7.16.15 "Created ... To Do Good Works"

Created ... To Do Good Works Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

There are two types of sins.  Most of us are keenly aware of the first type … sins of commission.  These are sins where we do what we are not supposed to do.  We know something is wrong and yet we do it anyway.  While we are all sinners, we may be able to delude ourselves that we are basically good people because we don’t [often] do sins of commission.   This last section in Ephesians 2:10 is talking about the other kind of sin, the sin of omission.  They are things we don’t do that we’re supposed to do.  I contend that we do these kinds of sins all the time.  The classic example is the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).  Recall the actions of the priest and the Levite.  God had provided them the opportunity to do good by helping a man in need, yet they both crossed to the other side of the road and passed the injured man by.  Clearly this was a sin of in-action.  It was made all the worse by the professions of the two men … men of the faith.

Throughout our lives, God provides us with many opportunities to do good, in Christ’s name.  We should always be aware and be prepared to act on such opportunities.  An important thing to remember is that our motivation to perform these good works should not be in an anticipation of getting anything from God … he has always given us the ultimate gift … Christ’s death on the cross for our sins.  We should be doing these good works in response to this ultimate gift already provided.

Blessings, JDH

Ps.  Check out these additional verses on the subject of “sins of omission”.  James 4:17; Matthew 25:31-46; Galatians 6:9; Matthew 12:50; Romans 12:1-2