S.Scripture | He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love, Ephesians 1:4
O.Observation | God’s choosing of the saved causes Paul to break out in praise (see v.3 & 6 esp.)! His choice is grace and mercy 100%. In addition to this, He also lavishes spiritual blessings on us (v.3), “every spiritual blessing (v.5),” “adoption… according to the good pleasure of His will (v.6).” He bestowed on us His praise and glory (v.7). Redemption, forgiveness according to His good pleasure (v.8). Which He causes to abound to us in all wisdom and insight.
God has done infinitely more for His chosen then we will be able to fully comprehend in this life! It seems fitting, in the midst of such a reflection of Him “that we should be holy and blameless.” Is this a positional holy and blameless resulting in His choice, or is it practical? We are given no clarification. To assume it must only be positional disregards that it may not be, and so too the other way around. Both are fitting, and both are evident elsewhere in scripture.
More and more liberal churches leans hard our position as a result of Christ and opposes real life practical results of obedience. This disregards verses like Romans 8:3-4. Note the resulting and practical language here.
”For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
A.Application | We must be careful that the worldly rebellion against authority doesn’t infect our thoughts and tear down any truth that will not affirm our fleshly desires. God calls His people to holy living (purity in morals) and His redemption is given as the cause (see 1 Peter 1:14-19). This holiness is not simply being “set apart” as the apple of His eye. Some anti-practical leaning bible scholars have attempted to limit the word “holy” to this one meaning (“set apart”). Doing so removes the call and aim for pure-godly living (not that we will ever be perfect as Paul says, yet it is what we press on towards [Philippians 3:12-14]). The call to holy living brings true repentance. The quieting of such a call through-out scripture, brings permissiveness and numb consciences. At least in 1 Peter this call is hard to deny. God says you are to “be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (1 Pt 1:15) and “each one’s work” and “conduct (v.17).”
The other day in conversation with a brand new believer, I found such childlike confidence in the truth! In excitement as we reviewed scripture about holy living he said “Yes! We can never be perfectly holy but we are to reach for it!” Where has such a hot zeal gone for God’s glory in holy living among the “more mature?” What about in me?
Am I longing to live a holy life today? Am I aiming to align my conduct with His will today? Do I purposefully and intentionally aim to grow toward perfection and purity as I mature in faith?
P.Prayer | Father, I sin against you in thought, word and deed. By what I have done and by what I have left undone. I repent. Show me the ancient path of Your holy way of living. Lead me to your grace and repentance when I fail to walk on it. Because of your grace, let all my life be increasingly for Your glory alone. Amen.
