We Are His Workmanship

We Are His Workmanship

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Presumably everyone agrees that salvation is a gift of God and that we are saved without works—and we all rejoice because that is so. Nevertheless, God not only wants to give us this gift, He also wants to prepare us for a work—make us capable of fulfilling the task He has prepared for us. He has to mold us to do good works.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time . . . .” 1 Pet. 5:6. We come into sufferings when God’s hand is to mold us, and the apostle speaks of true sons being disciplined, even chastised, for them to partake of His holiness. Heb. 12:4-14.

What is God’s hand in our lives? “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . . .” What is this “good” for those who love God? “For whom he foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Rom. 8:28-29. God’s hand is “all things” we meet in life. And what is that “good” for us who love God? It is the things that mold us to be Jesus’ brethren. We do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit knows. V. 26. So we live by faith and are thankful for all things.

“Just as He chose us in Him . . . that we should be holy and without blame before Him . . . to the praise of the glory of His grace . . . .” Eph. 1:4-6. Just because we have received the gift of being saved by grace we are not thereby to the praise of the glory of His grace. For that to be so, He has to do a work with us first, so that we are holy and blameless before His face. He cannot give that to us as a gift. We have to humble ourselves under His hand; then He can mold us to be a vessel of honor. That is His work with those who are humble.

“When He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” 2 Thess. 1:10.

There are very many who believe in the gift, but only extremely few who believe in Christ’s work with us so that we can be to the praise of the glory of His grace.

Nevertheless, this is the gospel of the power of God for salvation to every one who believes!