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'Christ in You...'
by Dale Krebbs
"For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them." - Ephesians 2:8-10
All the good works you could do in a thousand years cannot qualify you for eternal life. However, sometimes verses 8-9 are quoted alone which can give a wrong impression concerning works. This is one of those instances where failing to finish Paul's thought can leave a wrong impression.
Once you become surrendered to Christ, you then will enter into works of God. Good works have already been prepared, ready for you to do them. That is one of the reason you were created, and are being (progressive) created in Christ. These may or may not originate, or be planned by, or motivated by you. God has given to each of you abilities and talents. He will combine these with the correct mix of circumstances and opportunities. He expects all of us to walk through these doors of opportunity (2 Corinthians 2:12).
They have been planned for you in the mysterious counsels of God. Your concern should not be what works you are to do, but only to respond to the works opportunities in your live, set up and consecrated and orchestrated by Christ.
If you do not do these works, as prompted and directed by the Holy Spirit, James declares that you are acting from a dead faith (James 2:17,20, 26). These include works that you have repented of, that prevented you from growing into the works approved by God (Hebrews 6:1). But in Christ, and led by the Holy Spirit, His sacrifice cleans your minds of the past dead works that have defiled your conscience, and prepares you to go forward doing the works that never provoke a guilty conscience.
Incidents that seem circumstantial can be turned into divine appointments by the Holy Spirit. Your responsibility is to respond to opportunities as the Spirit leads you. From time to time, God may perform a course correction in your life. Generally, this is most unexpected. Changing the path of your life can incur strong resistance. In the world in which we live, we struggle for predictability, constancy, and a smooth and controllable existence. But if we are surrendered to Christ, we are wise to expect the unexpected, no matter what happens in our lives (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
If you have been drawn to Jesus by the Father, your life assignments are along the path of your life as you walk with Him. When you fully realize this "divine appointment", it can release a power and faith and peace that "passes understanding". It can also release a joy from the Spirit's conviction that sets you free. Then you will be able to live a life of power, the power enabled by Christ's resurrection because you begin to know Him intimately through "the power of His resurrection".
This releases "blessed assurance" as you follow the will of God, as you perform the works of God that He has given you. As these things occur in your life, they may appear as "time and chance" encounters and experiences. This is the mystery of God that, for all who are yielded to Him, may not be understood at the time. Many times, they are realized later as you look back at the events in your life.
There are many "works" performed by well meaning people of this world. Many of these works are good of themselves. But they do not proceed from God through the Holy Spirit, and do not evidence genuine faith that is the gift of God in Christ. They, although seemingly good, are, in the sight of Christ, dead (Matthew 7:22-23). The Bible speaks of those whose works are "dead works", whose works are outside the will of God, performed by fleshly effort and outside of Christ (Revelation 3:1).
The works of your life events, if you are in Christ and He is working in you, will work by and through love - the love of God for you, and for others, that lives in you, and reaches out through you to those in your path where God has set you. You begin to manifest and live love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
You will have come to the center of God's will for you and your life!
All these things have a great recompense of reward - for you, and for all who will walk with Jesus Christ through this world, doing the works ordained and approved by Him (Revelation 14:13). There is one "door of opportunity" of service to Jesus Christ that is always open, and all will walk through whether we realize it or not. When you walk through it, you will minister for all to see either light - or darkness (Matthew 5:14-15; 6:23).
If you do works through the Light, Jesus Christ, there awaits the blessing of hearing Him say, well done, good and faithfully servant; enter into the joys of your Lord (Matthew 25:21).
"But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NET)
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