How To Do Good Works?

How to Do Good Works? (Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV)

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The Human Condition Before Salvation:

Before our salvation, we were all spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins. We once lived according to the ways of this world and were influenced by the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now at work in those who are disobedient. We indulged in the passions of our flesh, carrying out its desires and thoughts, and by nature, we were children deserving of wrath. Much like how we don't realize physical ailments, such as disease or cancer, without a check-up, people often do not recognize their own spiritual problems. God, however, diagnosed our spiritual state, revealing that before salvation, we were all spiritually dead.

Salvation: God's Grace and Purpose

A miracle occurred: God, rich in mercy and immense love, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. We have been saved by grace, a gift from God, not by works, so no one can boast. This salvation was not without purpose. God saved us to display the immeasurable riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus for all future generations. We are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared in advance for us to do. He remade us as His workmanship so that those who once lived worldly lives could now seek His kingdom, those who followed the prince of the power of the air could follow Christ, and those who indulged in fleshly desires could now live according to the Spirit. He not only forgave our sins but also re-created us for a new life.

The Ongoing Struggle and the Need for Transformation

Despite being saved, are we truly living lives that seek God's kingdom, follow Christ, and are guided by the Holy Spirit? Are we performing good deeds that demonstrate God's grace?

Consider the story of Pastor Cho Jeong-min, a former staunch atheist and news anchor who became a devout believer. He was so committed that he would attend dawn prayer at 5 a.m. even after working all night, sometimes plugging his bleeding nose with cotton. He also attended Wednesday and Friday services. One evening, as he was leaving for church again, his wife confronted him, saying, "You thought you'd completely changed since you started going to church instead of going to bars, but nothing has changed". This accusation struck him like a hammer. He knelt and asked God if this was His voice or Satan's. The Lord's shocking reply was, "Your wife is right". He realized his heart was still filled with self-centered ambition, wanting to prove his transformation rather than genuinely loving God. This revelation, accompanied by prayer and tears, completely changed his faith journey, becoming the day he was truly "bathed" as Jesus spoke of.

This resonates with many of us; haven't we heard similar remarks, like "I thought you had changed after believing in Jesus, but nothing has changed at all?" Those close to us often see us most accurately. Although we confess Jesus as Lord, we are constantly tempted by Satan's lies and influenced by the world, even though we are not of it. The desires of our flesh remain strong, making worldly entertainment more appealing than God's Word or prayer. Therefore, the Christian life is an ongoing struggle, and we often stumble. We may show glimpses of change, only to revert to our old ways.

So, how can we, in our weakness, truly reveal God's grace and live a life that pleases Him?