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“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” — Ephesians 2:10

Introduction

Many have talked about or written on the subject of sin from how it works to how we can be delivered experientially from specific sins. The origin of sin, its penalty, and God’s salvific work through Jesus Christ alone to redeem humanity are truths greatly expounded on through the centuries.

So, why another discussion on sin?

It’s in the Bible. God talks about sin. In Romans 7:7, Paul wrote, “…if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’” Concerning the progression from temptation to sin, James wrote, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (1:13-15). Indeed, the Scriptures say, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (6:23).

In that last verse, God reveals a tremendous truth about sin: Sin does not have the final word; the Eternal God does. For God’s grace far exceeds our sin.

So, how should we view sin in our lives? Paul answers this question from a positional standpoint in Romans 6, giving a foundational practice in dealing with sin, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (6:11). And in Ephesians 2:1-10, he gives further insight concerning sin based on God’s gracious work in Christ. It’s that further insight which is the subject of this article—The Distraction of Sin: Saved to Live.

Here’s our roadmap through this brief discussion on sin:

The Distraction of Sin–Part One

The Distraction of Sin–Part Two

The Traction of Grace

The Traction of a Prepared Lifestyle

The Gift of One Day

The Distraction of Sin–Part One

“And you were dead.” These three simple words reveal our trespasses and sins distract us from God and His best for us. For they agitate us, produce uncertainty in us, and stimulate conflicting interests and preoccupations concerning our relationship and/or fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.

Our trespasses or transgressions, those times we know we’re going against God and willfully proceed with our thoughts and actions. Our sins, those times we occasionally miss the mark of obedience and say the same thing as God concerning our sins. Of course, this is post-salvation. We’ve been made alive and know we have sinned.

But Paul wrote, “And you were dead…,” referring to our unsaved, unregenerate state of being. Our past position before God. In fact, he refers to our previous state of being four times: “were dead…once walked…once lived…were by nature” (Eph. 2:1-3). Why?

For the simple reason this is what we were—past tense. Thus, when we trespass and sin against God, and begin to ask questions like, “Am I really saved?” “Did God truly make me alive with Christ?” “Do I really belong to Him?” then we are being distracted by sin.

Here’s how it works.

“Sin” distracts because we can see it. Another way to say this is sin deceives us (Heb. 3:12-14). Not only to commit it, but to think it still has rule over us. Thus, making us feel like we must do something to eradicate it.

You see, sin wants to be preeminent in our lives. It wants to be numero uno, the main focus above all else. It wants us to live for it. Remember, Paul said, “we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (2:3, emphasis mine).

You do know sin has a personality, right? Read Romans 6-7 and observe what sin does. Sin is a cruel taskmaster. A tyrannical ruler. An insatiable dictator. God knows this about sin, and being an absolutely holy God He must do something about it. Yes, He satisfied His wrath toward sin in Christ alone (Rom 4:24-25; 1 Jn2:2). But being our heavenly Father, God did something personal concerning sin’s rule over believers. Knowing sin wants us to live for it, God saved us to live for Him.

The Distraction of Sin–Part Two

The first personal traits God revealed about Himself to Moses were “merciful and gracious” (Ex 34:6). Makes sense, then, Paul would describe God as “being rich in mercy” in Ephesians 2:4. But notice the relational attribute that drives God’s mercy, “because of the great love with which He loved us.”

Years ago, an aunt by marriage once told me I deserved the best in life referring to material possessions and worldly status. I replied, “No, I deserve hell.” This exchange lasted a few minutes and neither of us budged on our position. I could have been gentler in how I expressed my views. However, Ephesians 2:3 rang loudly in my head as she spoke, which is why I held my ground.

But verse 4 rang louder. I was the utterly unlovable hell-bound sinner God loved and mercifully made me alive together with Christ by grace. The same is true for every believer in Jesus in all places at all times.

