Ephesians 2:8-10 - God Works Through Us

Todaywe're continuing to look at Ephesians 2:10. We are talking about the good worksthat are produced after salvation in our lives through the ministry and work ofthe Holy Spirit. “God working in us both the will and to do of His goodpleasure” (Philippians 2:13). We always need to remember we are not savedby good works but we're saved unto good works and for good works for the gloryof God. James 2 makes it really clear that we're justified before God by faith,but before men, and even the assurance that we have of our own salvation, isthe fact that we have a faith that works for us and in us and through us andproduces good works because faith as he says at least three times in verses 14through 26, that “faith without works is dead”.  TheBible speaks of many different kinds of works. There are the “works of thelaw” in Galatians 2:16. There are the “works of the flesh” that arelisted in Galatians 5:19-21. There are the “works of darkness” in Romans13:12 and Ephesians 5:11. There are the “dead works” in Hebrews 6:1 thatlead to death. Then there are the “works of righteousness” in Titus 3:5that refer to religious works, or in other words, good deeds that we think cangive us our salvation and make us holy before God. But remember Isaiah declaresthat all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight (Isaiah 64:6).My friend, if our righteousnesses are filthy, oh, what must our sins look like? Theworks that Paul's talking about in Ephesians 2:10 here have two specialcharacteristics. First, they are good works in contrast to the works ofdarkness and wicked works. If you contrast Ephesians 2:10 and Ephesians 2:2,you'll see that the unbeliever has Satan working in him and therefore his worksare not good. Because the believer has God working in him, therefore, his worksare good. His works are not good because he himself is good, but because he hasa new nature from God and because the Holy Spirit works in him and through himto produce these good works. My life verse has been Philippians chapter 1:6: “Beingconfident of this very thing that He who has begun the good work in you, Hewill perform it. He will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”.  Itis sad today that so many believers put a little emphasis or no emphasis on theworks of the believer because they don't want to mix it up with works andsalvation. But the Bible makes a big deal about our works in Matthew 5:16. “Letyour light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifyyour Father which is in heaven”. We don't perform good works to glorifyourselves but to glorify our Father which is in heaven. The apostle Pauldesired that Christ would be magnified in his body even if it meant death.Philippians 1:20-21. We should “abound to every good work” (2Corinthians 9:8). We should be “fruitful in every good work” (Colossians1:10). We are “equipped by God for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17). Weshould be “zealous unto good works and maintain them” (Titus 2:14). Wefind also in Hebrews 13:16 that our good works are actually “spiritualsacrifices that we offer to God”. It'simportant to note that we don't manufacture these good works. They're theresult of God working in our heart. Paul said, "By the grace of God, Iam what I am" . My friend,when you truly have been born again and the Spirit of God lives in you, therewill be good works produced in your life for the glory of God and others willsee it and magnify God and many will believe. Rememberour good works are evidence that we have been born again. "Not everyonethat says unto Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but hethat does the will of My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).Our good works are also testimonies to the lost (1 Peter 2:12). Our good worksthat are produced by the fruits of the Holy Spirit in us will also win us theright to be heard.