Complimentary Story
January 2024“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10).
God is a worker. We discover that in Genesis 1. His work is glorious in every respect. Anyone who studies the solar system cannot help but be impressed with the predictable order that is there. That same impressiveness follows throughout the created work of God.
Regardless of where you turn, you will be impressed if you take the time to consider. Think of the human body that houses your soul. Think of the function of the brain, the heart that pumps blood hour after hour, the muscular system, the skin, the blood and it all speaks of workmanship that is glorious. The infinity of God’s continuing work is evident in the plant world, the animal world, the sea animals, the weather patterns, etc. God’s continuing care of His created work is also glorious. Christian believers need not worry about climate change. God controls the climate and changes it to suit His purposes.
So, when the Bible says that Christians are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus, is it glorious? One of the phobias in a large segment of the religious world is the awfulness of a “works religion.” Well, trusting in our works to give us merit with God is a plague of religion. It has always been so.
However, Satan has distorted another truth and swung the pendulum in the opposite extreme. They refuse to believe that works has any part in their salvation. And many who call themselves “Christians” act wickedly and think they are saved!
When a person opens his heart to the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit becomes the motivation of his conduct, he is a “new creature.” So new in fact, that old things are passed away and behold all things become new. The change is so great that those who know them are aware that something has changed. For youth just coming out of childhood that change may not be real great, but there will be an observable change.
For one who has lived some time in sin and has experienced the vices of sinful living, the change will be much greater. But the experience will still be similar in that old things are passed away and behold all things are become new. See 1 Corinthians 5:17.
The work that God does in the heart of any true Christian is truly glorious. It is a work that we cannot do for ourselves. It is more than a reformation. It is a transformation. And what we do after God has done a work in our heart, will be very different from what we did before.
Man, by nature, is selfish. His selfishness is expressed in many different ways and it always carries a degree of ugliness. When we are saved, we are delivered from our selfish nature and we begin to think of others. We care about how we can be helpful to others. We cease to care much about ourselves. We care about God and we want to serve Him. We soon learn that we serve God as we serve others. We begin to do what Jesus did when He was here: “He went about doing good.” The Christian does not look on these works as something that gives him merit. In fact, he thinks very little about it. He is doing things because he loves God and God’s love motivates him to be kind to others.
God has chosen not to force His way into hearts. We must open our heart and then He will only do in our heart what we allow Him to do. For that reason, we have many poor specimens of God’s work. But God has before ordained what that work will be. It is little deeds of kindness and thoughtfulness of others and that work will be a glory to His name. This will separate him from the world of selfish people around him.
“Christian people” who live sinful lives bring a reproach on the name of Christ. Others who look on say, “If that is Christianity, I do not want to be a part of it!” That brings a great reproach to the name of Christ. And such will hear at the last, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Read Matthew 7:21-23.
God is a working God. He continues to make people new creatures when they open their hearts to His love and grace. And His “workmanship” is glorious. Praise His name!
Rod & Staff Publishers
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