Our Position in Christ – Set Apart and Blameless – Pt. 2

“just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” (Eph 1:4)

What does it mean to be “holy?” Does it mean to be absolutely perfect in all acts and deeds? If so, we are all doomed to fail. No, it means to be “separated, set apart.” Just like many of us have fine China that is set apart in a glass cabinet and is only used on special occasions. Likewise, we are set apart for the Lord’s purpose. Our purpose is for Him alone. Take a look at what God said about the Israelites to Moses.

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” (Exodus 19:5-6) That is the perfect description of Holy: a special treasure. Now, this was obviously in the Old Testament and before the death and resurrection of Jesus, who satisfied all the requirements of the law. Today, we are holy based on what Jesus did on the cross and not our own works. We are called to be set apart to God, which can only happen through Jesus. Notice how it says in the Ephesians verse that God chose us “in Him?” That is because it is ALL in Him. So really, our first and most important positional truth is that we are “in Him.”

The other half of this positional truth is that we are “without blame before Him in love.” Again, if this all depends on our conduct we are all doomed. Without blame simply means without blemish. In the Old Testament God required the sacrifice to be without blemish. “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.” (Exodus 12:5) John the Baptist, when first seeing Jesus in the wilderness, said “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Jesus is the spotless Lamb of God who was slain for us so that we could be Holy and without shame before the Father in love. There is no substitute for this. We can never be good or holy enough in and of ourselves. Our being holy and blameless are completely found IN HIM.

I will leave you with one more verse: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor 5:21) We are right with God and pleasing to Him through Jesus. When God looks at us who have accepted Jesus, He looks past our blemishes and sees the spotless Lamb of God!

So, saints, (which means holy ones) our position is that we are holy and blameless before God in love. We are set apart to God for His purposes alone. We are free from the shame and blame of our sin. Jesus took that blame. Now, it is time to live in the glorious liberty that has been freely given to us.