Verse for today – “Just as 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).”
Have you ever gone to the beach and searched for the perfect seashell to display in your home? You know what I mean; you’re looking for one that is different; one that is unique; one that stands out and produces admiration. Maybe your display will be out front for all to see; or, maybe, it will be tucked away in your office for your eyes only. Either way, this treasure you have discovered and chosen will bring you great joy. In a sense this treasure hunt is like God’s search for you and His choosing you. Blessing number two is that HE chose you to be holy and blameless before Him. There are two ideas here that blend together to make you God’s perfect trophy. The word holy means “set apart.” It’s like when you were at the beach looking through all those shells and you began to set certain ones aside for yourself. You set them aside because they were different, or special, or you set them aside for a special use. So, the Bible tells us that you, Christian, who belong to Jesus and follow Jesus, are set aside by Him for His own special use. You are chosen to be different than the world and to be used by God.
The word “blameless” adds another dimension to the first word and sets you apart even further. Blameless means without blemish; without blame. It is like a little lamb without a spot on him. Like a lamb with no defects. The idea is that of moral and physical perfection.
What a picture! How can it be that we will stand before our Creator holy and blameless?! Does it say “blameless”? That astounds me. And blameless seems impossible and beyond our reach. Indeed, it is beyond our reach! The Bible explains that we are far from blameless. The Bible says that we have sinned and not lived up to God’s glory. Because of this the Bible says we are separated from God. Listen to these words from the Old Testament:
“The Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear (Isaiah 59:1-2).”
If this is true, how can it be that we will be holy and blameless before Him? The answer lies in the truth that it is a great blessing God gives to those who belong to Christ. Remember the words from Ephesians 1:3: “[God…] who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” All these blessings are found in Christ. What does it mean to be in Christ? To be a saint? To be a Christian? Again, we will deal with this thoroughly when we come to chapter 2 in Ephesians. For now, it is appropriate for us to celebrate and praise God for choosing us and blessing us in yet another way.