His workmanship!

In my first post in this series we pondered several questions but essentially there were two main ones: Are you saved (a question for Christians regarding 'assurance')? If not how good do you have to be? In my second post this past Monday we essentially stated that we are saved by grace through faith and it's a gift (Eph. 2:8) along these lines I mentioned of  having the faith of a little kid. Likewise as kids we should have complete confidence in our heavenly Father that He has done what He said He would do if we have believed in Jesus.

Whenever I talk about 'assurance of salvation' the subject of 'works' naturally comes to the forefront. What about works? The bible does say, "...faith without works is dead." (James 2:17) So what about works? How does this fit in with being saved by grace? Allow me to suggest that essentially faith is our response to what God has already done on the cross for you and me. The way that we respond to the gospel will determine our willingness to do the works that God would have us do. I along with many will quote Ephesians 2:8 regarding salvation being a gift of God and not something we work for and rightly so but then in verse 10 Paul says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10-ESV)

The text I just stated is more powerful than what many have perhaps given it credit. Even though this blog is called 'Bathos' Greek for deeper, I won't prolong this post with the Greek of Ephesians 2:10. BUT the word 'workmanship' in the Greek is normally used in the NT to speak of the work that God does. Now listen closely the more we allow God to work in us by responding to what we already know and to what God may be leading us, the more we will be lead to do more and more as the 'workmanship' of God.

We are God's 'workmanship' stop for a second and allow that to sink into your heart, mind and soul. God is working in us, He's wanting to do something big in your life and in mine. We are His and He is our God working in us. You see this is why salvation is of God from first to last, because it is God Himself working in us to work the works that He has planned for our lives. Our only question to answer is will we believe? That is will we respond to what God has said He will do!

How are you responding?

(if you receive this by email click here to read it directly on my blog)

Javi

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