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close our lexicons, let us put aside for a moment our grammars, let us rather bow our
heads in worship as we say out of full hearts:
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift."
In verse 10 the word "workmanship" is the Greek poiema, which may mean anything
made, hence workmanship. It occurs only twice in the N.T. The other occurrence is
Rom. 1: 20 where it is translated "things that are made". An alternative translation is
"handywork". The Greek used the word to convey "poem", and Charles Welch
comments that it is wonderful to think that the Church of the One Body may be regarded
as "God's Poem".
This same verse tells us that we were created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of
carrying out good works, that God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So
here is another wonderful thought! The Father chose us in Christ before the foundation
of the world, and God also before ordained that we should serve Him by good works.
We accept His will in grateful humility.
The word `create' occurs 7 times in the Prison Epistles, and of these four are in
Ephesians, as follows:
Kitző ("create").
A
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2: 10. God. The Church His creation.
B
| 2: 15. The New Man doctrinally considered.
A |
3: 9. God. "All things" His creation.
B
| 4: 24. The New Man practically exhibited.
It will be seen from the structure that there are several references to God as Creator.
He created all things by Jesus Christ (3: 9), and we read of the New Man created by
Christ Jesus. This we hope to consider in our next article. At the moment we are
rejoicing in the fact that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, with the object
of producing the fruit He desires; even the completion of the plan He prepared long
before we were born. Is it not wonderful to contemplate that God chose us, and planned
for us, and God was willing to wait so long until we appeared on this earth. Then, we
trust, He sees His plan being worked out in our lives.
We have used some space to consider only three verses which are the doctrinal
section, but the truth contained therein demands careful thought, as well as praise and
thanksgiving for all that the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ have done for us. We must
now turn to the practical implications.
The practical section (New Creation, item "C" in the structure) commences at
Ephesians 5: 1, "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children". Notice the word
"therefore". This links with the last verse of the previous chapter, so we will quote that
verse and Eph. 5: 1, 2 from the N.I.V.:
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of