In our last article we saw something of the fulness contained in "The Father's choice

of us." We now turn our attention to the object of that choice as revealed in the words,

"That we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." It is as well to observe

what is omitted from this statement. Heaven's glory is not mentioned, life in Christ is not

spoken of, all the blessings which figure so prominently in the hope and faith of God's

children are not prominent, the qualification which alone befits us for them all is here

If the reader will turn to the Structure on page 1 he will see that the Father's choice,

object, and motive are repeated. The choice of us in Christ before the overthrow of the

world is amplified in the words of verse 5, "having predestinated us." The object, "that

we should be holy," is taken a step further in the words, "unto the placing as sons." The

motive, "love," is further defined by the words, "the good pleasure of His will," and we

shall see how fitting it is that the order as written in Ephesians be kept, viz.:--

For a wealthy yet philanthropic person moving in high society to take a dirty,

unkempt, ill-mannered gutter child straight from its sordid surroundings to the brilliance,

luxury, and refinement of the drawing room without the necessary washing, re-clothing,

training, and preparing, would not be kind nor wise. So with ourselves. Until the

salvation of God was sent to us, we were worse than the gutter child. God, Who chose us

in Christ, and Who predestinated us to the "adoption," also made a perfect provision in

His Son for all necessary qualification.  This qualification is stated positively and

negatively. Positively ­ holy. . . . Negatively ­ without blame.

We have met men who do not hesitate to claim "goodness," who deny their

sinnership, but we have never met one who claimed as a personal unaided quality

absolute and positive holiness. It is written, ". . . . holiness, without which no one shall

see the Lord" (Heb. 12: 14). We would point out in passing that the context of this verse

is instructive, for, just as Eph. 1: 4, 5 links holiness with sonship, so Heb. 12: 9-14 speaks

of the Father's discipline that we might be partakers of His holiness. Holiness, like

righteousness, is not the work of the flesh. Believers may be urged to "perfect" holiness,

even as they are enjoined to bring forth the "fruit" of righteousness, but this is parallel to

the words, "work out your own salvation." The possession of salvation is assumed, the

command is to work it out as one would a mine. The possession of holiness is assumed,

the "perfecting of holiness" refers to its manifestation during our walk through life.

One passage in Ephesians disposes of any idea that the believer can accomplish the

Father's object, and that is Eph. 5: 27.  There the blessed and comforting truth is

declared, that the Father's object is accomplished by the sacrifice of His Son:--