Resources/Articles
The Workmanship Of God
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
An individual baptized into the kingdom of Christ becomes a new creation. He is not a creation of man. He becomes the workmanship of God.
He is not the workmanship of the person who converted him. Man can teach, influence, persuade, and baptize, but only God can cleanse, forgive, and raise a person to sit with Christ in the heavenly places, and give him life. He is God’s creation – God’s workmanship. Just as sure as no man could create an “Adam”, no man can create a new creature in Christ. In other words, we are not a “self-made” man in Christ. If such were the case, we would have whereof to glory (cf. Galatians 6:4).
Christianity is not a “do-it-yourself” religion, although we are exhorted to work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12). One does not affect his own salvation through his own merit. In obedience to the gospel and faithfulness as a Christian, he places himself as clay in God’s hand, to become the work of the divine Potter, who molds, shapes, and perfects him that he might be fashioned in the image of His Son.
To become a Christian is to be a fruitful work of God. Almost every scriptural analogy used to illustrate the relationship of God’s people is one that implies work or activity. Disciples are useful members in the body. We are to be productive branches in the vine, dependable servants in the household, etc. We are people who “learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful” (Titus 3:14). What that means is Jesus Christ did not go to the Cross to confer an honorary status upon those who believe in Him. He died so we might walk in the works God prepared and to let the glory of God be manifested through us (Matthew 5:16).
The workmanship of God is designed to show His greatness, not mine. As a beautiful vessel is a monument to the greatness of a potter; as a beautiful painting is a monument to an artist; so a mature and perfected Christian is a monument to the marvelous power of God. Such a person is a product of God’s grace and exists for “the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:6,12,14; 3:14-19). Meditate on the people God took and fashioned for His glory: Peter, John, Saul of Tarsus, Aquila, Priscilla, and Barnabas. God can do the same work within you.
God has plans for us. His will is to weave us into the great pattern of His purpose in Jesus Christ. We must allow Him, as the Potter, to mold and shape us into a vessel purged from self and worldly ambition into one of “honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). Are you willing to let that happen? God has planned a great work to be done in you. Let Him Have His Way With Thee.
