Good Works GOD's Way

You have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from GOD.  It was not the result of your own efforts, so you cannot brag about it. GOD has made us what we are. In CHRIST JESUS, GOD made us to do good works, which GOD planned in advance for us to live our lives doing. Ephesians 2:8-10

If you recognize yourself in this Bible verse, a person saved by grace through faith and a new creation in CHRIST JESUS, then you’re already aware that GOD has prepared “good works” for you to do here on earth.

GOD gives each of us specific skills for the work He has planned for each of us to do (1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28.) This means that my good works are very likely going to be different from yours. However, GOD designed all of our good works to work together for one purpose – to satisfy His divine plan. We don’t know how many millenniums more this may take to accomplish, but we do know that we are workers together with God (2 Corinthians 6:1) in making it happen.

As co-laborers with GOD, we must aim for excellence. GOD does all things well and He wants His team of workers to give their best as well.

How do I know if my good works are meeting GOD’s standards?

New believers, and some seasoned, often have doubts and questions about where they fit into GOD’s divine plan. “What does GOD want from me?”  “Where can I serve GOD best?” “What exactly are good works?” The answers come through earnest prayer, fellowship with mature believers, and peer discussion. Our own intuition and a genuine willingness to be totally submitted to GOD’s will are also key to revealing our purpose.

But there’s little point in knowing GOD’s specific plan for our lives if we’re not going to do the best job we can. 

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the LORD and not for men. Colossians 3:23

GOD’s Word gives us everything we need for serving Him with excellence:

• The reason for excellence. God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. Colossians 3:12a. With His gift of salvation to us who believe we became GOD’s beloved children as well as His “holy people,” those who've been set apart from a dark world to bring glory to the Heavenly Father. (1 Peter 2:9,12.)

• Tools that produce excellence. So, you should always clothe yourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12b. A true believer has the Holy Spirit living within who produces in us the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22-23.

We apply this reasoning and these tools to everything we do daily, and we can rest assured that our good works are meeting GOD’s standards. 

We show we are servants of GOD by our pure lives, our understanding, patience, and kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by true love, by speaking the truth, and by GOD’s power. We use our right living to defend ourselves against everything. 2 Corinthians 6:6-7 (NCV)

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Heavenly Father, all praise and glory be unto YOU! Thank you for choosing us to be co-laborers in YOUR divine plan to restore order to YOUR Creation, and for the Holy Spirit who gives us skills and the tools for excellence in all that we do for YOUR good pleasure and YOUR glory. To you belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray all things in the Name that is above all other names, our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile