God’s Work In Us (2)

While the word workmanship in Ephesians 2:10 is a beautiful word—For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them—the word created is even more striking.

While similar to the Greek word behind workmanship, the one behind created (ktizō) speaks of creation in a deeper way. It is the word often used in the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament) to translate the Hebrew word bara, “to create from nothing,” as in Genesis 1:1. Non-Christians today, and tragically even some Christians, speak of “self‑improvement,” “self‑help,” “self‑image,” and many other “selfisms.” But the principle we see in our text is that God created the believer from nothing. Think of it! What were we before Christ came into our lives? Noth­ing. Each of us was a worthless lump of clay, dead in trespasses in sins—no value, no form, no purpose. But God has created us!

Everything we are and everything we will ever be is because of Jesus Christ. It’s not our experiences, our education, training, or our talents; rather it’s Christ. Without Him we are nothing; without Him there is no purpose or meaning to life. How this thought opens up 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (emphasis added). We who live here in Meeker are pretty biased toward the beau­ty of this country. And who of us has never marveled at the intricacies of the human eye or a new born baby’s fingers and toes? But there is something that is far more beautiful than those—a Christian. A child of God is the most beautiful of God’s creation, for we are made in His image.

The story is often told of the rowdy, disruptive young boy in a Sunday School class who continually frustrated his teacher. One morning the teacher asked him, “Why do you act like that? Don’t you know who made you?” To which the boy replied, “God did, but He ain’t through with me yet.” Indeed, God is still working on each of us.

And what is the main tool with which God molds us? It is, of course, His Word. As Paul declared to the Thessalonians: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe (2 Thes. 2:13, emphasis added).

As a pastor, I often hear people say, “Oh, we want a good music program in our church.” Music is certainly a wonderful thing. I love music and am myself a musician. But music does not bring growth. It is the proclamation of God’s Word as Truth, the teaching of doctrine, that brings growth.

I am convinced more every day that the main reason, if not the singular reason, that Christians do not grow and mature is be­cause they do not feed on the Word of God. Why are Christians cantankerous, rebellious, worldly, undiscerning, and a host of other things? It is because they are not feeding on the Word of God. Tragically, this is often the pastor’s fault; many evangelicals and fundamentalists are not teaching the depths of God’s Word, deferring instead to entertainment and other modern more “relevant” methods of ministry. In other cases, however, it is the fault of Christians whose minds are just not set on spiritual things. God cannot work in us if His Word does not have first place in our hearts. It is primary through His Word that God works IN us.

God’s Work IN Us (1)

In Ephesians 2:10—For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them—there is a beautiful Greek word behind workmanship. It is poiema, which refers to what is made or created. Another form of the word is poietes, which refers to one who makes something or to a work of art. This word was also used in ancient Greek to re­fer to an author or poet. In fact, our English word “poem” is derived from poiema. So, we are God’s workmanship, His “work of art,” His “masterpiece,” His “poem,” if you will. While Milton’s epic poems Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained are true masterpieces, they pale to the masterpiece of the true child of God.

Notice more specifically that we are his, that is, God’s workmanship. There is an important contrast between the English text and the Greek text. In the English, this statement begins with we; in the Greek this statement—in fact, the whole verse—begins with “Him.” Literally the verse reads: “For of Him we are a product.” We point this out for good reason. The world says that each of us is a product of our environment or a product of our own experience. But God’s Word declares that the believer is actu­ally the product of God. Even Christians have a tendency to think this way. Many preachers are even products of a particular Bible college or seminary. But what we really are products of God.

There is even the tendency among Christians to think that their salvation had a little something to do with them. For example, some say, “Well, it was my believing that justified me,” or, “It was my yieldedness and com­mitment that sanctified me.” Again this is dreadfully wrong! God has done everything. How could we possibly think otherwise when we read the words: “In the beginning God” (Gen. 1:1)?

Think again of the Greek poiema in the context of a potter. Does the pot say to the potter, “Well, you know that I had a little something to do with what I have become?” Of course not; the clay has nothing to do with the process. It is the potter who goes out and seeks the clay, brings it into his work­shop, and molds it according to his own vision. Likewise, the “Divine Potter” molds us into the vessels He can use. This is exactly what Paul illustrated to the Romans: “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? (Rom. 9:20‑21)

I have seen some Christians, and even a few preachers, who really don’t like Romans 9 because they don’t like the idea of a sovereign God. But we had better read it carefully. Before we start questioning God, we’d better stop and think to Whom we are speaking. God must make us exactly the vessels HE wants us to be; He can never use us otherwise. I don’t find that “damaging to my self-image” or “an attack on my dignity” as is the view of today’s “Christian” pop-psychology. Rather I find it absolutely thrilling and assuring. God takes a worthless lump of clay and molds it into a vessel He can use for His glory.

