WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP

WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP

Monday, December 01, 2014

Ephesians [MKJV] 2:1-10 And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins,   in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

  Though there are those that think otherwise, eternal life is never a reward. Biblically, rewards are result of works, gifts are not. (This includes ministry and spiritual gifts explained elsewhere in God’s Word.)

  In Ephesians 2 the Greek word for gift means something presented, specifically a sacrificial gift. (Think John 3:16 “gave”.) Elsewhere in this passage we read of the gift of eternal life being a current, now!, not some later gift. Eternal life being by God’s grace alone: His act of divine influence upon our heart; the gift totally unearned and undeserved.

  The Word of God makes it plain that God’s gift of eternal life cannot be earned by good works . . . and that neither can it be maintained by good works; nor should we invest in working to do so.

  We are saved by His grace.

  We are kept by His grace.

  We are nonetheless definitely ordained to work within His gracious gift of our current tenting phase of his gift of eternal life. (2Cor.5:1-11; Rom.6:4; Gal.5:22-25; Eph.4:24)  

EBB4