We are God's workmanship

Ephesians 2:10

It's easy for us to get the wrong view of ourselves. When things are going well, we are tempted to become proud and think that we have created our own success. When life is tough, we may think that we are worthless and unable to be of use to anyone.

If we have fallen foul of either error, Ephesians 2:1-10 puts us right in our thinking.

First we have to accept that we were not in great shape when God started His work in us - dead, to be precise. Paul describes us as being dead in our sins, driven by selfish desires, and thoroughly deserving of God's anger v1-3. Dead people cannot achieve anything, they cannot help themselves, they can't even call out for help. Without God's intervention, we could achieve nothing of eternal significance. But Paul is equally clear that all of his hearers were dead - you can't be more dead than someone else! Our past will not hinder the future that God has planned for us, because He is at work in us. Let's be encouraged that God has prepared good works for all of us to do v10.

It's always good for us to consider again, just what God had to do in order to make us valuable workers in His kingdom:

• God made us - gave us physical life
• God loved us v4 - even though we were very unlovely v1-3
• He has saved us v5 - delivered us from the punishment that we deserved
• He made us alive in Christ v5 - gave us spiritual life
• He has raised us into the heavenly realms v6 - given us an eternal future
• He uses us in His great plans v7 - given us real purpose in life
• He has shown us great kindness v8 - sent His precious Son to suffer in our place
• He even gives us faith v8 - gives us the ability to believe
• and He has prepared the good works that we are to do now v10

If we get to grips with what Paul is saying, then boasting is impossible v9. But feeling inadequate is also impossible - surely the God who has done all this for us will give us the strength we need to do the works that he has prepared for us v10.