His Workmanship

His Workmanship

“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.

Blessed are the “we” who are part of God’s glorious work. We read who these “we” are at the beginning of the chapter. They are the ones who have been made alive with Christ. Formerly they were trespassers who committed sin and who once walked according to the course of this world and the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. They walked according to the lusts of their flesh and fulfilled the desires of the flesh and the mind. But now it is no longer like that. God who is rich in mercy looks after them in His great love. Now they are raised up to a new life by faith in Jesus Christ, to a blessed walk in new and good works that are wrought by the Holy Spirit.

They are tired of going the way of their lusts and are fully convinced that only God’s good and acceptable will can be for their good and for their eternal profit. These are the “we” who have such great and abundant opportunities by being a workmanship in God’s hands.

Those who live according to the desires of the flesh and mind are also a workmanship. They are formed and molded by the spirit of the environment in which they live—by everything they see, read, and hear. For example, those who occupy high, political positions are cut and chiseled for long periods of time by political ideas that fit them for their particular position, with a certain spirit and certain opinions. Nevertheless, even though they might be capable of governing this world, the wisdom of this world will not be of any help to them in the world to come. The wisdom of this world is permeated by envy and all kinds of evil intrigues—it is no better than that—and the higher up people get on the peaks of this world, the less comfortable is their existence.

However, this is not the case when it concerns the wisdom of God. It is pure and good, and blessed are those who are formed and molded by this wisdom to be instruments of honor, for time and eternity. They are cut and chiseled by God’s Word and will, so that they will fit exactly into the position they are going to receive in the coming world. They are united in the same Spirit and mind that the saints have always had. If Paul and the other apostles should suddenly appear among these “we” today, they would melt together with them in perfect unity.

Each one of these “we” are rejected by men but are chosen by God and precious. 1 Pet. 2:4. They are sanctified to be God’s peculiar people, zealous for good works that God prepares for them from morning till evening. Each single, small work is very precious and of significance for eternity. For example, if a housewife awakens to her exalted calling of being a workmanship of God, all her daily chores are immediately lifted up onto high and holy ground. Then she sees that all the small things of daily life are in fact great and holy things that have been well prepared by God. All of life’s adversities and trials are God’s good and loving interventions for our eternal well-being.

In this state it is difficult to be discouraged and dejected. God has received us so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph. 2:7.

“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He. They have corrupted themselves; they are not His children, because of their blemish, a perverse and crooked generation.” Deut. 32:4-5.

God is infinitely good and only wants to do good to us with His Word and His will, but if we are stubborn and disobedient, we will end up outside of His glorious and perfect work and will be left with our shame for all eternity.

It is still the time of grace, and we have the opportunity to be along in this work of God that will soon come to a conclusion, but it takes a radical separation and a full surrender so that God can mold us. We must be very watchful at the gateways to our heart, eyes, and ears. What we see and hear makes a distinct impression on us and will contribute to forming our mind and character. We should therefore be careful what we read so that we do not fill our hearts with all kinds of human ideas. We live in an evil and dangerous world, and we must be on guard for our children and ourselves so that we are not formed and molded by the spirit and opinions of the times, but by God’s Word.

God has always been particular concerning Israel being separate and not mingling with the Gentile nations. Now it is more important than ever that we have intimate fellowship with only those who fear God with a pure heart. We shall be encouraged and edified together with them.

Paul exhorted Timothy to pay heed to everything that was pure, true, and honorable. He exhorted him to be diligent to read the Scriptures. He was to meditate on God’s Word and live in it so that his progress might be evident to all.