.”
Jesus is saying: The Father loves you with the same kind, quality, and strength of love with which He loves Jesus.

Yet on Monday morning—when you mess something up, overreact, underperform, or get overlooked—you likely live as if:

  • God’s love is cautious toward you.
  • His patience is thin.
  • Your standing rises and falls with how you’re doing.

This blog is about closing that gap—not perfectly, but meaningfully. You won’t fully grasp this love before Heaven, but you can receive it deeply enough that it actually changes how you respond to life, work, failure, success, and calling.

If you haven’t yet, read Blog 1 first:
How the Father Loves the Son: Seeing Jesus Through His Father’s Eyes

The Gospel Meets You Right Here

In Blog 1, we lingered on how the Father loves the Son:

Now Jesus says something astonishing:

“…You… loved them even as You loved Me.” (John 17:23)

This doesn’t mean:

  • You are divine.
  • You “perform” like Jesus.
  • The Father ignores your sin.

It means:

  • In Christ, you are joined to the beloved Son.
  • The Father’s posture toward you—His commitment, affection, and welcome—is rooted in Christ’s merit, not yours.
  • God does not scale down His love when it lands on you. The same covenant love, secured by Jesus, now holds you.

Here’s the surprising way God’s love changes your story:
Your identity, security, and future are anchored in the same love the Father has always had for Jesus. The Spirit’s work is to help this move from theology to daily trust—so that, more and more, you respond to life as someone deeply loved, not barely tolerated.

CHEW On This™: Practice Receiving the Same Love

Pause at each CHEW step below. Reflect, and answer in your own words—you’ll see a sample below each question. This is where the Gospel gets personal.

Confess

Question: Where in your life do your reactions show you don’t really believe the Father loves you as much as He loves Jesus?

Sample Answer:
“When I make a mistake, I assume God is frustrated and distant. I start working harder to ‘get back’ into His good graces.”

Pause and reflect: What would you say?

Hear

Question: What does God’s Word say about His love and verdict over you in Christ?

Sample Answer:
“John 17:23 says the Father loves me ‘even as’ He loves Jesus. Romans 8:1 says, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ Together, they say I am fully loved and fully accepted—no probation, no thin ice.”

What promise from God do you need to hear?

Exchange

Question: If you truly trusted that God loves you as much as He loves Jesus, how would that shift how you see yourself or respond in this area today?

Sample Answer:
“I would stop trying to earn His approval through overwork and perfection. I’d confess quicker, rest deeper, and take more risks in loving others, knowing my worth is settled.”

If you believed this deeply, what would change?

Walk

Question: What is one practical step (10 minutes or less) that embodies trust in this love instead of old patterns?

Sample Answer:
“Today, before I tackle my hardest task, I’ll pause and pray: ‘Father, Your love for me in Christ is as secure as Your love for Jesus. Help me work from that security, not for it.’ Then I’ll proceed without obsessing over how I’ll be seen.”

What’s one concrete way you’ll live this out?

Ways to Experience “Even As” Love in Everyday Life

Here’s how you can actively trust and experience God’s love—not just work harder.

  1. Swap “Proving Yourself” for Remembering Your Position

Why this helps:
If you belong to Christ, your position is “in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). You’re not auditioning; you’re adopted.

How it looks:

  • Before big decisions, tense meetings, or vulnerable conversations, remind yourself: “I walk into this as someone the Father loves as much as He loves Jesus.”
  • Let that frame your tone, boldness, and willingness to admit limits.

Scenario:
You’re about to deliver a high-stakes presentation. Instead of spiraling in self-critique, you whisper, “I’m already loved as deeply as Jesus is loved. This presentation can’t add to or subtract from that.” You step up less anxious and more present.

  1. Bring Your Worst Moments to the Throne, Not the Corner

Why this helps:
Knowing the Father loves you as He loves Jesus means your failures are already accounted for in Christ’s sacrifice. You run to Him, not from Him.

How it looks:

  • After blowing up at home or dropping the ball at work, confess quickly and specifically to God and (where appropriate) to others.
  • Expect a Father’s discipline and kindness, not cold indifference.

Scripture:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses…” (Hebrews 4:15–16)

Scenario:
You speak harshly to your spouse. Instead of stewing in self-hatred, you confess to God, own it out loud at home, and ask for forgiveness. You move toward relationship instead of hiding—because you’re anchored in love, not shame.

