The Question of When

for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

Before Prepared – “Saved by grace.” That’s the message of Ephesians. Even while we were rebellious toward God, He demonstrated His great mercy by acting on our behalf through His Son, Yeshua HaMashiach. But that’s not all Paul wishes to communicate. There is a reason for God’s forgiveness. God wants us to be useful for His purposes. Paul acknowledges that it is God’s doing (“we are His workmanship”), not ours. But we are created in Yeshua HaMashiach in order to accomplish something – good works. However, what God has in mind are not just any good works. Human beings are quite capable of acting with good intent without the enabling spirit of the Messiah. What God has in mind are very particular good works, works that He has prepared before we arrived.

So, when were these good works prepared and what are they? If we are going to walk in them (a nice Hebrew idiom for lifestyle), then it might be helpful to find out when God prepared these and what they are?

What do you suppose Paul meant by the term “good works?” Where would you look to find out what he meant? We start with the Greek ergois agathois and search the LXX to see how Jewish rabbis translated these words. We find a similar phrase in Deuteronomy 6:18. To do good works is to do what is right and pleasing in the sight of the Lord. In other words, good works are not just any good thing. Good works are God’s works. Unless God endorses, empowers and equips, the actions we do are not worthy no matter now wonderful and noble they may be. Furthermore, as a matter of continual lifestyle, the only good works that we can do are the works that stem from His character and His instructions. Doing otherwise is an affront to what He has prepared long before we arrived.

This particularly Jewish view is summarized nicely by Eric Lipson:

“Great stress is laid on doing good works, privately and corporately; but the prayers pleading for forgiveness (s’lichot) quote Isaiah’s admission, ‘All our righteous deeds are as filthy rags’ [Isaiah 64:5(6)]. So Israel prays, ‘Avinu malkenu, our Father, our King, be gracious unto us and answer us, for we have done no good things of any worth. Deal with us in charity and loving-kindness and save us.’”

When did God prepare our good works? From the moment He created the universe. We are here to serve His purposes according to His plan. What are the good works that we are to do? What He asks of us according to His desire and His decrees. What He has given us to do according to His instructions because by His instructions the world will be redeemed to serve and honor Him.

Topical Index: good works, ergois agathois, Ephesians 2:10, Deuteronomy 6:18