"He chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). The doctrine of election is all about God's love in Christ. God chose his people in Christ before the creation of the world. That includes our responsibility to repent and believe the gospel (Acts 16:30-31; 17:30).
God chose us in Christ. How then are we in Christ? Only when a person hears the gospel of Christ and believes on him can it be said that he is in Christ (Romans 16:7). We are saved by faith in the Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9). Having believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). That's what it means to be in Christ.
God chose us unto faith in Christ. Believers are the church, the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). In the Old Testament God's chosen people were known as the nation of Israel. In the New Testament, God's people are known as the church, which is both Jews and Gentiles who know Jesus Christ as Lord. God's chosen people are in Christ.
God chose us in Christ to be "holy and and without blame before Him in love "(Ephesians 1:4). Believers are blameless, because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Believers are holy because we have received the righteousness of God in Christ (Romans 3:24-26; 4:5). This is never self-righteousness. It is the imputed righteousness of Christ, which believers receive through the gospel, by grace through faith.
