Bible League: Living His Word For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.Human beings in general are the product of God's handiwork, for everyone is a creature of God. As creatures, we are totally dependent beings – totally dependent upon the creative and providential sustenance of God. But Christians are also God's handiwork with respect to His providence of grace, for He has graciously determined to create us anew in Jesus Christ. In this respect as well, then, Christians are totally dependent upon God – totally dependent upon the gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Even further, however, God's handiwork of grace not only created us anew, but it also prepared us for good works. It is in this sense that we have been "Created in Christ to do good works." The creation mentioned here is the "new creation" that Paul referred to in some of his letters. For example, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (II Corinthians 5:17). Christians, then, are dependent upon God as creatures like the rest of humanity, but also dependent upon God as new creatures in Christ, and even dependent upon God for the good works we perform as new creatures. The works that God had in mind for us were prepared in advance for us to do. Paul believed that our salvation was predestined by God (see Ephesians 1:4-6), but our verse for today makes it plain that he believed the good works we perform as Christians were also predestined for us to do. Christians, then, are not only made into new creatures by God, they are made into new creatures so that they can perform the good works God had in mind from all eternity. None of this means that Christians are not responsible and accountable for the works that they do, for Paul also said that we should "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling," but it does mean that "it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Philippians 2:12-13). Today, when the fear and trembling comes upon you, take comfort in the knowledge that Almighty God Himself is working in you to help you perform the good works He prepared in advance for just you to do. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading2 Chronicles 32, 33 2 Chronicles 32 -- Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem; Hezekiah's Prayer Answered NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Chronicles 33 -- Manasseh's Wicked Reign in Judah; Ammon follows NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 18:24-40 John 18 -- Judas Betrays Jesus; Peter Denies Him; Jesus Questioned by Annas and Pilate NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Insight Jesus looked at the crowds following him and referred to them as a field ripe for harvest. Many people are ready to give their lives to Christ if someone would show them how. Jesus commands us to pray that people will respond to this need for workers. Challenge Often, when we pray for something, God answers our prayers by using us. Be prepared for God to use you to show another person the way to him. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Romans 14:8 We live unto the Lord.If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It was not absolutely necessary for our preparation for immortality that we should tarry here. It is possible for a man to be taken to heaven, and to be found meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, though he has but just believed in Jesus. It is true that our sanctification is a long and continued process, and we shall not be perfected till we lay aside our bodies and enter within the veil; but nevertheless, had the Lord so willed it, he might have changed us from imperfection to perfection, and have taken us to heaven at once. Why then are we here? Would God keep his children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? Why is the army of the living God still on the battle-field when one charge might give them the victory? Why are his children still wandering hither and thither through a maze, when a solitary word from his lips would bring them into the centre of their hopes in heaven? The answer is--they are here that they may "live unto the Lord," and may bring others to know his love. We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as ploughmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the "salt of the earth," to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. We are here as workers for him, and as "workers together with him." Let us see that our life answereth its end. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to "the praise of the glory of his grace." Meanwhile we long to be with him, and daily sing-- "My heart is with him on his throne, And ill can brook delay; Each moment listening for the voice, Rise up, and come away.'" Daily Light on the Daily Path Luke 15:13 "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.1 Corinthians 6:11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. Ephesians 2:3-6 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. • But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, • even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), • and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Romans 5:8,10 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. • For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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