Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Pastor Herk continues, stating that the Apostle Paul describes these good works as those which God prepared in advance for us to do. We can think up a list and perform many good or charitable works, but have you thought about what good works that God has prepared in advance for you to accomplish as His masterpiece? What has God created you to do? No matter how good our intentions are in doing our own good words, they could never measure up to God-prepared good works because they are the works of men, not God. The Lord doesn’t ask His children to figure out what works that we want to do and perform them. Our almighty Creator God uses His people as conduits to accomplish the good works that He has planned.
Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Spirit and truth worship as a lifestyle cannot help but change us from the inside out. Literally, we are supposed to walk this journey through life by these good works; not merely do them. That is an important distinction, because to walk or live in good works (walking the walk and talking the talk), indicates that this is a godly lifestyle. It is not just a check off box on a “To-Do” list we have been given in which we figure out what we have accomplished in God’s kingdom. God’s good works are not just what we do like following a script, but what we want to do from our new heart as citizens of Heaven always; not just at church, or Bible Study, Small Group meetings or community outreach events. It’s who we are because of whose we are; converted, consecrated, sanctified, regenerated and transformed, so now our lifestyle.
Ephesians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love.
What are these “Good Works” that God has prepared for us in advance for us to do in life? Put the teachings of the Bible into practice as a lifestyle. The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 4:1-6 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Unity within the body of Christ, unity within the family; training each to love and obey God, growing together in spiritual maturity and godly morality; changing the way that we reason with honest, wholesome and pure hearts; changing the way we think about others with compassion, love, and respect; working with integrity, trustworthiness and reliability as God desires from us. Remember every morning to put on the full armor of God. These are good works which God has purposed Christians to walk in and our lives are characterized by them. You are God’s masterpiece.
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
In Christ, Brian
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