CREATED IN CHRIST FOR GOOD WORKS

Eph. 2:10 ... "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

      A Christian is the "workmanship of God" in a double sense. First, he is biologically the creation of God, for Gen 2:7 reports that "the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Second, he is a special creation of God, for Eph. 4:24 states that "in the likeness of God [he] has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Both of these acts are works of God that only God can do. The apostles of Jesus once asked Him, "Who can be saved?" His answer was, "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God," (Mrk. 10:26-27). To be "saved" in the sense meant by these disciples is equivalent to being made a Christian. Therefore, the power required is not with human capacity, either with repect to the person himself or to another. It is the work of God alone!

      A question that is both intriguing and very important is, "Why did God create man biologically and spiritually?" The answer to the biological purpose is given in Gen. 1:28.  Just after God had created man, he commanded him to "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (This, it may be noted, is the only command given by God that man has generally consistently obeyed.) The answer to the spiritual purpose is given in the lead text above:  God creates a Christian "in Christ Jesus for good works." There is a type of work that only Christians can do to His satisfaction, so God creates Christians from people of the world to do that work.  This work has been "prepared beforehand" by God; that is, He determined its nature and scope "before the foundation of the world," (Eph. 1:4). With His infinite foresight, God planned out the scheme of His eternal kingdom and its operation to the smallest details before He laid the foundation of the earth and brought forth man to inhabit it.

      It is especially important that Christians notice the force of the word for in the phrase "for good works." It denotes that it is unto this purpose that God honors us to become Christians, which means we are His children, members of His kingdom, and prospective residents of heaven. Christianity is not only a religion of BEING but also a religion of DOING. Jesus said in Jno. 9:4, "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work." Jesus is our "example" (model) according to I Pet. 2:21. He was commissioned by His Father to perform certain works in His earthly life, and He acutely felt the urgency of doing them while He had time and opportunity. He emphasized it with the imperative, "must work!" If we follow His example, which is the only way to eternal life (Jno. 14:6), we must become Christians and then devote our attention to performing the works God has ordained us to do. There seems to be a prevailing attitude that just to become a Christian is enough to secure your soul for both this life and eternity following. The feeling is that it suffices to be baptized into Christ, to be identified as a member of a certain congregation, and then to go on with your life as you wish. Regular attendance at church to explore the Scriptures, to worship God, and to fellowship with other Christians is not deemed essential. To try to convert those who aren't Christians, to perform acts of mercy in Jesus' name for people who are suffering, and to try to develop a Christlike mind and mode of behavior are also thought to be optional. This phrase, "created in Christ Jesus for good works," however, shows just how wrong this prevalent view is. In Mat. 22:14 Jesus said, "Many are called, but few are chosen." The "few" who "are chosen" are those who activate themselves to do those good works. (See Mat. 25:31-46)