◄ What Does Ephesians 2:10 Mean? ►

We are God's masterpiece, God's workmanship, God's handiwork, God's creatures – we are God's new creation in Christ Jesus. We were born spiritually dead in our sins. In God's eyes, we were a rotting corpse, the putrefying remains of a fallen creation with no beauty that God should desire us; with no hope, help, comfort, or peace in the world.

We were products of a fallen creation, estranged from our Creator, and antagonistic towards our God, with all the carnal lusts and aspiration of fallen humanity. And we were under the power of this world system - slaves to Satan.

But being so rich in mercy, in His gracious loving-kindness, God loved us. Even though we were in the pitiable state of death because of our sins, He gave us life in Christ. Our present condition is irredeemable for a fallen creature can never change, but when He raised Christ from the dead, God exchanged our old life in Adam for our new life in Christ. When HE died, WE died, and when Christ was risen, we too were raised from our state of death into newness of life.

We must never forget that it is only by God's grace that we have been saved. It is only by God's grace that we have salvation, and we access that salvation through faith. For by grace we are saved, through faith and not of ourselves, lest we boast, for salvation is a gift of God's grace.

But we have not been raised to newness of life for no purpose. We are God's masterpiece, made in Christ Jesus in order that we may be able to perform the good acts and good works, which God prepared for us to do before we were even born.

These actions and works cannot be performed by the old putrefying person we were before salvation (the old man which was governed by the old sin nature).

These actions and works can only be carried out through our new abundant life in Christ, which is to be governed and guided by the Holy Spirit working in and through us, so that the works that I do are not of me (my old self), but my new nature in Him.

How wonderful that we truly are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Loving Father, praise Your wonderful name that I am Your handiwork. Thank You that I was not saved by good works, but by grace through faith in Jesus. But thank You that I was saved unto good works, and so I pray my life would be lived to serve You wholeheartedly in the works You have prepared for me to do, to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.