GOD is light and God is love; and we are called to be like Him, and to enjoy Him as such. This is God’s calling; but we are the called — chosen in Christ, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. When God would tell us what He is Himself, He describes what His children are— a son is of the same nature as his father. “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” True, He is love; but He is also Light; and He dwells in the pure unsullied light of His own Diety. And there He has called us and fitted us to be, in the fitness and acceptance of the risen and exalted Man. This is what God Himself has made us in Christ; forever blessed be His name!
But, we may well ask, how can Christians be it the presence of God holy and blameless, seeing there is so much in us that is the opposite of all this? This is a point of much importance and of great practical difficulty with many souls. But the answer is, the Apostle is speaking of what we are in Christ not of what we are or have been, in ourselves. Our old nature is not referred to here — it is passed by unnoticed. Of course the old nature is in us, and no better than it ever was, and we must take care and not let it show itself. But we are chosen and called in Christ. He is our life; and we are, before God, in the beloved One. This is the explanation, and in this the heart finds rest. Christ is holy in His character — blameless in His ways — love in His nature. And we are in God’s sight as He is, If God is to find pleasure in His children, they must be like Himself. Christ is the object of God’s unqualified delight, and so shall we be by and by. This is the hope of His calling. Oh! deep, divine, ineffable, unutterable, unfailing, spring of happiness now — of unmingled blessedness hereafter! “We know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” Therefore God has chosen us in Christ, “that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” We are brought thus into His presence, and His love is satisfied.
Oh! most wondrous, precious truth! All is done, Christ is risen and glorified. “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” It is only there that perfect blessedness can be found. With what a hope the calling of God fills the heart! His name alone have all the praise.
But this is only the bright side of the answer to the question. The state, or practical ways of the saints, is not always a true reflection. of their standing and privileges in Christ. We come far short of what becomes the children of God in many things. How feebly we answer to His love, and how many things we allow that are contrary to Him. Whence come pride, vanity, and worldliness? we may ask. Certainly not from the Divine nature. These and all other evil things flow, not from our new, but from our old nature. Although our standing is in Christ, the flesh is in us, and ought to be mortified. In it there is no good thing. How often we have reason to be ashamed and humbled on account of our many faults! But ere long we shall have done with the flesh entirely, and be perfectly holy and without blame before God in love. He has chosen us to this end, and will in due time accomplish it. This is our sure hope. But in the meantime may we seek to suppress our old nature, and watch against all its tendencies. We know that we are in Christ now, and have His life in us, notwithstanding all our failures. May we have grace to feed on Him day by day, and hour by hour, that we may be strengthened to do His will, until He comes to take us to be with Himself forever. A. M.