How do we know God's love is the reason for Christ's sacrifice?

The essence of God’s love is vividly articulated in John 3:16, which underscores that God gave His only begotten Son out of love so that believers would not perish but have everlasting life. This scripture does not indicate that Christ's death was a mere act to gain God's love; rather, it was a manifestation of the eternal love that God had for His chosen people. The atonement stems from this divine love, where God, being love Himself, acted to redeem a people for Himself. Furthermore, while God’s love extends to His chosen ones, it is vital to understand that it does not imply a universal love for all mankind. Biblical evidence illustrates that God's love is particular, aimed at His covenant people.