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Son, surely none can refrain from the words of praise, "Blessed be God Who hath blessed
us".
The condition of "blamelessness" and "spotlessness" (Eph. 1: and 5:) is that which
pertained to the Lord Jesus in the capacity of the great sacrifice for sin.
"The precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish (cf. Eph. 1: 4), and
without spot (Eph. 5: 27), who verily was foreordained before the overthrow of the
world" (I Pet. 1: 19, 20).
In this passage we learn that not only is the believer's state of blemishlessness exactly
the same as that of the Lord Jesus, but that the same mark of time (before the overthrow)
is spoken of them as it is of the Lord as the fore-ordained Lamb.
Every additional verse we have read in this connection has strengthened and deepened
our knowledge and faith in the completeness and perfectness of our standing "in Him".
Eph. 1: 4 adds one more clause which is too important to miss. All this perfectness and
holiness is "before Him". The expression "before Him" is no vague term, but is the
rendering of a very intense and searching word, katenopion. In II Cor. 2: 17 the
Apostle uses this strong word (according to the received text) when seeking to show that
he was not a corrupter or trafficker of the word, but "as of sincerity (tested by sunlight),
as of God, speak we in Christ" (cf. II Cor. 12: 19; Jude 24).
Eph. 1: 4 renders katenopion autou "before Him", Col. 1: 22 "in His sight". The less
emphatic word enopion occurs several times (see Rom. 12: 17, Rev. 4: 5, &100:). The
qualification is stated positively, holy; negatively, without blame; and positionally,
before Him. If the holiness provided by the Saviour can endure the light of God's
presence we have that which is perfect and complete. To attempt to improve it or make it
more secure is to miserably fail. This perfect standing before God, this completeness in
Christ, is the basis of the words:
"Let no man, though he wishes it, defraud you of your prize, persuading you to
self humiliation and the worship of angels" (Col. 2: 18).
The Seraphim veil their faces in the divine presence, "but we all with UNVEILED
FACE, as in a mirror, behold the glory of the Lord". We have "boldness of access with
confidence by the faith of Him". We do not glorify this wondrous grace by depreciating
the perfectness of the holiness which is ours in Christ. In ourselves we are nothing but
He is all. Of ourselves we are darkness, but we may walk in the light as He is in the light,
for the precious blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.
This then is the object of the Father's choice. What a calling is ours! Those who are
thus holy in Christ are called saints. These demand our love (Eph. 1: 15), our prayers
(6: 18), and only as we, in spirit, embrace all saints shall we begin to understand the
fullness of the love of Christ (3: 18). We cannot make ourselves holy, we cannot keep
ourselves holy, but the Lord asks us to "walk worthy of the calling" (Eph. 4:), for He has
"saved us and called us with an holy calling" (II Tim. 1: 9).