God’s Work, Our Works

Some people like to “put the cart before the horse.” At times, I’m one of them. But I’ve been learning that things don’t pull well that way. God’s way is always best.

Ephesians 2:4,5,8-10 [English Standard Version]:
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

You can’t work your way into being saved. Salvation comes by God’s gift of grace in Christ. God gives us the faith of Jesus Christ when we when we believe on His Son.

Romans 10:9,10,17 [ESV]:
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Then we are justified by Christ’s work, and have peace with God. That causes us to rejoice.

Romans 5:1,2 [ESV]:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We can stand in grace. God’s work in Christ allows us to do good works today. Jesus died for us on the cross so that we can live for our heavenly Father by serving our lord, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:8,21 [ESV]:
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
So that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God’s work of grace puts sin out of business when we allow it to. Then we will live righteously on earth, with the hope of eternal life through Christ, our risen lord.

That’s why Christ died for us.

I Peter 2:24 [ESV]:
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Our sins were covered nearly two-thousand years ago! Before we even committed them. That’s like having a “prepaid” credit card. So, should we try to overspend and abuse our Father’s goodness to us? No! We can “die” to sin by our free will choice, and “live” righteously. That includes maintaining physical health. By Christ’s wounds we were healed (Isaiah 53:5).

Romans 6:22,23 [J. B. Phillips Translation]:
But now that you are employed by God, you owe no duty to sin, and you reap the fruit of being made righteous, while at the end of the road there is life for evermore.
Sin pays its servants: the wage is death. But God gives to those who serve him: his free gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We have a new “boss.” God employs us, and His Son got us the job! Being made righteous (not by our works), we can reap plenty of good fruit in this life. And at the end of this road on earth, there is eternal life—with rewards for doing the works God already knows we will do.

Ephesians 2:10:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand [proetoimazō], that we should walk in them.

God set us up for success [proetoimazō] in Christ. This word means to fit up in advance, to prepare beforehand. It reminds me of the time that I worked in a college kitchen. I showed up at 5:30 a.m. to make breakfast for more than six-hundred students and staff. Thankfully, the night shift had all the sausage thawed out, the eggs cracked, and the biscuit mix ready to go. I just had to put it all together. And I enjoyed finishing what had been so lovingly prepared for me.

Think about your life. What wonderful things can you “cook up” today with God’s help? The Bible offers plenty of good examples. And with God’s spirit in you, He will show you how to do them. God will work in you to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). We don’t walk by old, fleshly habits—but walk as we are guided by God’s holy spirit within. It is called “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27) and allows us to really serve Jesus Christ, our lord.

Romans 8:4:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Remember, our Father will give us what we need to be a success.

Romans 8:32:
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Have a great day at work, living for the one who died for us and set us free! And enjoy the “corporate benefits” of living in a spiritual body with Christ as the head. God paid the ultimate price that we might joyfully work for Him and earn eternal rewards. Happy workday!