Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. I. WHAT IS MEANT BY GOOD WORKS. 1. The kinds. All acts of obedience. (1) Acts of God's immediate worship, both internal and external. (2) Every man must labour in the work to which he is called. (3) Works of righteousness and justice; to hurt none, to give every one his due, to use fidelity in our relations (Acts 24:15). (4) Works of charity and mercy; as to relieve the poor, to be good to all, to help others by our counsel or admonition. (5) I think there is another sort of good works which concern ourselves, and that is sobriety, watchfulness, mortification, self-denial. A man oweth duty to himself (Titus 2:12). 2. The requisites. (1) That the person be in a good state (Matthew 7:17). (2) The principles of operation must be faith, love, and obedience. (3) A due regard of circumstances, that it may be not only good, but done well (Luke 8:15). (4) The end — that it be for God's glory (Philippians 1:11). II. HOW NEW CREATURES ARE OBLIGED TO THESE GOOD WORKS. 1. With respect to God, He hath ordained that we should walk in them. If you refer to His decree, He will have His elect people distinguished from others by the good they do in the world, that they may be known to be followers of a good God, as the children of the devil are by their mischief (2 Peter 1:10). If you take it for His precept and command, surely we should make conscience of what our Father giveth us in charge. 2. With respect to Christ, who died to restore us to a capacity and ability to perform these good works (Titus 2:14). 3. With respect to the Spirit, who reneweth us for this end; we are new made, that we may look upon doing good as our calling and only business. All other things are valuable according to the use for which they serve; the sun was made to give light and heat to inferior creatures, and we are enlightened by grace, and inclined by grace, that our light may shine before men (Matthew 5:16). 4. With respect to heaven and eternal happiness, they are the way to heaven. We discontinue or break off our walk when we cease to do good; but the more we mind good works the more we proceed in our way (Philippians 3:14). III. HOW ARE THEY FITTED AND PREPARED by this new nature that is put into them for good works? There is a remote preparation, and a near preparation. 1. The remote preparation is an inclination and propensity to all the acts of the holy and heavenly life. All creatures have an inclination to their proper operations, so the new creature. As the sparks fly up and the stones downward by an inclination of nature, so are their hearts bent to please and serve God. The inclination is natural, the acts are voluntary, because it is an inclination of a free agent. 2. The near preparation is called promptitude and readiness for every good work, or "a ready obedience to every good work." (See Titus 3:1; 1 Timothy 6:18; Hebrews 13:1). This is beyond inclination. The fire hath an inclination to ascend upwards, yet something may violently keep it down; so a Christian may have a will to good, a strong, not a remiss will, but yet there are some impediments (Romans 7:18). (T. Manton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. |
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