Ephesians 2:10 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Ephesians 2:10

Comments

‘We are his workmanship.’ You could simplify that translation and simply say, we are his products. Maybe that speaks more to us these days. We are of his manufacture. Years ago, it is not so true today, but years ago if you bought toys for the children and they were made in a certain country or a certain part of the world, you would know that they would break within a week. You cannot say that so much today. Sometimes those parts of the world that used to manufacture breakable things, manufacture the best quality things. It was the same with cars. You used to be able to say years ago, if it comes from such-and-such a country, within two years it will be a rust bucket. Those countries have improved and produce some magnificent things. What kind of product is God’s? We are Christians, men and women, and we go out into the world and we interact and we work in the world and people view us – what sort of a product are we? Is there humility about us, integrity in us? Can we be trusted and relied upon? Is there kindness flowing from us? Do we reflect his workmanship? These are actually very challenging words: ‘We are his workmanship.’ Our very lives should be a testimony.‘Created in Christ Jesus unto good works’, that is to say re-created, born again by Christ Jesus and in Christ Jesus. We are a new creation: new heart and feelings; new way of thinking, plans and objectives; new will and determination concerning how we live. ‘Which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’ When we were predestinated to salvation, when, even before time began, God planned to adopt us into the family of his people, at the same time preparation was made that we should have the capacities to walk, a persistent, faithful walk in good works. How has God foreordained that we should walk in good works? Well, by his determination before time, that Christ would come and suffer and die for us, so that we could be given a new nature, so that we could be blessed with power and ability to strive to please God. Before time, God determined that Christ would come and that his wonderful righteousness would be credited to us. Before time, God ordained prayer, so that we could call upon him for help in the walk of righteousness. He determined to send the Spirit to enter our hearts and enliven our consciences and warn us of the approach of sin and cause us to hunger and thirst after righteousness. God beforehand ordained all these things and he also ordained that, when we were saved, we would have a deep sense of indebtedness to him and love to him and that we would want to please him above all else. God ordained beforehand that once saved, we would have a very tender conscience, so that we could not stray and we could not sin without repentance and re-dedication and commitment to him.

Application

Are we really new? Have we been given these things afresh? Or have we returned once again to the lower nature within us? We were given new minds but we plan worldly things, selfish things, material things too much. We were given new hearts, with affections and desires for the high and the holy and the pure, and yet we have gone back perhaps to over loving the base things. And we have been given new will but we do not act with determination. And we are his product created, new created, in Christ Jesus unto good works. What is my daily aim? Do I pray every day to manifest Christian virtues? Do I re-construct every day my determination to live for him and to deal with sin? Do I every day bring an evening account before God, to search my heart and to confess my sin? Have I carried out my spiritual duties? How about my reactions to provocation or to challenge or to difficulty? And then in the life of righteousness, have I been concerned about each department of life – thoughts, words and deeds? My thinking – is it self-centred? My words – what are they like? Reactive words particularly? And my acts – what do I do to express kindness and helpfulness? It must not just be in the mind. Then there is another thing perhaps to look at. What has flowed out of me this passing day? What have I given in counsel, in word, in testimony, in help? What has flowed out of me? And then what have I ingested? Television, entertainment, rubbish? What has entered into me? These are different ways of examining our hearts.

But equally it is very encouraging language because though I fall and though I sin, if my heart is exercised and challenged and my conscience is moved and I am conscientious and striving, I can say, ‘We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained [or prepared] that we should walk in them.’ Something has happened to me, something very profound and this governs my life, my walk before God.

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Ephesians 2:10 Commentary and Bible Study

Explain meaning of Ephesians 2:10