But we can’t see this reality—we must receive it by faith. Remember we said, “sin” distracts because we can see it. Well, the thing sin distracts from is “the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (2:7). In short, sin distracts from the gospel. God’s merciful display of love to graciously give us life in Christ alone. The more “sin” we see, the less we see of God’s finished work of salvation, namely, the gospel. And when we get hung up on sin, we gravitate toward working for God’s acceptance rather than working because we’ve been accepted by God.

One sneaky way sin distracts from the gospel is to consider it basic. To look at the gospel as something only needed to enter into this atmosphere of grace in which we stand (Rom. 5:1-2), rather than acknowledging our continual need for it. Believing once we have our hellfire insurance in force, then we can move on to the deeper things of the Christian faith is dangerous, foolhardy, wrong. To look at the gospel in such a way reveals a distracted mind. Hopefully, that becomes clearer as we continue our discussion.

Through Jesus Christ, God completely took care of sin. We did nothing to bring this about (2:4-6). Yet amazingly we still slip into patterns of seeking to deal with our sin ourselves to make God love us and accept us. Or am I just looking in the mirror? I know I’m not for Scripture says otherwise (see Galatians 3:1-13). Again, sin itself distracts from the gospel because we can see it. And doing something distracts from the gospel for the same reason—we can see our actions. So, how are we to respond to these realities? Thankfully, God gives an answer in the next few verses.

The Traction of Grace

Many people mistakenly think the opposite of “distraction” is focus. I used to be one of them. Then I found out the opposite of distraction is “traction,” actions moving toward what we really want, what we were created for.

Ephesians 2:8-9 reveal saving faith is “the gift of God,” apart from any merit or works on our part. Hence, you may be asking, “If traction refers to actions, then how is that faith?” Good question. We know what James says on this matter, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead…faith apart from works is useless… faith apart from works is dead” (2:17, 20, 26). Even Paul wrote in Philippians 2:12, “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”

In the Philippians passage, some don’t see the comma at the end of verse 12 and thus, never make it to verse 13, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” But some also wrongly conclude God does all of the work when it comes to the distraction of sin. “Let go, and let God,” these well-meaning people proclaim. James, however, strongly refutes such a conclusion.

You see, James, along with these verses, show the cooperative work we do with God in the power of the Holy Spirit as we deal with sin—it’s called sanctification. That is, God making us in practice what He’s already made us in position.

Ephesians 2:8-9, however, is a position passage. It is the declarative statement on what God alone has done to make us His. For it is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone whereby God saves us from the penalty, power, and ultimately the presence of sin.

Thus, when the Scriptures say, “the righteous shall live by faith,” each place highlights a different aspect: Identity as God’s people in Habakkuk 2:4 (“the righteous”), the application of the gospel in Romans 1:17 (“shall live”), the means of salvation in Galatians 3:11 (“by faith”), and the continual lifestyle of the believer in Hebrews 10:38 (all of it).

Therefore, the traction of grace initially points to God’s action toward who He wants—us. Indeed, Ephesians 2:1-10 centers on God’s action on our behalf: “God…made us alive together with Christ…raised us up with Him…seated us with Him…He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace…[faith] is the gift of God.” All of this, along with verse 10, which we’ll cover in the next section, highlights the work of God for us.

But notice God’s actions were preceded by who He is and how He thinks about us—He is rich in mercy and greatly loves us. And He shows us His love through His salvific actions in this passage. This is grace. Why grace? It’s “so that no one may boast.” It’s “to the praise of His glory” (1:6a, 7, 12, 14c). It’s so God alone gets the credit for making and keeping us His. Practically, it’s so we can know and depend on God to accomplish His purposes concerning us. Have you noticed how many New Testament books begin and end with grace? If He can save us from an eternity apart from Him in hell, then surely, He can daily apply the gospel to our lives.

The Traction of a Prepared Lifestyle

God did something to us, and now He expects something from us—our lives. We get this from the first word immediately after Ephesians 2:10, “Therefore.” In response to His saving us, God expects us to engage in actions moving toward what we really want, what we were created for.

For when He saved us, God gave us a new life, which includes a new identity, new desires, new ambitions. We don’t always go after those things, but He still provided them. Thus, we’re presented with the traction of a prepared lifestyle.

