Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Rick Warren
More Good Works to Do
We all know we cannot ever save ourselves no matter what kind of good works we do because they’ll never be good enough to save us (Eph. 2:8-9), but that doesn’t mean God doesn’t have works for us to do, and good works at that. Right after saying why no one can be saved by works (Eph. 2:8-9), Paul wrote that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). No, we’re not saved by works; we’re saved to do good works. If you’re still breathing, then God has something for you to do for His glory.
More to Witness To
A few years ago, I was in a car accident, and even the EMS workers were amazed that I was not killed. My wife said, “God must not be done with you yet,” and apparently she was right. Later that same year, I went over to visit with our elder’s father-in-law, who had never been saved. His health was declining very fast, so I went to speak to him about why he needed saving before he died. The man did put his trust in Christ, and three days later he was gone! I had no idea that he was going to pass away that quickly. Then I got to thinking, if I had not gone over there to speak with him that day–and I wouldn’t have been able to if I had been killed in that car accident of mine–would the man had ever put his trust in Christ? I may never know, but I do know that as long as we’re alive, God has a purpose for us.
More Christ-likeness to Be
Paul tells us that we’re to be renewed or transformed in our minds and avoid being conformed to the world (Rom. 12:2). He also wrote that he had “been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). If we say we abide in Christ (John 15:1-7), then we ought to walk in the very same way that He walked (1 John 2:6). That’s the goal while we’re still alive: to become more Christ-like, hopefully more and more with each passing day.
Conclusion
If you can read this, then you’re obviously alive and God has something for you to do. It might be to serve others or to encourage others (wow, do we need this today). It might be to witness to others, or it might be that you’re still not finished becoming or being shaped into the image of Christ. I believe it is all of these. Certainly, you were made to glorify God in doing all of these things, which is why you’re still drawing a breath right now as you read this.