“Created Unto Good Works” (2)

There is an amazing comparison between Ephesians 2:9 and 2:10. In verse 9 Paul says, “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Now he turns right around and says that we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Did Paul lapse for a moment? Was he confused about the place of works in salvation? Which one of these statements is correct?

The answer to the last question, of course, is both. What Paul is saying is crystal clear when you just read the context. Verses 7-9 declare unequivocally that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone, but verse 10 declares with equal clarity that good works are the result of that salvation and are now the rule of life. As John Eadie writes in his commentary on the Greek text: “The statement that salvation of works involves the fallacy of mistaking the effect for the cause. Good works are not the cause of salvation; they are only the result of it. Salvation causes them; they do not cause it” (emphasis added).

May we also observe that for salvation to be caused by works, works would have to precede salvation, that is, come before it. In this verse, however, they clearly proceed from salvation, that is, come after it. In other words, in light of the nature and character of our salvation, there is a demand placed upon us because of what we have received. One commentator relates this personal testimony that underscores the importance of this verse: “There are few verses both more important and more misunderstood than 2:8-9. This is partly because verse 10 is often not quoted along with them. When I was a young Christian I acquired a pack of Bible verses to memorize. Among the first were Ephesians 2:8-9. I began quoting them in witnessing, but it took me years to realize that the omission of verse 10 was one reason I was having trouble persuading my morally sensitive friends that salvation is only by grace. The almost inevitable response was that if this is true, Christians can live as they please and still go to heaven. Romans 6:1 deals with this issue as well, but when we quote Ephesians 2:8-9 it should not be necessary to leave the Ephesian context, because verse 10 gives the needed corrective: we are created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

Many Christians think that since our sal­vation was a gift, it, therefore, does not demand anything of us. Jesus is presented today as a “fix-it” for all our problems, but He doesn’t demand anything from us. This is serious error! Any gift demands a response even if it is only a simple “thank you.” But truly our salvation de­mands much more than a “thank you.” Why? Because our salvation is a life‑altering reality; it transforms a depraved, hell‑bound sinner into a blood‑bought, heaven‑bound saint. Verse 10 declares what our response to this should be by pre­senting two thrusts: God’s work in us and God’s work through us. We’ll examine these as we continue.

“Created Unto Good Works” (1)

I thoroughly enjoy reading the works of Harry Ironside, eighteen-year pastor of Moody Church in Chicago and author of over 60 volumes, including devotional commentaries and other works. In his exposition of Ephesians, In The Heavenlies, he tells a story of a train trip he took while holding meetings in Southern Californian. The trip had barely begun when a strangely dressed woman sat down beside him. Dressed in what appeared to Ironside to be red bandana handkerchiefs pieced together and a shawl, this, coupled with the subject of conversation made it obvious she was gypsy. “How do you do, gentleman,” she began, “like to have your fortune told?” Ironside replied, “Are you able to tell my fortune?” Holding out her hand, she answered, “Cross my palm with a silver quarter, and I will give you your past, present, and future.” “You are very sure you can do that if I give you a quarter?” he asked. “You see, I am Scotch, and would hate to part with a quarter and not get proper exchange for it.” “Yes, gentleman,” she assured him, “I can give you your past, present, and future. I never fail.” To this Ironside replied, “It is really not necessary, because I have a little book in my pocket that gives me my past, present, and future.” “You have it in a book?” she asked, puzzled. Pulling out his New Testament and turning to Ephesians 2:1-7, he said, “Yes, and it is absolutely infallible. Let me read it to you. Hear is my past, ‘And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.’” In obvious uneasiness, she replied, “Oh, yes, it is plenty, I do not care to hear more.” Holding her gently by the arm, Ironside said, “But I want to give you my present also, ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’” Again in growing discomfort she said, “That is plenty, gentleman, I do not wish to hear more.” But Ironside continued, “Oh, but there is more yet, and you must get it; and you are not going to pay me a quarter for it either. I am giving it to you for nothing. It is my past, present, and future. Here is my future, ‘That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.’” Not able to take any more, she jumped to her feet and fled down the aisle saying, “I took the wrong man! I took the wrong man!”

