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#38. "Before Ordained" (Eph. 2: 9, 10).
pp. 81 - 85
We have noticed the relation between works before salvation and works after
salvation, but this theme of course does not exhaust the subject of these verses. We must
return to them to consider their teaching from another standpoint. Verse 10 reads:--
"For we are HIS workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works,
for which God prepared beforehand in order that we should walk in them.'
There is a grammatical reason for printing HIS in capitals. There is a logical reason
too. The order of the words in the sentence is, "Of Him are we for a work". "Him"
comes first. If we read on from verse 9 the emphasis will be appreciated: "not of works
lest any man should boast, for we are His workmanship". Instead of OUR works having
a place, we are forcefully reminded that we are HIS work. Work and walk are related,
the works of the flesh are in contrast to the fruit of the spirit and a spiritual walk
(Gal. 5: 19-25).
"Walk as children of light: for the fruit of the light (R.V.). . . . have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness" (Eph. 5: 8-11).
In the doctrinal section of Ephesians (1: - 3:) the whole outgoing and energy of man is
summed up in the word "walk". God knows of two walks, and two only; all else are but
sub-divisions. Eph. 2: speaks of them both: "wherein in time past ye walked according to
the age of this world", verse 2, and the good works, pre-ordained, of verse 10. Between
the "time past" and its walk and the present and its walk lies death, quickening,
resurrection, ascension, and seating with Christ. There was no attempt made to alter the
walk: God made a new creature. The walk of the unsaved is in the sphere of the
dominion of sin and death. A mighty spirit energizes them. Deliverance from this fearful
dominion is only found in the death and resurrection of Christ, and in union with Him.
The life is not altered by the walk, the walk merely expresses the life:--
"For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience,
in the which Ye also WALKED some time, when ye LIVED in them" (Col. 3: 6, 7).
"As ye have therefore RECEIVED Christ Jesus the Lord, so WALK ye in Him"
(Col. 2: 6).
The walk, like the good works, accompanies salvation. It does not bring it about, "for
we are His making CREATED in Christ Jesus".
It will be noticed that we have the word "making" instead of "workmanship". The
word is poiema, and comes from poieġ "to make". Gen. 2: 3 brings the two words
"make" and "create" together:--
"And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it He had rested
from all His work which God created and made" (or "created to make"-margin).