Good Works (Ephesians 2:1-10)

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

The beginning of this chapter fits our world to a T right now. Many are choosing to follow the world, follow the “power of air.” Like a leaf, being blown around to this thought and that thought. Following the wishes of flesh and impulses. God wants everyone to be saved. He gave us his son to die for our sins, so that even those now nearly 2000 years later, could be freed from their sins. But to be free, you have to want to choose Christ. 

For those who choose Christ’s way, we know we have been saved by God. We also know that through his good works we have been saved, and we should live in his good works. Our good works will not give us salvation, as that is only given to us by God. But because we are saved, we should prove our faith with good works. One way is to continue to live as God wants us to live. To show other’s God’s way by emulating Jesus’s teaching. We are called to love, to guide, to protect. 

We need to love others, no matter what they have chosen. Even those who chose to follow the “power of air.” We can’t show them God’s way by denying them the love God intended for them. We need to guide others back to the Word. Talking about God and faith is a great way to do that. We need to protect those who are still young from the desires of the world. Planting seeds of faith in children so they can grow up strong against the wickedness of the worldly desires. We need to be available for questions, keep an eye on what they are seeing, telling them “no” when we know the situation is not good. Just as we are God’s handiwork, so are our children. And they are much more moldable than we are. 

As adults, we have had years to grow shields against the devil, but children are still saturable. Part of our good works as Christian parents is to help our children find God. What is a way you can ensure your children know God’s word? And not just to know it, but to understand, believe, and love it. The Pharisees could repeat Moses law verbatim, but they weren’t living it. We need to show our children how to love, guide, and protect by living Jesus’s Word. God has prepared the way. It won’t always be easy, by He is right alongside us. But we have to choose the right path to walk.