Living Good

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

LIVING GOOD

Eph 2:1-10

2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

NIV

We have come to the last truth in this passage, and it has been a point of debate since I can remember when Christ came into my life. The controversy is all the good works and what exactly does that mean. Should we be doing “good works” and if so, what good work are we supposed to do, or how do we define what can be applied as good works. Is there a list somewhere of the acceptable works that God would see as good? We think that we would have to go back to the time that God created us when we were the workmanship of God. Who did he create man to be?  When God made man, he put him in the garden telling him to work it and take care of it. Of course, he also told him he could eat from anything in the garden except the one tree. Then we would have to conclude that any work that God prepared for us is to take care of the garden and work it. Of course, we are a new creation, a new creature in Christ. Being a new creation takes us down a deep rabbit hole that we cannot fully develop in such a short devotion. However, we still need to find out as a new creation in Christ what are the acceptable works that we were created to do. Once again, we know many good things to do, that would be good for the kingdom, but is that the right evidence of being in Christ? We know that both believers and non-believers do many good works for the benefit of others. There are many humanitarian works that are very good. There are many religious works that are also very good. Therefore, that kind of works or acts of service may not be the kind of good works God has determined before that those in Christ should do, or walk in. The Greek word, peropateo, which is translated as “for us to do”, is actually defined as to walk in, to tread all around, walk at large, (especially as proof of ability); and figuratively, to live, to deport oneself, follow. This would lead us to think that what God has predetermined is that once we are this new creation in Christ, we should walk in the way of Christ, that is be holy. The “Good works” is therefore not a labor to do, but a way of life to live. What evidence is there of us being in Christ? It cannot be a good deed or labor, but it must be a holy life. If the “Good works” are an act of labor, a deed, then there is a beneficiary of that deed? But non-believers do acts of goodness that benefit others. So then what makes our deeds any better, or show any evidence of our being a new creature in Christ, with the old passing away? No, the good works God determined beforehand is that when we are in Christ, we have been called to live in Christ, living a holy life, filled with God, with the Spirit, and living in such a matter to bring praise and glory to Him.  It is possible that when we do good labor or deeds, we receive praise from men, at least other believers. But how do we receive praise from God? Live as he predetermined, we should live because we are in Christ. Just as God has declared us, holy and blameless in his sight.