HIS WORKMANSHIP

For by grace are ye saved…….For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  Eph 2:8-10.

The Greek word, poiēma  translated “workmanship” is the source of our  English word “poem”, and so verse 10 could be read as stating that we are God’s poem—God’s poetic masterpieces. This Greek word for “workmanship” only occurs in one other place in the NT – in Rom 1:20, translated there “the things that are made”. There it is referring to God’s original creation, but God’s most stupendous creation of all is that of making alive a spiritually dead man. Created in His image, yet born in sin, to be re-created in the image of His Son.  We are His ultimate workmanship, His masterwork!

Ephesians 2 states that salvation is by grace…. through faith, with no contribution from the sinner by way of good works (Eph 2:8-9). However, God’s great purpose in saving us is to produce people who will do good works. Paul writes to Titus that our Saviour Jesus Christ has redeemed us so as to “purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit 2:14). So while good works can never merit salvation, they ought to be its outcome.

God wants to shape our lives like a poem or work of art, in relationship to His purposes for each of our lives. He has already arranged the acts of service in which He intends for us to be occupied! Then, why are we not always involved in such good works? The answer is related to the phrase: "that we should walk in them." We do have a responsibility in this process. We are to humbly walk with the Lord Jesus every day  and do  those good works which He has prepared for us.