Indeed, as we’ve seen, God has done it all. He is in our past, present, and future. And as I read that story, I couldn’t help but wonder if Ironside would have also gotten to verse 10, for it too is part of our future. Our future does indeed include good works. As we continue, we’ll see how.

Why Must Blood Be Shed? (Reader Question)

Before moving on to the next verse in our study (2:10), I wanted to address a question from a reader. Back in our study of redemption in 1:7 (August 12, 2011 post), we noted: “Why emphasize the blood of Christ so often? Why not speak more of His life than His graphic death? Because, as Hebrews 9:22 declares: ‘Almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.’ . . . Because of sin and guilt, blood must be shed for forgiveness.”

Question: “Why must there be blood shed? I don’t doubt it. I believe that because the Bible says so. But why? Is there an answer for this?” (LT)

Answer: I would first commend you on your comment, “I don’t doubt it. I believe that because the bible says so.” That attitude demonstrates a life of faith and humility, one untainted by skepticism and unbelief.

As noted above, Hebrews 9:22 declares: “without shedding of blood is no remission.” Now, the reason for that is rooted in Leviticus 17:11, one of the key verses of the book, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” The principle behind atonement is life for life, and it is blood that is the critical symbol of life.

There is some fascinating history here that illustrates all this. In his 1628 book, On the Motion of the Heart and Blood, English physician Dr. William Harvey (1578–1657) was the first person to describe in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart (although others had similar ideas before him). “It is the fountain of life,” he wrote, “the first to live, and the last to die, and the primary seat of the animal soul; it lives and is nourished of itself, and by no other part of the human body.” He did, in fact, fully revive the Mosaic principle of the vitality of the blood. This principle was later adopted by the celebrated Dr. John Hunter (1728-93), professor of anatomy in London, who fully establish the reality of this through experimentation. Later, the eminent French zoologist Milne Edwards (1800-85) made this amazing statement:

If an animal be bled until it falls into a state of syncope, and the further loss of blood is not prevented, all muscular motion quickly ceases, respiration is suspended, the heart pauses from its action, life is no longer manifested by any outward sign, and death soon becomes inevitable; but if, in this state, the blood of another animal of the same species be injected into the veins of the one to all appearance dead, we see with amazement this inanimate body return to life, gaining accessions of vitality with each new quantity of blood that is introduced, eventual beginning to breathe freely, moving with ease, and finally walking as it was wont to do, and recovering completely.

So, as the ancient rabbis expressed it, the sacrifice offered life for life, soul for soul, an innocent victim atoning for the guilty party. That is what Christ did for us. He was the ultimate blood sacrifice. As we were dead in sin (Eph. 2:1-3), it was His blood that gave us life. It was that “blood transfusion” that saved all those who would believe.

Soli deo Gloria!

A Picture of Grace

In one last look at Ephesians 2:8-9—For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast—the great preacher and commentator Donald Grey Barnhouse recounts in his book How God Saves Men one of the most graphic pictures of salvation by grace I have ever read in my 30 years of ministry.

He tells the story of Henry Moorehouse, a social worker in the slums of 19^th Century London, and a little girl that he befriended. As he was headed home one evening, he saw the little girl exit a basement store carrying a pitcher of milk, only to see her a few steps later slip, fall, and drop the pitcher, shattering it and spilling the milk into the filthy gutter. Broken hearted, the poor little girl began to cry. Moorehouse approached and tried to console her but to no avail. All she could say was, “My mommy’ll whip me.” Confidently, Moorehouse then said, “No, little girl, your mother won’t whip you. I’ll see to that. Look, the pitcher isn’t broken in many pieces.” He then stooped down, picked up the pieces, and began fitting them back together. The little girl had seen pitchers mended before, so she hopefully stopped crying as he worked. But then, working too roughly, Moorehouse knocked it apart, and the little urchin started crying again. Renewing his promise, Moorehouse said, “Don’t cry, little girl. I promise you that your mother won’t whip you.” Setting to work again, he got all of it back together except for the handle. He then gave it to her so she could attach the handle, but, of course, it fell apart again. This time her tears could not be stopped. So Moorehouse picked her up, carried her to a shop that sold crockery, and bought a new pitcher. Still carrying her, he went back to where she had bought the milk and had the new pitcher filled. Finally, after asking her where she lived, he carried her there, set he down on the step, handed her the pitcher of milk, and asked, “Now, do you think your mother will whip you?” With a radiant smile she answered, “Oh, no sir, it’s a lot better pitcher than we had before.”

