In Christ: Know It, Live It - 33 (Walking in Good Works)

"...Created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" Ephesians 2:10

God's saving grace does not produce SPECTATORS, but WORKERS. These works are the product and evidence of God's new life within us, the very life of Christ. We DO NOT work our way to life, life works its way THROUGH US. As the Apostle says in another place, "By the grace of God I am what I am" 1 Corinthians 15:10. Paul worked harder than any other apostle, but his hard work, he says, "...was not I, but the grace of God that is with me" 1 Corinthians 15:10.

The Bible's teaching is clear: SAVING GRACE PRODUCES GOOD WORKS. It is not the WORKER who is saved because he works, but the SAVED who WORKS because he is saved. This is why the great BIRTHMARK of our salvation is our OBEDIENCE to Christ, 1 John 5:2.

We do not all work the same works or work with the same energy but we ALL do GOOD WORKS. GOOD describes works which are godly and beneficial to others and glorifying to God. They are works that are not only OUTWARDLY good but are done with a godly INWARD motivation.

These good works are in utter CONTRAST to how we used to live. Remember Ephesians 2:1,2: we were dead in the TRESPASSES and SINS in which we once WALKED. WALKED refers to our lifestyle. Before Christ our lifestyle was all about slavery and service to sin. Now that grace has transformed us, we are to WALK in GOOD WORKS. Our NEW lifestyle is doing the good that God planned for us from eternity.

When I awake in the morning and ask myself, "What should I do today?" One sure answer must be, "Good!" I must do good because of GRACE. I must do good because this is GOD'S PLAN. My day, no matter what it holds, will be FILLED with opportunities to do good to and for others. This might be intercessory prayer, this might be cleaning the house, this might be doing the bills, this might be studying for Sunday School, this might be preparing a meal. But it is important for us to understand these GOOD WORKS in the context of this Ephesians' letter: Chapters 4-6 are all about the good works God has created us for and planned for us in Christ. They include such things as: living in unity with other believers in the body of Christ, being pure, telling the truth, saying only what will build someone up, being kind and forgiving, submitting in humility to others, loving my wife and children, working hard for my employer, etc.

And those kinds of GOOD WORKS can fill a whole life of days.