Ephesians 2:10 – Salvation and Works
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Truth to Learn
We were saved so that we can do good works.
Behind the Words
The word translated “workmanship” is poiēma, which is derived from the verb poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” It literally means “that which has been made” or “that which is done.”
“Created” is from ktidzō, meaning “to create” or “to produce from nothing.” In Homer’s writings it is the verb used to indicate the founding of a city.
The words “good works” are from ergois agathois. Ergois is a form of ergon, which we saw in the previous verse, meaning “any work, deed, act, or action.” Agathois is a form of agathos, meaning “good, benevolent, useful;” in other words, “that which is of good character.”
“Prepared beforehand” is translated from a single Greek word, proetoimadzō. This is a compound word made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or place” and hetoimadzō, meaning “to make ready” or “to prepare.”
“Walk” is translated from peripateō. This is also a compound word composed of peri, meaning “through or around” and pateō, meaning “to walk.” So, literally peripateō means “to walk around” or “to walk through.” It is used metaphorically meaning “to walk through the pathways of life.”
Meaning Explained
In the preceding verses we learned some very important doctrinal truths:
- We are saved by the grace of God, which He wants to showcase for all of eternity.
- We are saved (declared righteous) through faith.
- Our faith and our salvation are a gift of God.
- We did not do anything to earn or deserve salvation.
These are such important truths that verses eight and nine are often memorized. The problem with memorizing individual verses is that we often miss what comes immediately before or after them. For instance, most people know John 3:16. Do you know what it says in John 3:15 or John 3:17?
In the preceding verse Paul told us that salvation is not attained by works, lest anyone should boast. God wants to boast about our gracious salvation and He doesn’t want anyone else to be able to. If we did something to earn it, then we could boast, but we didn’t and we can’t. In today’s verse Paul tells us why: we are His workmanship. He did the work of salvation for us!
Then, where do good works come in? Paul says that we are created in Christ Jesus. When we were saved we became a new creation (see 2Corinthians 5:17) and the purpose of that new creation is that we should do good works. Our good works are the evidence that we have become a new creation. That was God’s plan from the beginning; we were saved so that we could walk in good works. That’s precisely what James teaches us in the second chapter of his letter.
Application
We are saved by faith and faith alone? If you’re saved, do your actions give clear evidence of your salvation?
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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