Identity
- How God sees us (what matters most)
- How we see ourselves (self awareness)
- How others see us (community)
Purpose
- Life Roles (Who we are) (Husband / Wife / Child / ?)
- Vocations (What we do) (Work / Student)
- Contribution (What we leave) (Serving others / what we leave behind /our Legacy)
2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Identity and purpose are often deeply interconnected:
Identity Influences Purpose: Who you are often determines what you find important and what you decide to do with your life. For example, someone who identifies strongly with creativity may find purpose in artistic expression or innovation.
Purpose Shapes Identity: Conversely, the roles and objectives people take on can shape their identity. For instance, dedicating oneself to teaching can strengthen one’s identity as an educator and lifelong learner.
Purpose and Context of the Letter
Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians to address several key themes and concerns for the early Christian community in Ephesus. This community was a mix of Jewish and Gentile believers, and one of Paul’s primary goals was to foster unity among them, emphasizing that both groups were equal in Christ.
Unity in Christ: Ephesians is well-known for its emphasis on unity. Paul wanted to stress that both Jews and Gentiles were reconciled to God through the death of Christ and are part of the same spiritual family. This is evident in Ephesians 2:14-16, where Paul discusses how Christ has broken down the dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles.
Identity in Christ: Paul was concerned with helping believers understand their new identity in Christ. This includes themes of being chosen by God, redeemed, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. He elaborated on how this new identity should shape their behavior and relationships within the community.
Living as Christians: Another key aspect of Ephesians is the practical guidance on Christian living. Paul instructed the Ephesians on how to live out their faith in their daily lives, emphasizing moral purity, domestic harmony, and mutual submission among believers, as well as spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 2:10 Direct Context
In Ephesians 2:10, Paul is reinforcing:
- The message that salvation is a gift from God, not a result of human effort
- Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”).
- By stating that believers are “created in Christ Jesus for good works,” Paul emphasizes that their salvation should result in a life transformed by and dedicated to God, which is a natural response to the grace they have received.
The Passage
Ephesians 2:10 ‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ‘
His Handiwork
The Greek word translated as “handiwork” is “poiēma,” from which we derive the English word “poem.” It suggests something artfully created and designed with purpose and care. In the context of this verse, it implies that believers are the result of God’s creative action and intentional design, much like a work of art.
To be God’s handiwork means to be created and fashioned by God with specific intent, reflecting His glory through one’s existence and actions, and living out a life of purpose that He has individually prepared. This concept is a cornerstone of Christian identity and purpose, grounding believers in the knowledge of their divine origin and destiny.
Created in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This verse reinforces the idea that in Christ, believers undergo a profound transformation.
Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” This expresses the notion of dying to one’s old self and living a new life through faith in Jesus.
To Do Good Works
James 2:17-18 – “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” James emphasizes that faith should manifest in actions, reinforcing the Ephesians passage about living out faith through good works.
Prepared in Advance To Do
Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
Psalms 139:16 NIV Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Therefore
Hebrews 12:1 NIV Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Philippians 3:14 NIV I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Note: Paul’s primary emphasis in Ephesians 2:10 is on the transformative power of God’s work in believers through Christ. His concern is that believers recognize:
We Must Remember That It Is:
God’s Initiative: Salvation and the ensuing good works are initiated by God, not by human merit or effort.
Purposeful Creation: Believers are created anew in Christ specifically to engage in good works, underscoring the idea that Christian faith is inherently active and practical.
Preordained Path: The good works that believers are to engage in have been prepared by God beforehand, suggesting that each believer has a God-given path to follow, which aligns with His will and purposes.
Through these teachings, Paul wanted to ensure that the Ephesians understood their faith as a dynamic and living response to God’s grace, aimed at uniting them in purpose and action under the lordship of Christ.
Key Takeaways
Identity in Christ: Believers are uniquely crafted by God, which affirms their worth and the intentionality behind their creation.
Purposeful Living: Being created for good works implies that Christian life is not passive but actively engaged in practices that reflect God’s goodness and love.
Divine Planning: The idea that these works are prepared in advance shows that God is intimately involved in the life of each believer, guiding and equipping them for the tasks He has set out.