GOD’S WORKMANSHIP AND HIS WORKER!

Last week’s identity focus was SAVED by grace through faith. It is a gift of God, NOT MERITED BY OUR WORKS.

What comes next in Ephesians 2 is a statement about God’s WORK! Listen to this…

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” ~ Ephesians 2:10

His workmanship: YOU. ME.

We are His handiwork! And here again is this phrase “IN CHRIST JESUS”. Humanity was created in the image of God, but IN JESUS, we who believe are REMADE – His new creation! IN JESUS everything changes! IN JESUS there is ONENESS with God – intimacy, union, and communion.

To be in JESUS is to have DESTINY. You are created IN CHRIST JESUS for GOOD WORKS – a purpose in life that transcends our activities and our time on earth.

To find the satisfying confidence that you are walking in His works prepared for you, you must be sure of your identity.

Outside of Jesus, our works merit nothing toward gaining the favor of God. Look how righteousness outside of Jesus is described by Isaiah (64:6).

“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags (used menstrual cloth)…”

And Paul states in Philippians 3:7-11 that all his religious accomplishments before coming to Christ are chalked up as “rubbish”. It’s a polite word for the literal Greek word that means animal poop.

Instead, Paul acknowledges, “that I may be found IN HIM [Jesus], not having my own righteousness… but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”

But IN CHRIST we are changed which means our WORKS change too! YOU are created IN JESUS for GOOD WORKS! In other words, what you DO flows from WHO you ARE! Your WORKS are a result of HIS WORKS in you.

Your works take on a new nature. There is no effort you need to make to prove your value or merit to God. Jesus’ work accomplished it for you.

Instead, your works become an expression of the intimacy you share with God IN JESUS! They are GOOD works because Jesus is good.

Why wouldn’t everything we do be a revelation of Jesus in us and us IN HIM?

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” ~ Colossians 3:17

God prepared good works beforehand so that you can WALK IN THEM. Your works have been pre-ordained and set out like a path upon which to walk. To “walk” means to be occupied with and walk at large. It’s your course of life. The space you occupy now and into which you will travel. It’s destiny. Your destiny.

The GOOD WORKS? What are they? This is where we can complicate it.

Are good works only those that are religious or spiritual in nature? What kind of works would be disqualified from being “good works”? Must we all share the same good works? Or can they be diverse, uniquely individual to each person? Are good works something we choose and if so, how do we know if we are walking in the good works prepared for us?

Great questions. I’m so glad you asked. And there are likely more.

Jesus was asked a related question.

“Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” ~ John 6:28-29

The disciples (not only the 12 apostles, but a larger group of followers), were confused so Jesus continued explaining. By the time Jesus was finished, His answer offended His followers so severely, that many of them left following Him. If it were the present day, His social media stats would have tanked. His answer was not popular. Jesus’ followers were challenging Jesus for proof of His identity so they could believe Him. These people were of the same crowd of followers who a day before had been witnesses to Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with just five loaves and two fish. Jesus’ answer was disappointing to them. They wanted to be associated with spectacular works and powerful acts. But He was not going to perform circus tricks or allow following Him to be a novelty.

Jesus described believing IN HIM [Jesus] as “ingesting Him” (John 6:53-66). He meant we must become ONE with Him. IN HIM and HE IN US. This is the first and foremost work of God. We are created IN JESUS to WALK IN HIM.

What does that look like for you? I don’t know.

It looks different for different people. Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the mountain where they witnessed His transfiguration. Jesus took the Apostle Paul around the known world. Jesus told His followers to go (about their life) into all the earth and He would be with them ALWAYS.

The common thread in everyone who walks in the good works of God is: IN JESUS. BELIEVE IN HIM. WHATEVER you choose, do it IN JESUS.

Does He have something very specific for you to do? Probably.

Has He given you a menu of works from which to choose? Probably.

At various times and seasons, God may have specific directives or assignments for you. But much time is wasted, and energy expended when we overlook the divine significance of our everyday activities and discount these good works in a quest for an often elusive and desired, spectacular “great work for God” over which we fantasize. Let’s not be like the “followers” of Jesus who walked away when He said simply BELIEVE in Him.

IN JESUS is a partnership.

“For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God…” ~ 1 Corinthians 3:9 (AMPC)

It’s easy to adopt a perspective that our work (lifestyle) is outside of God and in order to bring Him in (so He can bless it and we can glorify Him) we must choose that which He would accept or direct.

But this perspective is alarmingly narrow. IN CHRIST we are created to work in sync with Him

Our perspective often brings a tense experience with God – “In my mind, I have come up with a plan, but God forces me this way. A tug-of-war of sorts. As if we’re constantly at odds with each other. Or constantly struggling to find His will because our “humanness” interferes.

The reality is that we have the “mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)” and we are free to make plans. In partnership with our thoughts, God directs and establishes our steps.

Jesus, Himself described our labor with Him this way,

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” ~ John 11:29-30

The yoke is an instrument of labor. It is a tool that connects two oxen or mules that they might pull with one purpose. In the yoke WITH Jesus is a place of partnership. Our work is to LEARN OF HIM. INTIMACY. RELATIONSHIP. COMMUNICATION. IN CHRIST. It is a place of belief, trust and confident rest. Not turmoil and conflict.

In whatever field you find yourself, you are yoked in partnership with Christ – IN HIM. What are the good works that God has prepared for you to walk in?

To find the satisfying confidence that you are walking in His works prepared for you, you must be sure of your identity. YOU are HIS WORKMANSHIP – IN JESUS. This fact transforms perspective.

It is God who works in you. You are His workmanship.

“…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (see Philippians 2:12-13)

Before this statement, Paul directs, “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

It’s a partnership. God works in us and we work out (cultivate) our salvation with serious watchfulness, tenderness of conscience, timidly shrinking from anything that would betray our relationship with God in Christ (my own paraphrase based on AMPC).

Jesus was the perfect example of walking out good works in partnership with the Heavenly Father.

“But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working… Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.” ~ John 5:19-20

And Jesus specifically addressed the works of those WHO BELIEVE in HIM. We will do His works because we are IN HIM.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” ~ John 14:12-14

So, what are you up to? The works of God? If you are IN JESUS, you are HIS WORKMANSHIP. So, step back, and take a look from the true perspective of your identity in Jesus. You are likely engaged in the works of God and didn’t even realize it. He has prepared them for you to walk in. Now walk intentionally in restful confidence of WHO you are IN Jesus!

“Walking Paths of Good Works”