ACC ~ Ephesians 1 v4b

WHETHER IT IS POSSIBLE TO RECEIVE THE GRACE OF PURE HOLINESS. ORIGEN: One might ask if this is not contradicted by the prophetic saying “In your sight shall no living being be justified.”… One may answer, taking refuge in the double meanings of prophecy, that … no one is in all respects and throughout his whole life justified in God’s sight, since he will of course have sinned at some time. But this would not prevent some from being at times holy and blameless before him if they have become so through correction. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.

ELECTED FOR HOLINESS. CHRYSOSTOM: “You have been elected,” he says, “in order to be holy and unblemished before his face.” … He himself has made us saints, but we are called to remain saints. A saint is one who lives in faith, is unblemished and leads a blameless life. HOMILY ON EPHESIANS 1.1.4.

FAITH, VIRTUE AND LOVE TOGETHER. CHRYSOSTOM: The sanctified life is not the effect of our labors or achievements but of God’s love. It is not born of love alone or of our own virtue. For if it were from love alone, all ought to be saved. Again, if it were from our virtue his earthly appearing and the whole of his work would be unnecessary. But it is not from love alone or from our virtue but from God through God. … Virtue would have saved no one had there been no love. … For to become virtuous and to believe and to advance, this too was the work of the One who called us, even though it is something we can share. HOMILY ON EPHESIANS 1.1.5.

DISTINGUISHING AN INFANT FROM A SAINT. JEROME: Between saintly and unblemished there is this difference, that one who is saintly is ipso facto understood also to be unblemished, but one who is at some point unblemished is not by that fact itself saintly. Infants, after all, are spotless because their bodies are pure and they have committed no sin; and yet they are not saintly, because sanctity is not acquired without will and effort. Moreover, he who has done no sin can be called unblemished, but the saintly person is the one who is full of virtues. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 1.1.4.

NOT CHOSEN ON ACCOUNT OF OUR BEING HOLY. JEROME: It is asked how anyone can be saintly and unblemished in God’s sight. … We must reply [that] Paul does not say he chose us before the foundation of the world on account of our being saintly and unblemished. He chose us that we might become saintly and unblemished, that is, that we who were not formerly saintly and unblemished should subsequently be so. … So understood it provides a counterargument to one who says that souls were elected before the world came to be because of their sanctity and freedom from any sinful vice. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 1.1.4.

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