God's plan: To save us and for us to do good.
If you ever only have 10 minutes to share your faith with someone, Ephesians 2:1-10 is a great passage to use. It explains our broken world and the futility of our own efforts at saving ourselves. Then it tells us about God's great love and mercy and how Christ has forgiven our transgressions and raised us to the heavenly realms. The best part is verses 8-10 where Paul emphasises the radical generosity of the gospel: We are saved by Grace and not (at all) by our works. We can't earn, deserve or attain God's love and forgiveness. We can't contribute even one percent - Grace is completely sufficient and it is completely free! There's a nice acronym for GRACE: God's Riches At Christ's Expense.But Paul goes on... God's plans are greater than just saving us. His love for us is such that He considers us His workmanship. The Greek word "poiema" implies "workmanship", "handiwork" (think potter & clay), "masterpiece" (think of a painter and a canvas) and "poetry-in-motion". God's plan is not merely to save us but to give us a chance to live out the power and beauty of the grace He has poured into us. His goal, His purpose for us is to live a life of "good works" (missional lives) - not to earn or pay for our salvation, but to express and showcase it.
Our "lives of good works" would not be possible in our own strength. Missional living is not sweat, but fruit. Missional living is grace-lived-out. It's what happens when we truly encounter Grace. When we bring the gospel, grace, beauty, reconciliation and justice into our world we are simply bearing the fruit of grace!
Unfortunately, this can fade. While we can be God's beautiful painting to the world or a useful clay pot that can be used in service to others, the painting can be left in a neglected room and the pot can gather dust. When that happens, we often fall into legalism and formalism - whereas Paul could excitedly talk about God's grace to the church in Ephesus, some 30 years later Jesus had to address the same church, saying: "You have forgotten your first love" - "You have lost sight of the majesty and adventure of Grace."
May that never happen to us!
| For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians2:8-10) |
