What Does it Mean That We Are God’s Workmanship?
What Does it Mean That We Are God’s Workmanship?
The truth that Christ’s believers are God’s workmanship reflects His works of creation, redemption, provision, and sanctification in every believer’s life. This workmanship displays the greatness and the goodness of the loving Creator.
Paul wrote to God’s holy people in Ephesus who were faithful followers of Christ Jesus, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10, NKJV).
Other English Bible translations use words such as “handiwork, masterpiece, accomplished, creative work, or the product of His hand” (heaven’s poetry etched on lives) instead of workmanship.
In the Oxford English Dictionary, workmanship is defined as “the degree of skill with which a product is made, or a job done” and synonymous with craftmanship, which is “the quality of design and work shown in something made by hand; creative skill or ability.”
The truth that Christ’s believers are God’s workmanship reflects His works of creation, redemption, provision, and sanctification in every believer’s life.
1. God’s Work of Creation in His Workmanship
All human beings are created in the image of God, regardless of whether or not they put their faith in His Son, Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:26-27). All we are the clay, and the Creator is our potter (Isaiah 64:8).
God created the universe by His word: He spoke, and things came into existence. But it was only when He created man that He did something different: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
Therefore, unlike animals and plants, every human being possesses a spirit, which means having the ability to perceive spiritual realms or matters and the things of God, who is Spirit (John 4:24).
Man is the crown of God’s creation (Psalm 8:3-5) and created through God’s direct, intimate intervention (Psalm 139:13-16). Each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, displaying the intricate, excellent, and marvelous work of God. Therefore, the life of every human being is precious, purposeful, and meaningful in the sight of the Creator.
2. God’s Work of Redemption in His Workmanship
Because of sin, originated by the enemy (i.e., the fallen angel or Satan), God’s image in every human being is corrupted. As a result, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
This means that we are all sinners, by nature and by choice, and no amount of good works can save us from the penalty for sin: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
We all need God’s mercy and grace for our salvation. We all need God taking the initiative to restore the relationship — and thankfully, He did! (by sending His Son, Jesus Christ) — so that we can have peace with God.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:1-2).
This redemptive and restorative mission has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). Here is the wonderful truth: God’s image in every believer is restored by Jesus Christ, the perfect, visible image (i.e., the exact representation) of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Romans 8:29), as we live in Him, and He lives in us.
3. God’s Work of Provision in His Workmanship
Everyone who trusts in Jesus can be sure that God is able to supply all our needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
As King David declared, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).
It is for His name’s sake that God provides all our needs. We can trust Him, the Possessor of heaven and earth, for our every need, including physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Note that we are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus,” having been blessed, not only with eternal life but also with a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17) and abundant life (John 10:10) in Him. Praise the Lord!
4. God’s Work of Sanctification in His Workmanship
As we receive and believe Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit resides in us, making our hearts His home (Romans 8:9). By the Holy Spirit alone, we can realize that Jesus is Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, of our need for God’s righteousness, and of His judgment (John 16:8), and He guides us into all truth (John 16:13).
We live in a broken world and oftentimes our faith in Christ is challenged by the temptation and values of this world. Hence, we need God’s Spirit to continue to sanctify us from the sins of this world that could “pollute” our hearts.
And as we are God’s workmanship, the Holy Spirit ultimately transforms us into Christlikeness (2 Corinthians 3:18), producing the character of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit in us (Ephesians 5:8-10; Galatians 5:22-23). This means that our sinful nature (i.e., tendency to disobey and rebel against God) is replaced with a new, godly nature that desires to please, obey, and glorify the Lord.
The Purpose of God’s Workmanship
It is amazing to see that the triune God (God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) all participate in this workmanship, which displays His divine nature — His greatness and goodness.
And now, Ephesians 2:10 tells us further that we are God’s workmanship for good works, which He ordained beforehand that we should walk in them.
The preceding verses say, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV). It is clear that we are saved by God’s grace through faith that should be manifested in good works.
In other words, God’s grace in our lives through Christ Jesus should result in good works, which, I believe, speak of our unique calling and purpose in Him. These are related to God’s original plan in creating mankind (Genesis 2:28), which is then translated into the Great Commission.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
These good works ultimately bring honor and glory to the One who creates, redeems, provides, and sanctifies us with His unchanging love. All glory to God!
For further reading:
What Is the Difference Between Grace and Mercy?
What Does It Mean to Have Peace with God?
How Are We Created in the Image of God?
How Did Different Races Come into Existence as God’s Wonderful Created Image?
What Does “Imago Dei” Mean? The Image of God in the Bible
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/dorian2013
Philip Wijaya, Ph.D. currently lives in Vancouver, Canada with his wife, Sandra, and their daughter, Shalom. His interest in science and faith in God has motivated him to actively write in his personal blog (philipwijaya.com), in addition to his professional research work in the area of clean energy and chemical engineering. In his leisure time, he enjoys sports, football games, music, and traveling with family.
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Why Did Jesus Need Help Carrying His Cross?
