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Impeach: – to call into question the integrity or validity of (a practice).
I ran across a thread on facebook the other day, involving a number of Christians who were discussing whether a person who was divorced and then got remarried was an adulterer (adulteress) or not. If so, could he/she be forgiven, seeing as they were living in this sin of adultery, being married to another. Of course they were using the Bible to try and come to a definite conclusion. This was a very serious discussion among very serious Christians.
For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he lives; So then if, while her husband lives, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress;… Romans 7:2a, 3a
Many ideas were offered, and some were quite unceremoniously shot down, especially mine, which sought to instruct as to the truth that we are no longer under the law. I find it interesting that in discussing what they believe to be true, people can wander so far from it as regards their behavior and attitudes toward those with whom they do not agree! As if dogmatic agreement is much more important than loving one another and walking in peace and joy!
So today I was in my morning reading of Scripture, and ran across these verses in Colossians:
And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind (logic center of thought) by wicked works, yet now has he (Jesus) reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable (unimpeachable, blameless) in His (God’s) sight;
Colossians 1:21, 22
When I read these verses this morning, the question which came to my mind was, are we unreproveable, blameless, unimpeachable now, in this day? Or is this speaking about a condition which occurs when we are gathered together with the Lord, at the rapture? If we are blameless today, then it is wrong to spend so much time focusing on sin like so many Christians do.
E. W. Bullinger, in his Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament has this to say of the word “unimpeachable” – not accused, with nothing laid to one’s charge (as the result of public investigation); though blamed, yet undeserving of blame.
As regards possible wrongdoing by a person in public office, an investigation occurs to determine whether or not charges should be brought. If there is a determination made that blame for some behavior should be brought to bear, based on an accepted standard of behavior, a person in public office is impeached.. Only then, after being impeached, are charges formally made and the person brought to trial, at which trial a final determination of guilt or innocence is made.
Since after the return of Christ there will be no “investigations” made into any of the believers’ thoughts, attitudes or behaviors, Colossians 1:22 must be speaking of today! Today, though a believer behave in a manner which would (or might) instigate an investigation, a determination is made in each case that no charges are to be brought against the believer; there is no sin for which a verdict of guilt will be sought. Today, there is no blame to be laid at the believer’s feet by God! For anything!
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? God, Who justifies? Who is he that condemns? Christ who died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us? Romans 8:33,34
This word “unreproveable” from Colossians 1:22, (“unimpeachable, blameless”) is the Greek word anegkletos, and is used four other times in the New Testament, each being translated “blameless.” This word anegkletos differs from the five other Greek words translated blameless, in that it includes the strong idea that a thorough investigation of someone has been carried out before the decision is made to lay no charges, to assign no blame. Something has been investigated – some behavior, action, attitude – but, in the end, that thing is decided to not be worthy of seeking to assign guilt.
Who (our Lord Jesus Christ) shall also confirm you unto (eos – until) the end, blameless (anegkletos) in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 1:8
Hey, you did something not quite right here. We need to investigate! Okay, as a result of our investigation into what you did, a decision has been made to not bring you to trial. You are free to go.
Here’s a good example. Let’s say I own an apple orchard which produces an abundance of delicious apples. Late one night I get drunk and I take a chain saw and cut down a number of apple trees. In the morning, my neighbor sees the destruction and calls the police, who come and do an investigation. They discover that I got drunk on my own property, and that I destroyed my own trees. My behavior was immature, destructive and stupid. But, after the investigation is completed, it is decided not to bring charges against me. Even though what I did was not the brightest or beneficial, I broke no laws in doing them. I am unimpeachable.
How can we who believe be counted guilty of sin (which means “to miss the mark”) when we are the mark! How can laws and judgments which were applied to servants of God, for the purpose of determining how well, or how poorly they were performing, be used against children of God, whose seating at God’s own right hand is already an accomplished finality? We are so far beyond all those rules and regulations and laws and judgments!
For He (God) has made him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (Christ).
II Corinthians 5:21
If I keep doing what I did that one night when I got drunk, I’m going to become physically broken down and will no longer have an apple orchard in a very short period of time. Nonetheless, even if that were to happen, no charges would ever be brought against me because no law is being broken. I am unimpeachable. And so, as children of God and joint heirs of all of creation with Christ (it’s all ours!), even though we at times speak and act poorly, destructively, uncharitably; we are unimpeachable – because it all belongs to us anyway!
Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. I Corinthians 3:21-23
Today in the heavenly economy of the church, the body of Christ, there exists no carnal law to which a son of God who is in Christ is subject (the law is for the ungodly). Each believer, being re-created in the image of God as a beloved child, is an heir of all creation. We are literally born of His being, of His nature. Any “sin” a believer commits in this day of redemption is only something stupid, destructive, immature and is absolutely not disqualifying in any way. No charges are ever brought by God or by Jesus Christ against one in whom the spirit of Christ dwells, for no law is broken, seeing as believers are not under the law which God gave to Moses for the nation of Israel.
(There may be consequences/punishment meted out by civil governmental authorities for poor behavior which breaks governmental laws – this possibility is not being addressed by this study).
Likewise must the deacons (diakonous – those who serve) be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre (dishonorable gain); Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them serve in their function, being blameless. (anegkletos) I Timothy 3:8-10
Obviously these “deacons” were not expected to be perfect in all ways – without error, free from mistakes. They were simply exhorted to perform their service within the “confines” of Christ. In the spirit of Christ there is no law which deals with the flesh. No charges can be brought against the believer who carries out his service to the body of Christ in the spirit of Christ. Mistakes will be made. Errors in judgment will occur. The devil will trick and trip with his deceit, but no charges will ever be brought by God against the believer who is in Christ.
If any be blameless (anegkletos), the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For an overseer must be blameless (anegkletos), as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker (lashes out at others), not given to filthy lucre (dishonorable gain); But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Titus 1:6-8
One of the necessary traits for those with a responsibility of service in and to the body of Christ is not that they are without sin, but that they learn how to live their lives within the spirit of Christ, unimpeachable. They learn to live in the judgment of Christ and not the judgment of the law or the judgment of men. The only way to live an unimpeachable life is to live in the justification which only the life of Christ brings.
If you live under the law which governs the flesh, then you have not fully accepted the gift of Christ. Like all those Christians who spent so much time arguing about whether or not someone who had remarried was, or could be forgiven, you are yet in your sinful flesh. We who serve our Lord Jesus Christ are not required to be without error – we are simply unimpeachable! And in that freedom which accompanies unimpeachability, we are free to grow forever greater in Christ.
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Related Studies
If you enjoyed how this study challenged your thinking and opened up your understanding of Christ, click on one of the related studies below:
Holy and Without Blame
Justified, what it means
Sin Hunters
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