271. Unblameable in Holiness
1 Thessalonians 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming to judge at the end of the world when He ushers in the Eternal State of a New Heavens and a New Earth. Every human being is accountable to God, and everyone knows, consciously or unconsciously, that he or she must face a just judgment. Every born sinner innately fears the judgment, and many are struck with terror when they are convicted of this truth.
Most people deal with this reality in one of three ways: 1) by ignoring or denying that it is really coming; 2) by deceiving themselves into hoping that somehow their goodness outweighs their sin and deserved condemnation; 3) or by repenting of their sin and believing the Gospel. The third alternative is the only honest and safe way to deal with the issue of facing the Judgment of a Just Judge.
The prediction and prophecy is that Jesus is coming to judge. Of this fact there is no doubt or argument; ignore it at your peril. The promise, however, is that the Lord will establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God. In order to enter into the presence and joy of the Lord the blamable sinner must be blameless and holy, for God is holy. No sinner can stand in the judgment and be welcomed into the Eternal Kingdom without being made holy, forgiven of sin, justified, and rendered innocent, blameless and guilt-free.
This promise of blamelessness in holiness motivates us and gives us the power to love one another and all people. The promise that comes from the future Judgment Day changes our present day living. We do not love in order to make us acceptable before God; we love because He has already established our hearts in holiness, and thus acceptable. Holiness produces genuine love, and true love comes only from One Source, God.
What a change Jesus has effected: He has changed us from terror to unbounded joy. He wrote our names in the Book of Life, and when the books are opened we will rejoice and praise God for Grace and Salvation. We are changed from cringing to leaping. The promise of God makes a great change.