For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2.10).
Dr Hal Habecker's Comments:
I love thinking about Ephesians 2.10 in light of my aging years. God may already know the works He has in mind for my aging years, but do I know what they are, and am I experiencing His success for me in doing them? Consider these suggestions?
1. Have worked my way through “The Seven Essentials” offered by Finishing Well Ministries?
2. Am I clear on “my mission,” the mission God has for me in these years? Am I convinced that His mission for my life now is His greatest purpose for me in these important decades?
3. Are my gifts and wisdom still His and is He using them in my life now?
4. Am I impacting the next generations with God’s love as He has displayed it in my life throughout my decades?
5. Am I still zealous for His kingdom and His continued work in my life? Am I convinced that “the best is still to come”?
6. Or, have I acquiesced to the culture of retirement and spending my life on myself and what our culture calls us to in the season of retirement?
Commentary (ref www.BibleRef.com)
Ephesians 2:1–10 clearly explains the relationship between our lack of obedience, the grace of God, and our salvation. Those who are saved by Christ do not deserve this salvation. It is only by mercy, and by grace, that God chooses to forgive. In this section, Paul will repeat the claim that human effort has no impact on salvation whatsoever. No Christian can brag about their ''goodness,'' since we are saved entirely by the grace of God, not by our own good deeds.
Ephesians 2:8–9 is an extremely popular passage of Scripture. Since those two verses are so often quoted, many miss out on verse 10 when seeking to understand God's salvation by grace through faith. However, this important statement offers tremendous insight into what God desires after salvation. God calls us His workmanship or His artwork, from the Greek word poiēma. We are something crafted, with skill and a purpose, by God, for His purposes. Specifically, we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works." Good works do not give us salvation, but they are absolutely meant to be the result of salvation.
Interestingly, God prepared what He wanted us to do for Him long ago. He has already planned what He wants us to do with our lives. We do not need to copy what someone else has done or is doing. He has a unique plan for each of us to serve Him in this world. This includes certain spiritual gifts and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to lead us in service to Him.