That is what God has done in His grace. Once a whole creature, man was destroyed by a fall, shattered beyond repair. In his own efforts, he has tried through the ages to put the pieces back together but has failed miserably. God had to intervene, not by just fixing the old pitcher, where the cracks would show and leak, but by creating a new one. And just as that little girl could not pay Moorehouse for his kindness—since she didn’t have anything!—neither can man purchase salvation. It is all of grace, all because God desired to show undeserved kindness.

I would close our thoughts on grace with this sonnet:

                             Grace

            Grace. What a wondrous word it is to hear!

            What staggering thoughts it brings to mind!

            Delivering us from dead works and fear,

            It has opened wide the eyes of the blind.

            Grace. There’s surely no more glorious theme,

            Best defined as unmerited favor,

            Transforming us from sinners who blaspheme

             To the saints of God who give Him honor.

            Grace. No greater word can any man speak,

             No fuller expression of God’s glory.

            Tis God’s gift to the dead, not merely weak,

            The true heart of the salvation story.

                  One day we shall see Our Lord face to face.

                  And eternally praise Him for His Grace.

The Proof of Grace (3)

Concluding our consideration of the Proof of grace, we again emphasize the truth of Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It’s interesting that our entire society operates according to man’s performance. Early in their education, children learn that they are evaluated by their performance and thereby put into categories. Soldiers earn their ranks. Employees earn their positions and salaries. The Ford Corporation, for example, has a scale of 27 levels, Level 1 denoting clerks and secretaries and Level 27 reserved for the Chairman of the Board. An employee must be at level 9 to get an outside parking place, 13 to get a window, a plant, or an intercom in their office, and 16 before their office can have a private bathroom. Not to mention that most all of us, at one time or another, have said, “I need a vacation; after all, I’ve worked hard and I’ve earned it.” In the end, therefore, it all boils down to what each of us can boast in. 

Paul knew all too well about boasting. There was never a more self-satisfied person or a more self-assured person than Saul of Tarsus. Indeed, he was proud that he was Jew, proud that he was of the tribe of Benjamin, proud that he was a Pharisee, proud of his religion, proud of his morality, proud of his knowledge, and proud of his works. But now he says, none of us have anything to boast about. As he again wrote to the Corinthians, “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (I Cor. 1:31). And to the Galatians he declared, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14).

As Romans 3:23 declares: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Sin is missing the mark of God’s glory; that is, we shoot for the mark of God’s glory but miss it every time. To illustrate, at its widest point, the Grand Canyon is eighteen miles wide rim to rim, its average width is ten miles, and its minimum width is only 600 yards at Marble Canyon. Now, let’s assume several people try to jump the canyon at that minimum width, which works out to be a mere 1800 feet. Perhaps one can person jump only ten feet but another twenty feet. Perhaps someone else can even match the current world record long jump distance of 29 feet, four and a half inches. Or let’s even assume by some super human feat that one jumper went 1,799 feet, 11 inches. Do any of them make it? No. What difference is there between ten feet and 1,799 feet, 11 inches? None whatsoever. All have fallen short and died! That is why we need grace.

This is precisely why we went into such detail to define grace in an earlier installment. To say that we must add our works to God’s grace is the most contradictory statement we could ever formulate. Any theology that mixes grace with works or faith with merit, no matter how sincere the motive, is simply heresy, plain and simple, and is to be cursed as Paul states in Galatians 1:8-9.

Having said that, does that mean that works have no place whatsoever in the believer’s life? Does that mean that works are meaningless and irrelevant? Absolutely not, as Paul makes clear in the very next verse: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Good works do not produce salvation, but salvation most certainly produces good works.

This is also what James means when he writes about faith and works. True saving faith produces good works as an evidence of what God has done solely by grace. As James asks, what evidence of true saving faith is it if a Christian brother or sister is naked and hungry and comes to our door but we respond, “Oh, well, God bless you,” and then shut the door (2:15)? No, as proof of our salvation, we will bring him in, cloth him, and feed him. Those who pervert the Gospel, however, say, “By bringing him in, giving him suit and meal, we have contributed to our salvation and that will help us get to heaven.” But that is not grace; that is works.