Day 3 - You are God’s Workmanship – His poem.

In spite of the failure of Adam, God never abandoned His dream for mankind.

Ephesians 2:1-10

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV

Here the Apostle Paul is communicating about the re-creation of man that was accomplished by Jesus Christ. Jesus is called the “last Adam”; in another letter to the Corinthians Paul clarifies:

1 Corinthians 15:45

"The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ESV

This re-creation reflects the original intent of God and this original design is the basis for our value to God, while we have corrupted our ways, God has never abandoned us to our weaknesses and rebellion.

In verse 10 of Ephesians 2 the word translated as “workmanship” is “poeima” in the original Greek text. This is the same word root from which we get the word “poem” Thus is can be said that we are God’s “poem” as we are being re-created in Christ Jesus.

The “Mirror Translation” by Francois du Toit renders Ephesians 2:10 as follows:

“We are engineered by his design; he molded and manufactured us in Christ. We are his workmanship (poeima), his poetry. (God finds inspired expression of Christ in us). We are fully fit to do good, equipped to give attractive evidence of his likeness in us in everything we do.”

Beloved, as believers “each of our lives is the papyrus on which the Master is producing a work of art that will fill the everlasting ages with His praise.” (S Gordon) You are God’s masterpiece. You are His poem. You are His work of art. When we look at ourselves this way, we begin to understand our incredible value in Christ. Indeed, as C S Lewis said “We are a divine work of art.” “If Rembrandt’s artistic masterpieces have great, undisputed value, would not God’s one-of-a-kind human masterpieces convey even greater value?” (D Robertson)

The idea of poiema is that our new life in Christ is like a poem which expresses “form and pattern along with beauty. Like the underside of grandmother’s cross-stitch, the everyday of our lives may look to be knotted and hopelessly tangled. But when we turn the fabric over, we see design and beauty that was there all along but that we never foresaw.” (Gage) Perhaps you don’t feel much like a work of divine poetry, but regardless of how you feel, the truth about you as God’s workmanship, is that you are His “MASTERPIECE” (NLT), His “HANDIWORK” (NAB), His “WORK OF ART” (NJB), in fact, a work of art that is one of a kind! You are “custom designed”, “tailor-made,” by the Master’s hand. “Each of our lives is the canvas on which the Master is producing a work of art that will fill the everlasting ages with His praise.” (John Phillips)

This is the expression of God’s Love for you – it began in the garden (Genesis 3:14, 15) and accomplished its purpose in Christ.

As Christians, we are called to become the “Bride of Christ”. Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the “bridegroom” who came to make the Church (Ekklesia) ready to marry the Lamb of God. (See Matthew 9:14-15, 22:2, Revelation 19:7-9, 21:9, 22:17)

This relationship is not an impersonal “workmanship” cookie cutter craft kind of thing; it is an ongoing continual intimate and very personal life with our designer and lover. He is the lover of our soul. We are His poem, His artwork. We are His inspired expression.

Jesus is the pattern for and of man, not Adam.

“More than two thousand years ago the conversation that had begun before time was recorded – sustained in fragments of thoughts before the ages, whispered in prophetic language, chiseled in stone and inscribed in human conscience and memory – became a man. Beyond the tablet of stone, the papyrus scroll or parchment roll, human life has become the articulate voice of God. Jesus is the crescendo of God’s conversation with humankind; he gives context and content to the authentic thought. Everything that God had in mind for man is voiced in him. Jesus is God’s language... His name declares his mission. As Savior of the world he truly redeemed the image and likeness of the invisible God and made him apparent in human form (Hebrews 1:1-4)

The destiny of the logos (Bible) was not the printed page, but you! A mirror can only reflect the object; likewise, the purpose of the page was only to reflect the message which is “Christ in you”. He completes the deepest longing of every human heart. The incarnation (word made flesh) is the ultimate translation.” Introduction - “The Mirror Bible by Francois du Toit.

We are not slaves, but sons

This “workmanship” is not to be viewed through a “servant” mentality. We are not working for our new status or performing for bonus points. Our relationship is that of son ship to whom our inheritance is already promised. Surely as we walk out our days we will have trials and difficulties, but just as we mature and gain wisdom and strength in the natural, God is raising us up in the relationship of His sons who are no longer on trial trying to defend or justify our relationship.

Galatians 4:2-7

In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles (spirits) of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" so you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. ESV

Discussion Questions:

Day 3 - You are God’s Workmanship – His poem.