It’s a familiar story found in three of the four gospel accounts: On the way to his crucifixion, the soldiers encountered a man named Simon of Cyrene and forced him to carry Jesus’s cross all the way to Golgotha, or “Place of the Skull,” where Jesus was brutally nailed to the cross in a public execution.
Each account differs a little–one identifies the names of Simon’s sons, another tells us Simon was on his way into town from the country–but the basics are the same. Who is Simon? Why did Jesus need help carrying His cross? And what is the deeper significance of this cross-carrying aspect of the crucifixion?
What Does the Bible Say about the Carrying of Jesus’ Cross?
The Bible account of this appears in the Books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, known as the Synoptic Gospels.
- Matthew’s version is the briefest, simply telling readers, “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross” (Matthew 27:32).
- Mark’s gospel account notes, “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means ‘the place of the skull’)” (Mark 15:21-22).
- And Luke’s account says, “As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him” (Luke 23:26-27).
Only the Gospel of John does not mention Simon of Cyrene, instead noting Jesus carried His own cross (John 19:17).
Who Is Simon of Cyrene?
The Bible doesn’t tell us much about the man, but we do know Cyrene was a coastal city located in northern Africa in eastern Libya. Simon’s sons Alexander and Rufus were clearly known by those reading Mark’s text, given their mention.
A Rufus is mentioned later, in Romans 16:13, and his mother is credited as being like a mother to the author of that book, though we don’t know for certain if this is the same Rufus. Also, the bones of an “Alexander, son of Simon” from that same time period were recently discovered in a burial container, or ossuary, in Jerusalem.
Some believe the mention of the sons indicates they later became followers of Christ and were active in the early church, perhaps because of their father’s role in the cross-carrying.
But why this man? Why Simon? The Bible tells us nothing beyond that he was “seized” and “forced” to carry the cross.
Some believe he might have been a Jew who had resettled in Cyrene and was now visiting Jerusalem, and it was because of his Jewish appearance that the soldiers selected him for the task.
Others think he was a Black man who had come to Jerusalem to worship during Passover. No one knows his race, ethnicity, or religion from these passages.
Why Did Jesus Need Help with the Cross?
We don’t know if Jesus needed help, only that the soldiers forced Simon to help him. But scholars speculate that after the beating Jesus received, He would have been in poor condition to carry something that heavy all that way, at least from a human being’s perspective.
Historians reveal that most of the time, the condemned were forced to carry their crossbeam, which would have been 30-40 pounds.
Prior to the walk along the Via Dolorosa–or “way of sorrows,” a winding route of several streets from Jerusalem to Golgotha–Scripture tells us Jesus was beaten with fists, flogged, crowned with thorns, and struck repeatedly in the head with a staff (Mark 14:65; Mark 15:15, 19, Matthew 26:67; Matthew 27:29).
Walking might have been a challenge for most men, let alone carrying a cross upon freshly broken skin.
But obviously, Jesus is more than a man–as God’s Son, Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity, the Triune God, three in one, co-equal and co-eternal.
This is why many scholars believe Jesus “needed” help not for Himself, because of any weakness, but rather for other reasons. Someone needed to serve as a walking symbol, a literal cross-bearer, in this dark moment.
What Did Simon of Cyrene Symbolize?
First, Simon is of Cyrene, meaning he is a foreigner. Whether he is or is not a Jew, he is from someplace other than this region, and therefore his very being brings “the other” onto the scene. Very quickly after the church started, the Holy Spirit made the apostles understand their message was not just for Israel but for all people–Jews, Gentiles, and beyond.
Second, Simon physically models discipleship for us. Jesus told His disciples in Luke 9:23-24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”
Here, we see a person literally taking up the cross and literally following behind Jesus to the site of the crucifixion. It’s a beautiful picture of discipleship. After all, it’s not always easy to follow Jesus, especially if you live in a place or time where Christians are persecuted or where faith is punishable by death.
Nor is it always easy to take a stand against popular culture that advocates for “an eye for an eye” or “do what feels right.” But Jesus died for us. Therefore, we bear the cross for him and share the gospel because he told us to do so.
Third, the positioning of the men is significant and also points to discipleship. The Bible tells us Simon of Cyrene walked behind the Christ carrying the cross (Luke 23:26). We, too, are to walk along in life, sometimes in very difficult situations, keeping our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ahead of us as our model and our leader as we shoulder our cross.
And fourth, the act of carrying the cross was forced upon Simon of Cyrene, symbolizing another important truth: Carrying our cross isn’t necessarily a choice. Simon could certainly have said no–and probably have been executed right along with Jesus, or there in the streets.
But he didn’t. And scripture didn’t indicate Simon volunteered for the job. He was “forced” to carry the cross. Sometimes, suffering is forced upon us, as with Simon.
As Christians, it’s heartening to know the cross is more than a place where Jesus died. It’s a place of transformation, where Christ conquered sin and darkness, sacrificing His life so that each one of us who follows Him might have eternal life.
