that God chose us before the foundation of the world, is adapted to produce confidence ; the other aspect is no less adapted to produce humility.
This election is to holiness. We are chosen εἶναι ἁγίους Kal ἀμώμους κατενώπιον αὑτοῦ, to be holy and without blame before him. These words admit of two interpretations. They may be understood to refer to our justification, or to our sanctification. They express either that freedom from guilt and blame in the sight of God, which is the proximate effect of the death of Christ; or that subjective purification of the soul which is its indirect, but certain effect produced by the Holy Spirit which his death secures for his people. The words admit of either interpretation ; because ἁγιάζειν, as remarked above on vy. 1, often means to cleanse from guilt, to atone for; and ἅγιος means clean from guilt, atoned for; and ἄμωμος may mean free from any ground of blame ; unstriflich (not deserving of pun- ishment), as Luther renders it. In favour of this inter- pretation it is urged, first, that it is unscriptural as well as contrary to experience, to make perfect purity and freedom from all blemish, the end of election. There is little force in this argument, because the end of election is not fully attained in this life. It might as well be said that the υἱοθεσία (the adoption of sons), to which in vy. 5 we are said to be predestinated, includes nothing more than what is experienced in this world. Besides, in 5, 27, it is said, Christ gave himself for the church, “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing,
3