A few obvious questions are raised: who created this prepared lifestyle? God (2:10). When did He create this lifestyle? “Before the foundation of the world” (1:3-6). When did He give us this lifestyle? At the moment of conversion (2:4-9). When does He expect us to live this lifestyle? Now (2:10-6:24).

Notice the “now” aspect of living starts at 2:10 and runs through the rest of Paul’s letter. The twofold reason for this is first, “we are His workmanship.” As God’s workmanship, we are each individually and collectively special, unique, completely loved, forgiven, and accepted. We are completed masterpieces in the eyes of our heavenly Father (cf. Rom. 8:28-30). Yet the idea remains in this sentence God is continuously making us in practice what He’s already made us in position.

And the second reason for the “now” aspect is “good works” is not simply a list of activities, although it definitely includes our gifts, talents, and abilities. Remember the “therefore,” is there for a reason. For God does not leave it up to us to define the “good works, which [He] prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

God starts with His work of reconciling man to Himself and to one another through the cross of Christ (2:11-22). In Jesus, believers are made one with God and with one another, no longer alienated by sin, but together citizens of heaven, members of God’s family.

And this oneness is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in Whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (2:20-22).

We further see the prepared lifestyle is gospel-driven as the means to realize the oneness God created in Christ (3:1-13). Therefore, at its core, the prepared lifestyle is one based on the cornerstone, who is Jesus Christ. God saved us to live a Christ-centered, gospel-driven lifestyle. Not one in which we set the agenda. Jesus said, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35). This is what He expects from us. Easy stuff, huh?

Just remember, God lives within us to live the life of Christ through us. All we have to do is ask our heavenly Father for help. He will come to our aid in exactly how we need Him to. I know this is what He desires for in Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul prays for the daily application of the gospel to the lives of his readers. And look at verses 20-21, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Wow!

Living a Christ-centered, gospel-driven, Holy Spirit empowered lifestyle defined Paul. This is why he called himself “a prisoner for the Lord” (4:1) as he urged his readers, including us, to live “in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” In other words, live the prepared lifestyle God saved us to live.

This is what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 5:13-16 concerning His people being salt and light where we live, work, go to school, and play. You remember verse 16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (emphasis mine). What light is Jesus talking about? How we live before others.

Are we without question people who take our life cues from Jesus? Are we honest about when and where we still struggle for this to be a reality in our lives?

So, how does the traction of a prepared lifestyle work? Well, remember God’s gracious actions precede ours and who He is and how He thinks of us came before His actions. Thus, how we think precedes our actions. For if we simply focus on doing or living the prepared lifestyle, we’re nothing more than moralistic people still trying to earn God’s acceptance rather than resting in His forgiveness and not giving in to the distraction of sin. Therefore, first remember God by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone saved us. Second, remember “we are His workmanship,” special, unique, completely loved, forgiven, and accepted. Third, remember He gave us this prepared lifestyle and He will live it through us. So, ask Him expectantly to show us exactly how to demonstrate the gospel in our relationships with others in our homes, churches, neighborhoods, and world all for His glory.

The Gift of One Day

When presented with challenging biblical truth, we often feel or believe we have to apply it in one big chunk. This is burdensome and unbiblical.

Of the many gifts God gave us in Christ, perhaps one of the most overlooked is the gift of one day. I know I often find this to be true of me.

In Matthew 6:33-34, Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Smack dab in the middle of the five-chapter book of Lamentations, a book of anguish, pain, despair, and affliction, the writer wrote, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (3:21-23). God is faithful to His precious children to give grace today to live for Him one day at a time. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is not here. So, may we daily pray to our heavenly Father, “Give us this day our daily bread.” He’ll do it! For His Holy Spirit lives within us to bring Him glory.

Copyright © 2023 by Melvin W. Bailey, Jr.  All rights reserved. No portion of this booklet may be reproduced in any manner without express written permission from the author. Part of the Kingdom Journal Entry Series

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.