We shoulder that cross with Christ, taking on that burden in honor of what Jesus did for us. It’s not always easy, but it is part of our walk as followers of The Way: Jesus.
For further reading:
What Is the Significance of the Cross?
Why Did Jesus Become Sin When He Knew No Sin?
What Old Testament Prophecies Predicted Jesus and the Cross?
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages
Why Should We Not Be Weary in Doing Good?
Christians should want to do good because God has called us to do good. When we follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance and do good, we shine bright for Jesus. By doing good, we show Christ to a lost and hurting world.
In Galatians 6:9 the Apostle Paul tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” In this passage of Scripture, Paul is telling believers that they do not need to become weary in doing good.
Oftentimes, it can be tough not to grow weary in doing good, but God does not want us to grow weary in doing good. God wants us to continue to do good and shine His bright light to others.
Why Do We Grow Weary?
Believers do not need to grow weary in doing good because God makes a promise to all believers that if they stay strong and continue to do good, believers will reap a harvest at the proper time (Galatians 6:9).
When Paul wrote this letter to the church in Galatia, he knew that they were feeling weighed down by the responsibilities of daily Christian living. Maybe you have felt this way before too. Paul writes the statement of not growing weary in doing good to uplift their spirits and give them encouragement.
The Christian life is not easy, but as believers, we have the help of the Holy Spirit. He will help, support, and encourage us each day. The Holy Spirit is ready to help believers at all times and in any way He can. He can help us walk in accordance with the right way rather than in the way of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
Whenever you feel weary and tired of doing good, turn to God. He can uplift you with His mighty hand (Isaiah 41:10). When you start becoming weary, discouraged, or depressed, remember that whatever you are working at, you are working for the Lord. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23). God sees every kind act, every kind word, every good thing that you do.
Absolutely nothing that you do goes unnoticed by our Heavenly Father. Hebrews 6:10 tells us, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” You are not serving mankind–you are serving the Lord. Never forget this vital truth and never grow tired of doing good. Your efforts will be rewarded.
What Does it Mean to Do Good?
Christians should want to do good because God has called us to do good. When we follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance and do good, we shine bright for Jesus (Matthew 5:16). By doing good, we show Christ to a lost and hurting world. God has created us with the ability to do good and help others.
If we choose to not do good, we sin (James 4:17). The Bible tells us sin separates us from God, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). When we do good, we are acting in obedience to our Heavenly Father. Nothing brings God greater joy than to know that His children are obeying Him.
God has special purposes for each of our lives and these purposes include doing good works for Him. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
This passage of Ephesians tells us that we have been created to do good works, which will ultimately point people to Christ. Our lives are not our own. Our lives were bought at the price of Jesus’ death on the cross.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Since Jesus paid such a great price for our freedom, we should want to do good things that honor Him and not grow weary in the process. Jesus is our Master Teacher as He is the best example to follow in our lives.
Jesus always did good and He never grew weary of doing good. Likewise, as followers of Jesus, we should also not grow weary in doing good. Jesus paid the greatest price by dying on the cross for our sins in order to redeem us.
In this entire process, He never grew weary, and He never gave up. He continued despite being in great pain, anxiety, and agony (Luke 22:44). He never gave up on us His mission of redeeming mankind from our sins. Jesus loved us that much. He looked beyond His pain and saw the future of mankind being reconciled to the Father through His death.
Jesus could have said He was too tired, or mankind was “too lost in their sins” to be redeemed, but He did not. Rather, Jesus chose to endure the pain of the cross and die the death we deserved to die. As a result of Jesus’ great sacrifice, all people can be saved who place faith in Him.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Why Are We Told Not to Grow Weary in Doing Good?
There are many things we can do in order to avoid growing weary. The number one thing we should do when we feel weary of doing good is to turn to God. Pour out your heart to Him and tell Him your struggles. God tells us to pour our anxieties out to Him and to place them at His feet (1 Peter 5:7).
God does care about you, and He wants to strengthen you to do good. If you are genuine when you come before the Lord and ask for His help, He will help you to be strengthened. God does not grow weary like we do (Isaiah 40:28), but He did experience it while He was on earth.
Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:6-7).
God understands that we can grow physically, mentally, and emotionally weary, and He desires to give us peace. Turn to God and He will help you. A second tip to avoid growing weary is by remembering God’s faithfulness in the past.
Maybe you were going through a difficult season in the past, but you still managed to be kind and good to others. God got you through the weary season before and He will get you through it again. Trust God in the process and wait for Him (Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 27:14).
For further reading:
What Does it Mean That Good Works Are the Result of Salvation?
Do Actions Really Speak Louder Than Words?
Is There Such a Thing as Christian Duty?
Why Does the Bible Have to Tell Us to Be Kind to One Another?
Is Being a ‘Good Christian’ Biblical?
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Aricka Lewis
Vivian Bricker loves Jesus, studying the Word of God, and helping others in their walk with Christ. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Christian Ministry and is currently working toward her Master’s Degree. Her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and friends, reading, and spending time outside. When she is not writing, she is probably embarking on an adventure.
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