  1. Let Criticism Adjust You, Not Define You

Why this helps:
When your identity is rooted in the Father’s “even as” love, feedback can shape you without crushing you.

How it looks:

  • When someone offers critique, you can ask, “What here is true and useful?” without tying it to your worth.
  • You can repent, refine, or reject feedback based on truth—not fear.

Scenario:
A client says your presentation lacked clarity. Instead of spiraling (“I always fail”), you think, “The Father’s love isn’t on trial.” You thank them, clarify, and plan to improve. Growth replaces defensiveness.

  1. Turn Success Into Worship, Not Identity

Why this helps:
“Even as” love frees you from needing achievements to feel lovable. Wins become occasions for gratitude, not self-exaltation.

How it looks:

  • After a great quarter, promotion, or relational breakthrough, you pause and say, “This is grace. Thank You, Father, that Your love preceded this and will outlast it.”
  • You enjoy the success, but you don’t build your identity on it.

Scenario:
You land a major client. Instead of quietly thinking, “Now I’m worthwhile,” you give thanks and keep your heart anchored in Christ’s work, not your own.

  1. Use the Core CHEW Question in Real Time

Why this helps:
The Core CHEW question cuts through noise and reveals where you’re living like an orphan, not a beloved son or daughter.

How it looks:

  • In moments of stress, shame, comparison, or temptation, ask:
    “If I really believed God loves me as much as He loves Jesus, what would change right now?”
  • Let the Spirit surface one change in posture, action, or words.

Scenario:
You feel envy toward a peer’s success. You ask the question and realize, “If I believed that love, I’d feel less threatened and more free to celebrate them.” So you congratulate them sincerely.

  1. Anchor Your Self-Talk in the Father’s Voice, Not the Inner Critic

Why this helps:
Your internal monologue often contradicts John 17:23. Let the Father’s words reeducate your heart.

How it looks:

  • When negative self-talk starts (“I’m too much,” “I’m not enough,” “I’m a disappointment”), respond with: “Father, this isn’t what You say in Christ.”
  • Then recall verses like John 17:23 or Romans 8:31–39.

Scenario:
You catch yourself thinking, “You’re such a failure.” You stop and reply internally, “In Christ, I am loved as Jesus is loved. Father, help me agree with Your verdict, not this lie.”

  1. Make Prayer a Place to Be Enjoyed, Not Evaluated

Why this helps:
If the Father loves you as He loves Jesus, prayer is not primarily about “impressing” Him but about being with Him.

How it looks:

  • Set a brief daily time where you don’t bring a list. You simply sit with the reality: “Right now, the Father’s love for me is as full as His love for Jesus.”
  • Let that shape whatever you do say.

Scenario:
In the car, you turn off the podcast and take two minutes to breathe and say, “I’m loved, fully, right now, as much as You love Your Son.” Your heart slows; anxiety eases.

  1. Seek Deep Help Where Belief Feels Impossible

Why this helps:
Some hearts have been wounded so deeply that John 17:23 feels unreal. In those cases, more information isn’t enough; you need patient, gospel-focused care.

How it looks:

  • If you just can’t imagine a loving Father, consider working with a counselor, pastor, or CHEW Triad who will help you process your story in light of Scripture.
  • Use the Core CHEW question together in places of deep pain.

Scenario:
As you explore your history, you realize why “Father” language feels loaded. Over time, biblically grounded conversations begin to separate God’s heart from human failures, and John 17:23 moves from “unthinkable” to “maybe… could it be true?”

If these steps don’t bring relief, consider seeking gospel-centered support—God’s love often comes through wise counsel and compassionate community.

Worship Response: Agreeing With “Even As”

Take 30 seconds—thank God for what His love has done. Worship is responding to His finished work, even when your feelings lag behind.

“Father, thank You that in Christ, You love me even as You love Your Son. Thank You that this love doesn’t shrink when I fail or swell when I perform. Help me live today as someone held that securely—free to confess, to risk, to rest, and to love others. Amen.”

Next Steps to Grow in God’s Love

Lasting change is always relational—God moves, we respond. Share your story, join a CHEW group, or reach out for prayer. To keep going deeper:

With you on the journey,
Ryan

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Ryan Bailey

Ryan C. Bailey helps Christian professionals live from the reality of God’s love in the middle of real leadership, work, and family pressures. For over 30 years, he has walked with leaders, families, and teams through key decisions and seasons of change, bringing together Gospel‑centered counseling, coaching, and consulting with practical tools like CHEW through Ryan C Bailey & Associates.