Finish Your Work, Lord

Since we are the very workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus for good works, it is imperative that we yield to His creative hand, and allow Him to finish the work He has begun.

With the new birth God has commenced the character of His people fashioning us in the likeness of His Son. No human mind could ever conceive or fully comprehend the full design of God’s infinite wisdom and love. We will have to wait until that day when Christ comes, or when we meet Him in death, to know His perfect character. We really are even right now the children of God, but “it has not appeared as yet what we shall be.” But we know “when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2).

We are loved by God and have been born again; we are now His children. But even now, it has not been revealed clearly to us what we shall be. However, we know absolutely that whenever He comes we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope continually set on Him is constantly purifying himself just as He is pure.

The present reality is we are God’s children because of the new birth and adoption into the family of God. He wants us to spend eternity with Him. Only a person who knows God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ knows what it means to be a child of God.

When Jesus Christ comes a second time all true believers in Him will become like Him (Phil. 3:20-21). They will have new, glorified, resurrected bodies adapted for heaven. Such a hope in His coming leads to a life of personal integrity. We want to live lives that are pleasing to Him.

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9; cf. Isa. 64:4).

We do not know the complete details of this “likeness of God.” But we do know that we will be like Christ because our destiny and glory is to be like Him (Rom. 8:29). We will be like Jesus who is like God (2 Cor. 4:6).

Since we do not know the final outcome of our redemption, who are we to dictate to God what we want to become? He is the Potter; we are the clay. Let’s let Him choose the outcome. Let’s let the Author of our salvation also be the Finisher.

Pop psychology, self-help philosophies, new age movements lead many astray with their secular humanism (1 John 3:10). Because they can only reform depraved man they cannot do what God alone can do through His Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:24; Heb. 12:10). We, on the other hand, are “made partakers of His divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:9; Eph. 4:13).

God’s workmanship is to “present every man complete in Christ” (Col. 1:28; cf. Eph. 4:13).

Who am I to impose on God’s handiwork my flaws of humanism when He has a greater goal in mind? How much better it is to come to Him, and yield to the Holy Spirit to apply God’s truth to our lives.

We were designed to be like Christ. Therefore, it is in our best interest to find out in God’s Word what He is like and yield to the divine Potter. “Not I, but Christ.” Not man created in man’s selfish, depraved, sinful image, but in all the pure character and holiness of Christ.

1. T. Robertson said, “The transforming power of the vision of Christ (1 Cor. 13:12) is the consummation of the glorious process begun at the new birth (2 Cor. 3:18).”
2. H. Spurgeon wisely wrote: “That which is your own work, you may well blush to own; that which is the devil’s work, you are bound to detest; but that which is the work of the Holy Spirit in you, will bear inspection, and no guilty fear should cause you to conceal it. Let your meekness, your kindness, your uprighteousness, your truth, your purity appear unto all men. Never let it be a question whether you are a Christian.”

You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Let Him finish His product. He does not make junk. His work is always perfect and it is always beautiful in His eyes. Why settle for second best by choosing for yourself? We are God’s workmanship and that always means He gives us His very best. What is there that God cannot do for you far better than you can ever do for yourself?

“We are His workmanship created in Christ for good works.” Don’t mar His new creation.

Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006