84 EPHESIANS,

but (a 7 ἁγία καὶ ἄμωμος) that it should be holy and without blemish.” ‘This certainly is descriptive of a degree of inward purity not attained by the church militant. Comp. Col. 1, 22. Secondly, it is urged that the whole context treats of the effect of the ἱλαστήριον or propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, and therefore these words must be understood of justification, because sanc- tification is not the effect of a sacrifice. But the Scrip- tures often speak of the remote, as well as of the imme- diate end of Christ’s death. We are reconciled to God by the death of his Son in order that we should be holy. Propitiation is in order to holiness. Therefore, it is said, “‘ He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us unto himself a people zealous of good works.” Titus 2,14. In many other passages sanctification is said to be the end for which Christ died. There is nothing in the context, therefore, which requires us to depart from the ordinary inter- pretation of this passage. If the words ἐν ἀγάπῃ (in love) are to be connected with the preceding clause, it is decisive as to its meaning ‘ We are chosen to be holy and without blame in love.’ It is a state of moral excellence which consists in love. That is, it is no mere external consecration to God, as was the case with the Jews, nor any mere ceremonial freedom from blemish, to which we are elected. This is alto- gether the most natural connection of the words, from which no one would have thought of departing, had it not been assumed that the words “holy and without blame” refer to sacrificial purification. To connect