God's Workmanship

Intro

Text -

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Title - God’s Workmanship

Background

Not all things are created equal

God created life at different levels

different life forms do not mean evolution, but design

Not all things were created natural

there are creations in the spirit dimension

there are creations in the natural dimension

Not all were created in the same way

All were “created”

All were created by the Word

But - there is another way by which God creates - birthing

All were

Main Point

Man (Adam) was not the highest creation of God. Adam was the highest form of creation only in the natural world.

God’s highest creation was the “new man”, the “new creation”

it is the most important, most significant thing in the New Testament

Sermon Points

Three (3) “kinds” of creations, three (3) kinds of “sons of God”

3 “creations”

3 “creations”

spirit creations - angels, seraphim, cherubim

natural creation - plants, animals, natural man

spiritual man - new creation

Notes:

each creation is given life

natural life for the natural creation

spirit life for the spirit creation

For the spiritual man - God gives us His own Spirit!

3 “sons of God”

Angels -

sons of God by creation

Adam (natural man) -

all humans were God’s offspring -

sons of God by creation

Jesus Christ THE Son of God and the new creation

Sons of God by “birth”

The Sonship of Christ

Note:

Jesus was not created in the same way that man (Adam) was created

Jesus was not created in the same way that man (Adam) was created

the Logos was created in the same way that heaven and earth were created.

The WORD was “begotten”

Hebrews 1:5 NKJV

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?

Hebrews 1:5 NKJV

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?

Hebrews 1.5

the Son was begotten in the beginning -

the Logos (Son) was already “firstborn before it was brought into the world

The WORD was born in flesh

Son of the Highest

Son of God

conceived and birthed by the power of the Holy Spirit

The Son is “Firstborn” -

He is firstborn over all creation -

He is firstborn among many brethren -

He is firstborn from the dead - ;

He is firstborn among many brethren -

The Son of God taught us the importance of NEW BIRTH

no new birth - no part God’s kingdom (or family)

flesh is flesh, spirit is spirit

“born from above”

1 Peter 1.3

God’s Work in the New Creation

Why call this “new creation”?

“new” in relation to the “old” - the natural man

Adam has no role in the new creation - it is purely the work of God in Christ

- “old things” have passed away, ALL things are NEW

God is bringing forth, producing, birthing a totally new and one of a kind creation

not like the natural - born by sexual intercourse, fleshly

not like the angels in heaven - new creation is even greater than them!

the LIFE of the new creation is the very life of God - Holy Spirit!

the (future) BODY of the new creation is like the LOGOS!

conformed - Grk. SYMMORPHOS, like-natured, in the same form

The Importance of the NEW BIRTH

John 3:3–6 NKJV

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

New birth our ENTRY into the kingdom (family, household) of God

flesh is flesh, spirit is spirit

flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God

New birth is not possible if Christ was not resurrected!

Christ’s resurrection means the power of death is destroyed

Christ’s resurrection signifies birth

New birth takes us to our inheritance - the glorified body!