{"id":1579,"date":"2022-01-30T14:32:40","date_gmt":"2022-01-30T20:32:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/?p=1579"},"modified":"2022-01-30T14:32:40","modified_gmt":"2022-01-30T20:32:40","slug":"we-are-his-workmanship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/2022\/01\/30\/we-are-his-workmanship\/","title":{"rendered":"We are His Workmanship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cFor we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them<\/strong>.\u201d
Ephesians 2:10 <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance. In\nthat message, John was preparing the people\u2019s hearts to understand their need\nfor Jesus. After John the Baptist introduced the people to Jesus, read what\nhappened. \u201c35. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his\ndisciples; 36. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb\nof God!<\/strong>\u201d (John 1:35-36). John again declared Jesus as the Lamb of God. \u201cAnd\nthe two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus<\/strong>\u201d (John 1:37). Recognize that these men left John the\nBaptist to follow the One for which John had come to prepare the way. John had\ndone His job: he had directed the people\u2019s attention to the Savior of the\nworld, Jesus. These men left John, and they followed Jesus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c38. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith\nunto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being\ninterpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39. He saith unto them, Come and\nsee. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day \u2026 40. One of\nthe two which heard John speak<\/em>, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon\nPeter’s brother<\/strong>\u201d (John 1:38-40). John\u2019s disciples called Jesus Rabbi\n(Master); yet another indication that they had turned their focus from John to\nJesus. They were ready to hear the teachings of Jesus now that they had met\nHim. Rabbi<\/strong> means \u201ca doctor, teacher, master; a title of honor\nin the Jewish schools<\/em>.\u201d After Andrew believed in Jesus, he immediately\nfound his brother, Simon (Peter), and took him to meet Jesus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe day following Jesus would go forth into <\/strong>Galilee<\/strong>,\nand findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me<\/strong>\u201d (John 1:43). Jesus called Philip, too. What did Philip\ndo? \u201cPhilip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of\nwhom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of <\/strong>Nazareth<\/strong>,\nthe son of Joseph<\/strong>\u201d (John 1:45). Philip\nrecognized who this man was that called him. Philip understood that Jesus was\nthe Promised One that Moses and the prophets had written about in the Old\nTestament. Immediately he went and found Nathanael to bring him to Jesus. (Remember,\nthat is what Andrew had done. Andrew immediately went and found his brother,\nSimon.) Today, when a person meets Jesus, becoming a Christian, the immediate\nresponse should be to introduce others to Jesus, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nathanael was a skeptic \u2013 at first. Nevertheless, after Jesus told him\nwhere he had been, Nathanael believed. Remember that each person has the choice\n\u2013 to believe or not to believe. Nathanael believed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people followed Jesus because they wanted to hear His\nteachings \u2013 so many that they crowded Him. Jesus saw the empty ships, and asked\nSimon to thrust the ship out a little from the shore. Jesus taught the people\nfrom the ship. After finishing teaching, Jesus told Simon (Peter) to go out to\nthe deep water and throw out their nets again to fish. Simon (Peter) initially\nobjected \u2013 but then he obeyed Jesus. They caught so many fish that their nets\nbroke, and then both<\/em><\/strong> ships began to sink because of the number of fish caught.\nHow did Peter respond? \u201c8. When Simon Peter saw it<\/em>, he fell down at\nJesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9. For he\nwas astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which\nthey had taken<\/strong>\u201d (Luke 5:8-9). Especially notice that Peter was not the only\none affected by this miraculous catch of fish. \u201c10. And so was<\/em> also\nJames, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus\nsaid unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11. And when\nthey had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him<\/strong>\u201d (Luke\n5:10-11). It was at this point that\nthese four men forsook their old occupation as fishermen of fish, and followed\nJesus as fishers of men. If you notice, it said, \u201cthey forsook all.<\/strong>\u201d In\nMatthew, chapter four it tells us that James and John were working with their\nfather. They left him, too.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People were trying not only to hear Jesus\u2019 teachings, but also to be\nhealed. Many people followed Jesus. He was drawing the people from a religious\npractice to a commitment of the heart \u2013 a heart committed to Jesus. Jesus saw\nthe need of the people. Read what Jesus did. \u201c12. And it came to pass in\nthose days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night\nin prayer to God. 13. And when it was day, he called unto him<\/em> his\ndisciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles<\/strong>\u201d (Luke 6:12-13). Apostle<\/strong>\nmeans \u201can ambassador; it indicates the\ndistinctive relation of the 12 men Jesus chose to be His witnesses of Him\nbefore the world<\/em>.\u201d This was the third call of these men. They were initially\ncalled to believe <\/em><\/strong>in Jesus. Then they were called to follow<\/em><\/strong>\nJesus. Finally, Jesus called them for a special purpose<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 to be\nHis apostles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as Jesus called the twelve disciples (Apostles) for a\nspecial purpose, when someone today is saved (asks Jesus into their heart),\nJesus has a special purpose for them as well. \u201c8. For by grace are ye saved\nthrough faith; and that not of yourselves: it is<\/em> the gift of God: 10.\nFor we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God\nhath before ordained that we should walk in them<\/strong>\u201d (Ephesians 2:8, 10). Not\nonly are Christians His workmanship (workmanship<\/strong>\nmeans \u201cthe result of work; something\nproduced; something made<\/em>\u201d),\nbut God has before ordained (before\nordained<\/strong> means \u201cto make ready beforehand;\nused of God\u2019s foreordaining for good, referring to glory and good works<\/em>\u201d) that new Christian to walk in that\nnew life Jesus has for them. Jesus has a job for each Christian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you believed\nin Jesus, becoming a Christian?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you follow Jesus and His teachings?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you recognized the job that Jesus has for your life?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to be Saved<\/a><\/blockquote>