Complete. Whole. Without blemish. Without fault.

Blameless.

Not a word you really ever see in someone’s bio. Certainly not one you’re gonna see in mine. Unless . . .

Came across the attribute, blameless, in two of my readings this morning. First, in the Psalter as I started in on the grand love song concerning the Word of God, Psalm 119.

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in His ways!

(Psalm 119:1-3 ESV)

To be sure, there is blessing in obedience. Makes sense, doesn’t it? He who made us for Himself would know the dos and don’ts of what will make us happy in ourselves. To walk in the ways He’s revealed; to keep the testimonies He has provided; to wholeheartedly seek to follow His instructions; just makes sense that it’s gonna be the happy way, the blessed way, the blameless way. That’s the obedience of blamelessness.

But how many of us know it also as the illusive way? Though the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. We know it ’cause we’ve experienced it. No matter how hard we’ve tried at obedience, no matter how often we’ve been somewhat successful at it, most of us are more likely to put “chief of sinners” on our business card than we are “blameless.”

Cue Ephesians 1.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.

(Ephesians 1:3-4 ESV)

I love feasting on Ephesians. For me, it’s the finest meal in a Michelin Three Star restaurant. Especially the opening inventory of who we are and what we possess “in Christ” (Eph. 1:1-14).

Possessors of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, in Christ. Adopted as sons and daughters of God, through Christ. Redemption by His blood. Forgiveness of trespasses according to the riches of His grace lavished upon us. And all this, in the Beloved.

Having obtained an inheritance, in Him. Sealed with the promised Holy Spirit as a guarantee until we take possession of it.  Because of faith in Him.

Brought into union with who He is, His perfect nature. More than conquerors over sin and death as we appropriate what He has done, the finished work of the cross. And all to the praise of His glory.

And within this glorious inventory, He chose us to be blameless before Him. Or, as other translations render it, without blame “in His sight” (CSB, NASB, NIV). Before the face of God, on display without veil before His eyes, nothing hidden, He looks upon us and sees us without blemish. Because we are in Christ. That’s the optics of blamelessness.

And while there may be a “but” of reality with the obedience of blamelessness, there is no “but” when it comes to the optics. To be sure, I aspire to walk, however feebly, without fault by loving and seeking to obey the word. But I also rest and rejoice in my unblemished standing, holy before a holy God, because Another has clothed me in His blemish-free holiness, and has credited to my account His perfect righteousness.

And while I may be blessed through whatever measure I attain to an obedience of blamelessness, He is to be blessed forever because of the once forever determined optics of blamelessness.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

What amazing, glorious grace “with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.”

To Him be all the praise!